Urban politics and administration in Kerala.

Urban politics and administration in Kerala.

Prof. Joseph K. Alexander
Chairman, Kerala Regional Branch
Indian Institute of Public Administration.


All modern governments assume responsibility for protecting the civic rights of their citizens. The protection of individual rights has taken two principal forms:
1, Protection of liberty of the individual against governmental oppression of its executives and
2. Protection of individual rights against hostile majorities / minorities within the State.

Political systems recognize certain functions as belonging to the government. These functions are devised and performed in such a way that the individual’s liberty and rights are protected from infringement by any power center.

In modern days these functions include the maintenance of domestic peace, public education system, hospital and health facilities, aid to the indigent, traffic control, supply of electricity, transport system, conservation of natural resources, flood control, fire protection, postal services, garbage disposal, commercial slaughter houses, laundries, ice plants, liquor sales, etc. They are, far more needed and rendered in the urban cities vis-à-vis rural areas

In Urban administration, urban planning and development movement arose in the West as a response to the disorder and squalor of the slum areas created by the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. Urban city planners imposed regulatory laws establishing standards for housing, sanitation, water supply, sewage, parks and playgrounds. They also introduced regulations in building activity to set limits of height and density of habitats to protect neighborhoods. Recently urban scholarship has steadily progressed towards a conception of cities and urban cultures that is free of ethno-centrism, and with broad cross-cultural and historical validity.

In India this kind of city plans came up much earlier due to enlightened insights of the kings and rulers. With increase in population and large scale migration of villagers in the last century to towns seeking better employment opportunities, Indian cities also have now became congested slums. Thus we in India also face these very same problems as in the West

Organizing Govt. functions without infringement on individual liberty and effectively for the urban dwellers warrant a large amount of decentralization of political authority and functions. Empowerment of especially women at the grass root level of local wards and Panchayats are also necessary. To ensure this local initiative, Government of India introduced the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts.

Kerala Government adopted these Acts and tried to implement them on the planning set up of the State with the following measures:

I Congress (I) Government in power enacted Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 and the Kerala Municipalities Act, 1994 to transfer to the Local Bodies; all schemes, institutions, building and other properties connected with the subjects listed for transfer.
2 .The first elections to the three tiers of Panchayat Raj set up in Kerala were held and the new Local Bodies came into being in October 1995.
3 .A comprehensive Government order was issued, transferring various institutions and staff to the Local Bodies

Thus the LSGs in Kerala got newly elected rulers, new staff devolved from other related offices, and power and money for implementation of their own programme.

But the new rulers were
a, untrained in administration,
b. staff disgruntled because of the displacements and
c, there were no detailed guide lines for working the new system.

4 .The new Left Democratic Front Govt. that came into power in the next election, riding on the shoulders of the previous United Democratic Front Govt.’s initiatives, embarked on a policy of Massive decentralization during 1996-2001.The attempt was to formalize and institutionalize the paradigm shift to the people-centered, bottom-up approach to planning and development and giving a direct and continuing role to the people. Thus the De-centralized Planning campaign was launched in Kerala on 17th of August 1996.

Kerala Model of growth. Kerala was first to achieve wide-spread literacy, health and a high Physical Quality of Life (PQLI) index and to introduce land reforms. This was made possible due to the early start in modern education and health facilities brought in by the European Christian missionaries and the consequent enlightenment of the rulers and the public.
The communist parties in Kerala make a claim that it is their work among the masses that brought this higher quality of life in Kerala. People of Kerala and their rulers (Rajas) became enlightened even before the birth of communism in Kerala, It is true that the political parties implemented more land reforms and made the masses to fight for their equality and rights in the society. But enlightenment and higher physical quality of life came because of their health conscience and interaction of masses with modern education, educated persons and social leaders like Sree Narayana Guru The political party’s claim is an effective propaganda to elicit votes of their ranks.

These higher standards got augmented after the 1970s with inflow of foreign money send by expatriates working in Gulf and other outside countries. But since independence in 1947, there was practically no growth in the Agricultural and Industrial sectors. Service sector was growing recently because of the large foreign remittances. Kerala Model of growth was a growth-less shine of the economy.

.This “Kerala Model” which was loosing its shine, got a boost with this new “People’s Plan Programme” of the LDF. But when it was implemented, it was not only politicized, but also failed to cut down the high cost and low productivity syndrome of the Public Sector. The managers of the People’s Plan were mainly CPI (M) controlled volunteers from Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad and Total Literacy Programme.

Urban Programme.
Kerala was again one of the first few States in the country to formulate and declare a policy framework for urban development. An Urban Regulatory Authority was created. All problems relating to housing, unemployment, private participation in development were all worked out.

Kerala’s contribution in making the process of decentralization on a firm footing was also evidenced by the following administrative decisions and reforms introduced in several sectors of governance during 1994-’04.

1. Creation of an Administrative Reforms Committee. Their reports came in 2000; and another in 2001.
2. A white Paper on State Finances was issued in June 2001 for public debate by the newly elected UDF Govt.
3. Ombudsman for Local Self Government Institutions has been set up to enquire into allegations of corruption and mal-administration against members of Local Self Government institutions
4. The State Election Commission has been formed and the commission conducted two general elections to the LSG institutions.
5. The right to information has been given statutory validity by incorporating it in the two Kerala Decentralization Acts of 1994. This brought in transparency.
6. The State appointed two State Finance Commissions. The State Government implemented almost all the recommendations of the 1st Finance Commission.
7. The New Bill System of 03-11-‘04 gave detailed guidelines for devolution of funds to LSG Institutions.
8. Citizens charter of rights have been drawn up for 18 departments including Revenue, Land Records and Treasury,
9. Kerala also introduced a number of measures to implement e- governance in the State government and local self government institutions.

By these steps Kerala became a model for South East Asian countries regarding Decentralization laws and their implementation. The Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) is considered to be a premier center in South Asia for capacity building in decentralized government.

END