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ng finan
f ncia al
ma anaagemmennt annd
orrgannization
nal
efffecttive
enesss in
n In
ndia
an
cittiess
April 2011
2
Philip
p van Ryn
neveld an
nd Roland Hunterr
1
Contents
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 2
2. Sound financial management requires coherent patterns of accountability .................... 3
2.1 Introduction: sound public financial management ......................................................... 3
2.2 City governance and sound financial management ...................................................... 5
2.3 City governance and the funding of built environment services .................................... 6
3. Complexities in Indian city governance and the JNNURM reform agenda ...................... 7
3.1 Areas of fragmentation .................................................................................................. 7
3.2 The JNNURM institutional reform agenda ..................................................................... 9
4. Building the ‘strategic centre’ ......................................................................................... 11
4.2 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 11
4.2 Integrated planning and governance across multiple discrete functions ..................... 12
4.3 Building the city-level strategic centre in Indian cities ................................................. 13
4.4 Location of the ‘strategic centre’ .................................................................................. 14
5. Financial management improvement plans for cities at a more detailed level............... 16
5.1 What form should the financial management improvement plans take? ..................... 16
5.2 State and central support for the financial management improvement plans of the
urban local bodies ............................................................................................................. 20
6. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 22
Glossary of terms
FMIP Financial Management Improvement Plan
JNNURM Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
ULB Urban Local Body
1
1. Introduction
It is widely asserted that financial management in Indian city government needs to be
improved. However the issue is often approached in a narrow manner devoid of an
understanding of the broader institutional dimensions influencing financial management.
In 2009 the authors of this paper were asked by the World Bank to do an assessment of a set of
credit rating reports on a selection of urban local bodies (ULB’s) in terms of a project of the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM); and based on this, indicate the
nature of financial management improvement programmes which would be appropriate for
such bodies in order to enhance credit worthiness. The report for the World Bank was entitled
‘Financial Management of City Services: Enhancing Creditworthiness and Organizational
Effectiveness in Indian Cities’.
This document draws from that report, and seeks to identify key dimensions of the
requirements of financial management improvement programmes likely to be relevant to
Indian cities generally. However, a central theme is that effective financial management of cities
– or any organization – is not just a matter of good financial administration. Sound financial
management is, more fundamentally, about the judicious use of resources; which, in turn,
requires well structured institutions and patterns of accountability, as well as sound
administrative practices.
Patterns of accountability in the governance of Indian cities tend to be somewhat confused. In
particular, authority is fragmented firstly, spatially; secondly, across related functions; and,
thirdly, within the various elements required to successfully perform any one function. This
paper identifies and discusses this fragmentation, and argues that if financial management is to
be improved each city should be developing a single ‘strategic centre’ of city government which
is able to exercise cohesive authority over, at least, the ‘built environment related’ functions
across the functional area of the city. The report suggests different possible approaches to
building that strategic centre – either around an existing Urban Local Body, or around the urban
or metropolitan development authorities, which are, essentially, state level bodies.
The general approach, which seeks an integration of city wide responsibility for the planning
and delivery of urban services is consistent with the JNNURM reform agenda as demonstrated
by the stated key aims and objectives of JNNURM. The paper notes that many of these
institutional reform objectives sought by JNNURM have not been realized, hence the need to
consider how the strategic centre might be built through bodies other than the ULB’s.
The paper ends with a summary of the generalized dimensions at a more detailed level of
financial management improvement programmes for urban local bodies. These have relevance
for most urban service delivery agencies.
2
2. Sound financial management requires coherent patterns of
accountability
3
for a crucial city function or service; or a housing agency may locate a development in such a
way that imposes long‐term service‐delivery costs on other agencies.
Institutional fragmentation and the general diffusion of responsibility which results greatly
inhibit the achievement of real financial management improvement in any individual city
service agency. While procedures, regulations and co‐ordinating structures are established to
mitigate such effects, these are often not effective because the institutional fragmentation
creates real differences in interests and priorities among the different agencies involved. As
result, outcomes tend to be driven less by rationally planned processes and more by a
confluence of short term political and other interests.
