Effective local governance requires civic and citizen partnership

Rayagada: Rayagada’s Local Self-governance Day celebration featured official speeches, housing order distributions, and cultural events. However, the town’s rapid growth raises a critical question: can urban governance match expanding civic demands and infrastructure pressures?

At a Rayagada Municipality auditorium event directed by the State Housing department, MLA Kadraka Appala Swamy, ADM Rabindranath Kanhar, and Municipal Chairperson P Mahesh Patnaik attended alongside local councillors and district officials. Bhubaneswar’s municipal auditorium screened the live state-level Local Self-governance Day event, where Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi distributed PMAY-U 2.0 work orders, honoured competition winners, and hosted a cultural programme. Officials at the function highlighted the municipality’s responsibility towards sanitation, urban development and the delivery of basic civic amenities.

Yet, for residents, the quality of urban governance is ultimately experienced not at official functions but on the streets through the condition of roads and drains, availability of parking, waste management, traffic movement, water supply and the cleanliness of public spaces. The municipality has appealed to residents to keep roads and lanes clean and to segregate wet and dry waste before handing it over to municipal collection vehicles. It has also urged people to avoid plastic and polythene and warned of penalties and legal action for violations.

Residents have been advised to obtain approval for building plans before starting construction and complete the required registration process after construction. Commercial establishments have been asked to obtain or renew trade licences through the SUJOG portal and pay holding tax, user fees, hoarding fees and other applicable taxes on time.

The municipality has also urged citizens to participate in land survey and mapping exercises and comply with requirements concerning the use of Odia on commercial display boards. A toll free number, 06856-235052, has been provided for septic tank cleaning through the municipal cesspool service. Such measures underline an important principle of urban governance: civic infrastructure can function effectively only when citizens use it responsibly.

But civic responsibility cannot become a substitute for institutional accountability. When drains are obstructed, roads are encroached upon or public spaces are occupied, enforcement has to be consistent and impartial. Selective enforcement can weaken public confidence and encourage further violations. The municipality therefore faces the twin challenge of educating citizens and ensuring that its own regulations are implemented uniformly.

Rayagada’s urban challenges also point towards the need for more comprehensive planning. Parking has become an increasingly important issue as the number of vehicles grows, while the absence or inadequacy of designated vending areas can push street vendors onto roads and pedestrian spaces. This can affect traffic movement as well as pedestrian safety.

Rainwater management is another area that requires greater attention. As built-up areas expand and natural drainage channels are altered, the ability of towns to absorb and safely channel rainwater becomes increasingly important. Rainwater harvesting should therefore be treated as a core component of urban planning rather than merely a compliance requirement.

For Rayagada, the question is not simply how much infrastructure is being constructed, but whether infrastructure is being planned as part of an integrated urban system. From celebration to implementation, Local Self-Government Day is intended to underline the importance of urban local bodies and their role in improving people’s daily lives. In practice, however, effective local governance depends on a partnership between municipal institutions and citizens.