Current Context : Recently, Kerala has topped the Urban Governance Index (UGI) 2024 with a score of 59.31%.
- A major improvement from its 2020 ranking when it placed fourth with a score of 48.77%.
- Two year-long study conducted across several cities in India by the Praja Foundation.
KERALA EXCELLED IN TWO MAIN CATEGORIES:
- Empowered City Elected Representatives and Legislative Structure, scoring 18.63 out of 30.
- Fiscal Empowerment, scoring 23.22 out of 30.
Top 5 States : Kerala followed by Odisha, Mahrashtra, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
Bottom 5 states : Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Chandigarh and Punjab.
The national average of UGI, including 28 states, 2 Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, stands at 39.70/100.
About Urban Governance Index (UGI) :
- The UGI is a study that looks at how well cities are governed in India.
- It took two years to complete and checked various aspects of governance.
- Kerala scored 31 out of 100, beating Odisha, which scored 55.10.
- This index can attract investments and improve the sustainability of cities by keeping governance efficient and up-to-date.