Unit 2
Unit 2
Unit 2
Structure
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Urban Management: Meaning and Scope
2.3 Urban Management: As a Process
2.4 Management of Urban Services
2.5 Requirements of Good Urban Management
2.6 Let Us Sum Up
2.7 References and Suggested Readings
2.8 Check Your Progress: Possible Answers
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Urban is one of the important and most growing sector particularly in developing
countries. One of the predictions envisages that there will soon be four billion
city dwellers on the planet, each of them producing consuming and travelling.
These growing millions have to be fed, provided with housing, safe drinking
water, sanitation and energy, and means of transportation. Management of these
services is critical to raise the quality of living in city life. Many urban problems
are the result of poor management, poor planning and absence of coherent urban
policies rather than urbanization itself. Urban Management although a fragile
yet a most important component of urban planning and development.
In this unit we will cover the meaning and scope of urban management and also
management of urban services. After reading this unit, you will be able to:
i) Define urban management and delineate its scope
ii) Explain management and delivery of urban services
iii) Describe the pre-requisites of good urban management
According S K Sharma the Urban Management can be described “as the set of
activities which together shape and guide the social, physical and economic
development of urban areas. The main concern of urban management, then,
would be intervention in these areas to promote economic development and well-
being and to ensure necessary provision of essential services.”
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According the Amos “Urban Management is the responsibility of municipal Urban Management and
Management of Urban
government and urban management is concerned with all aspects of urban Services
development, both public and private. It is no way confined to the services
operated by the municipal authority. Good urban management depends on the
power to coordinate the activities of a variety of agencies at national and local
levels.” While Davidson writes “Urban Management is about mobilizing
resources in a way that can achieve urban development objectives”.
From the above discussions, a few important scope of urban management can be
drawn:
iv) Promote community participation and involve NGOs and civil society
organizations in the effective provision and management of urban services.
McGill has rightly summarized the scope of urban management with the view
that urban management in developing countries should seek to achieve the simple
but fundamental twin objective of:
b) Making sure that the city’s local government is in a fit state, organizationally
and financially, to ensure that provision and maintenance.
The Urban governments be it central, state or urban local bodies generally carry
out the responsibility for managing six inter-related urban sector i.e. urban land,
natural environment, infrastructure, urban services and development. Given in
Figure 2.1
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Urban Management and
Management of Urban
Urban Environment/
Services
Natural Resource
Management
Urban Economic
Development Urban Land
Scope of Urban
Management
Infrastructure
Urban Social Services
iv) Urban Social Services: Local governments are often called upon to manage
a diverse range of social services in their areas. These services include urban
health care facilities through dispensaries and clinics; education at least
pre-primary and primary education; security from crime, public safety from
fire and natural disaster and during emergencies; welfare programs of
physically challenged and old age; poverty alleviation programe and
provision of recreation i.e. open spaces, parks and part of cultural facilities.
Provision of urban social services is equally important to that of urban
infrastructure. The provision of urban services also called for establishment
of schools, hospitals, old age home, care house for physically challenged,
recreation clubs and parks. The judicious allocation of resources between
various development infrastructure and service infrastructure is sine-qua-
non for holistic urban development.
The nine different steps of Urban Management cycle given in Figure 2.2
1) Identification of Problem: Problem analysis is of prime importance to
urban development programmes/projects, as it strongly influences the design
of all possible urban development interventions. Problem identification is a
deductive process. It is a state of affairs or facts or figures that cause
difficulties and sufferings. The problem analysis not only investigates What
is wrong? but also try to understand ‘Why’ and ‘How’ it is wrong in order to
assign priority to the problem.
2) Formulation of Objectives: The objective formulation is a process, whereby,
the problem are converted into objectives or good towards which activities
can be directed. It is viewed that objective analysis is a tool to understand
what objectives will be aimed as a result solution to the problems identified
in the problem analysis. The development objectives as far as possible should
be “SMART” that is S- Specific, M-Measurable, A-Attainable, R-Realistic
and T-Time bound.
3) Development of Policies: In order to achieve the desired goal of urban
development, the formulated objectives must be integrated into policy
document. At these stage, necessary legislative, regulatory and organizational
mechanism and economic, financial and technical measures required are
developed.
