Anant Maringanti

In this engaging discussion, Thoniparambil Raghunandan, a former IAS officer and expert in decentralization, teams up with Anant Maringanti, director of an urban studies center, to explore the pressing need for governance reform in Indian cities. They highlight the visibility gap of Indian mayors compared to their US counterparts and delve into historical municipal strengths. The guests discuss the failures of the 74th Amendment, the impact of citizen apathy, and the political motives behind municipal reorganizations. They propose that direct mayoral elections could enhance accountability and responsiveness in urban governance.