A broader interpretation of what is meant by financial management improvement is thus
necessary if the ultimate purpose of such improvement is to bring about substantial
improvements in service delivery in cities.
The broader interpretation raises the question of the appropriateness of the institutional
arrangements governing Indian cities. Institutional fragmentation (unless there are truly
effective mechanisms for co‐ordination and accountability) generally implies weak financial
management, if only because there is no means by which the different agencies can be induced
to work together in a coherent manner towards a common set of objectives for the built
environment. Where this is achieved it tends to require lengthy and complex processes, or the
ad hoc interventions of senior political figures, which in turn creates its own challenges.
Effective city management can be best achieved where there is, firstly, integrated city wide
governance of at least the built environment‐related functions and, secondly, a reasonable link
between the generation and expenditure of resources. Where this is combined, thirdly, with
good administration and transparent political processes the result is likely to be optimal and
judicious use of resources.
This objective would be significantly advanced by establishing mechanisms which can serve as a
‘strategic centre’ for city governance. A well designed strategic centre would facilitate a
coherent and integrated approach to city management in which priorities, trade‐offs and
ultimately service delivery strategies come to be aligned around city‐specific built‐environment
requirements.
The following sections explain the logic of the ‘strategic centre’ and its relationship with the
management of the built environment in more detail, linking this to the improvement of
financial management.
4
2.2 City governance and sound financial management
Cities are underpinned by ‘agglomeration economies’. Many people interacting in a
concentrated space create production and market opportunities as well as scope for social
interaction that would not otherwise be possible. An efficient city is a city which effectively
facilitates such interaction in a humane manner while limiting the net impact on resources and
the natural environment. This lies at the core of effective city management.
While there are many public services that might be made the responsibility of the institutions of
city governance, these must include the functions related to the management of the built
environment since this is what underpins the efficiency of agglomeration economies. This
includes the management of urban space, and movement across that space, as well as the
infrastructure and services that underpin this.
Many city governments are given responsibility for social services such as primary health or
education. While such governments may be the most effective bodies to perform these functions
they are not functions which necessarily relate to the management of the built environment and
thus to what makes city government distinctive.
The functions that relate to the management of the city’s built environment are inter‐related.
The planning function that determines land use lies at the heart of this. However, the
effectiveness of land use is also driven by how roads and transport, including public transport,
are managed; while the scope for using land in a particular way is underpinned by a range of
other infrastructure related services such as water and sanitation services, or power
distribution. Similarly, services such as solid waste removal or the management of parks are
crucial to maintenance of the built environment.
It is unusual for all such services to be collectively run by a single city wide institution and not
necessarily most effective if they are. However, there needs to be the capability to ensure that
these services are run in an integrated manner. If the body determining urban form through the
urban planning function has no effective leverage over the body responsible for the
development of the transport systems its usefulness is limited. This requires that there be some
form of ‘strategic centre’ with sufficient authority to ensure integrated responses to inter‐
related functions.
An integrated approach to the different functions must be matched by integration across the
functional region of the city. It is not effective if overall strategic responsibility for the built
environment related functions lies with different bodies in different parts of the city.
Determining where the jurisdiction of city government should end will be open to dispute;
however, it should include at least the areas from which there is significant regular daily
commuting to the city. Ideally, city governance should extend beyond daily commuting origins
to include land that it might be envisaged will become part of the city in the reasonably near
future. In this way the growth of the city can be planned and controlled.
5
Just as city governance must be exercised over a sufficiently wide area to incorporate the whole
urban functional region, and there must be integration at a strategic level of the different built
environment related functions, so, too must there be integration in terms of the different
components of each function. More specifically, for each function there must be integration
between the planning and construction of infrastructure and the running of the service,
including maintenance of the infrastructure. Where the planning of a service and the creation of
infrastructure is not largely led by the organisation that will be responsible for maintaining the
infrastructure and running the related services, inefficiencies tend to arise. In particular, a
disjuncture between asset creation and asset maintenance and operation leads to maintenance
failures and asset decay. This can dramatically shorten the asset life requiring costly and
wasteful replacement well before it should have been due.