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Urban Management 4) Development of Institutional Arrangement: After inducting or designing
policy, institutional arrangement has to be made. The institution, so created
will require to implement objectives. For example, HUDCO (Housing and
Urban Development Corporation) has been formulated to implement, policy
of urban housing and other basic needs.
5) Programme/ Project formulation: In this phase, detail programmes and in
each programme, what are the projects to be launched in order to achieve
the objectives have to be formulated.
6) Development of Plan/Strategies: In this stage, programme and project
specific details, technical plan and strategies has to be developed in order to
achieve urban development objective.
7) Implementation: The plan formulated strategies and activities are
implemented by the various institute and agencies deployed in order to
achieve the developmental goals and objectives of urban development sector.
8) Operation Maintenance: Day to day monitoring of operation and
maintenance of development works is required for the effectiveness of
adoption of programme and project specific objectives. As major amount
of money is divested in urban infrastructure development, therefore,
operation and maintenance holds the key of urban development activities.
9) Evaluation: Last but not the least, stage of urban development management
cycle in evaluation. The urban development department or the ULBs
implementing various urban development programmes can engage third party
for the impartial evaluation of their programmes and project in term of inputs,
process and output. If necessary, an impact assessment can be done for the
basic needs projects such as water works, sanitation and solid waste
management.
These nine steps are cyclical and should be undertaken as a matter of regular
routine in order to ensure relevance to changing conditions.
After reading the basic understanding and concepts of urban management, its
major aspects in order to make efficient urban management process, now you
can answer. Check Your Progress with following questions.
Check Your Progress 1
Note: a) Write your answer in about 50 words.
b) Check your answer with possible answers given at the end of the unit.
1) What is urban management?
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2) Write five components and scope of urban management. Urban Management and
Management of Urban
....................................................................................................................... Services
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3) Explain urban management cycle.
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3) Solid Waste Management: Most of the urban centres are plagued by acute
problems related to solid waste management. Solid waste management is
one of the obligatory duties of urban government. The solid waste
management performance deals with reach and access, effectiveness of
network operation and financial sustainability. The indicators and benchmark
for solid waste management are given in table 2.3
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Table 2.3: Indicators/Benchmark of Solid Waste Management Services Urban Management and
Management of Urban
S.No. Indicators Benchmark Services
4) Storm Water Drainage: The storm water drainage is vital for mega cities
experiencing problems of water logging during rainy season. The
performance indicators with regard to storm water drainage include extent
of network and effectiveness of the network. The indicators and benchmark
of storm water drainage are given in Table 2.4
Decisions on Polocy,
Desision-making Assess and
Should Support Resource Allocation,
Level Evaluate
Incentives/Penalities
Performance
Municipal Council and
Feedback
Admin Leadership
Report
multiple
User details for other department, RTO,
Innovative Initiatives
6-Moderate
Service catalogue
3-Weak
0-No Relationship Interopreability
Landrecord,
Publication
database
Website
h )
Measures
Easy access to City 5 9 9 6 0 0 3 6 9 6 6 6 3 6 345
information
Availability of 5 0 3 0 9 9 9 9 3 6 6 0 0 6 300
interdepartmental
information for same user
Reduce cycletime of 5 3 3 6 6 9 3 3 3 3 6 3 0 3 255
procedures
Relationship Totals
Multiple channels for 3 0 9 9 6 9 9 9 6 9 6 0 0 0 216
payment of dues
189 294 279 210 222 216 231 240 270 267 123 45 114
How Important
After going through this entire unit, it is expected that you must have
understood the meaning, concept and scope of urban management, its
management process, management cycle, management of various urban
services, and essential requirements for good urban management. Now Check
Your Progress through questions given below.
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Urban Management Check Your Progress 2
Note: a) Write your answer in about 50 words.
b) Check your answer with possible answers given at the end of the unit.
1) Discuss basic urban services required for effective urban management and
its stake holders.
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2) Make a flow chart of urban management of your nearest area and evaluate
its status.
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3) What are the basic requirement of good urban management.
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