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:

1. Empowered City Elected Representatives and Legislative Structure, scoring 18.63 out of 30.
2. 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.