Citizens' participation in local governance

As cities are increasingly seen as ‘engines of economic growth’, as well as having an increasing strategic importance from a political and demographic perspective, various policies and government interventions have been implemented on improving urban productivity and urban renewal, accompanied by ‘good governance’. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act and Community Participation Law were therefore introduced to bring in political decentralisation through citizens’ participation in local decision-making. In order to bring improvement in service delivery and decentralise urban governance through the participation of people in everyday decision-making, the Delhi government implemented the schemes of Bhagidari and Mohalla Sabha over the years. Using qualitative research, this chapter examines the impact of neighbourhood based activism on local governance by understanding the activities of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), their interactions with the Bhagidari and Mohalla Sabha schemes, and how they have influenced decision-making at the local and state level. Using RWAs as a vantage point to understand citizen negotiations with the state, market, and the civil society in the backdrop of newer cultural and political economies of liberalisation, this chapter investigates and recommends the ways in which RWAs can deepen the ideals of empowerment, democracy, participation, and inclusivity.