Financial management is at heart about judicious and effective management of resources.
Financial administration, including budgeting and accounting, are tools to assist in financial
management. However, if patterns of accountability are poorly structured and institutions
designed in a manner that undermines coherent decision making over resource use good
technical budgeting and accounting will not lead necessarily to good financial management.
An institutional framework is required which enables overall strategic governance of the crucial
decisions relating to the built environment including a city wide approach, integration of all
built environment related functions, and integration between planning, construction, operation
and maintenance of assets.
6
unwise and do not render a return to the community the scope for revenue collection will be
diminished.
The property tax is a highly appropriate tax for city government in that it is essentially a tax on
the built environment. Where the built environment is well managed property values are
enhanced and this should lead to an increase in property tax revenue. However, given all the
service demands on a fast growing city, a second general source of revenue which taxes general
business activity would seem to be appropriate. This is partly because of limits to the revenue
generating capacity of the property tax1, as well as the fact that not all beneficiaries of a well
functioning built environment are best taxed through the property tax. Where a city is able to
levy some form of local business tax it has an incentive to grow the local economy so as to
expand the base. Well‐structured user charges for certain consumption based services are also
appropriate mechanisms to ensure accountability. Finally, under certain circumstances grants
from other levels of government are clearly needed. If the city’s own revenue sources are
substantial these should be limited to cases where needed to facilitate very large investments
which have impact beyond the city itself, or for certain redistributive purposes, which are often
not best financed locally.
1 Despite its deficiencies the octroi was a local tax on business which enhanced fiscal capacity. Its withdrawal has tended to increase
city dependence on grants and has arguably reduced city creditworthiness in some instances.
7
Metropolitan Development Authority, which is responsible for an area of 6300 square
kilometres.
In general, the Metropolitan or Urban Development Authorities of the respective cities
tend to encompass the wider area of jurisdiction that is required for integrated city
management.
b) Functions: Functions are fragmented between authorities. In many cases key functions
are established under a board or agency which reports not to city government but to the
state government. Often this includes water and sanitation agencies. More recently, a
trend appears to be developing to establish separate transport authorities – again
reporting to the state government.
A key set of functions that is removed from the urban local bodies are the decisions
around land use and land development. These tend to be allocated to the Metropolitan
and Urban Development Authorities.
c) Activities: There appears to be a disjuncture between planning, infrastructure
provision, and operations and maintenance. Often the major planning and infrastructure
procurement is done by the Metropolitan and Urban Development Authorities, and then
handed over to the urban local body for operations and maintenance. These bodies often
do not have the resources to maintain and operate. Moreover they tend to be
insufficiently involved in the planning and infrastructure provision, so that what is
provided is not necessarily appropriate to service operations and needs.
d) Political responsibilities: Underlying much of the fragmentation is a lack of clarity
around political responsibility. In essence, the dominant political power able to make
crucial decisions relating to the city appears to lie not at city level, but at state level.
Whether the political party governing the urban local bodies at city level is the same as,
or differs from the state level governing party, it is the state level which is able to
marshal crucial resources. While this includes financial resources, a critical area is the
appointment of senior officials. The Commissioner in charge of the urban local body is a
key figure with substantial executive powers, yet he or she serves essentially at the
behest of state authority. The rank of the particular official – often an officer of the
Indian Administrative Service – appointed as Commissioner in charge of the urban local
body is an important determinant of his or her ability to wield influence.
This is re‐inforced by the fact that many of the institutions responsible for city level
services are constituted as state level bodies. Most significant amongst these tends to be
the Metropolitan or Urban Development Authority. Its functions are central to the
management of the urban built environment yet the organisation is often chaired by a
state level minister, or even, in some cases, the Chief Minister of the state. Other state
level authorities tend to include the water and sanitation and transport authorities.
This configuration of political responsibility is both a cause and product of differences in
status between city level and state level institutions. The higher status of the state level
8
bodies is part of the reason why they are able to marshal greater resources; while their
ability to marshal greater resources and decision making power continually bolsters
their status in relation to city level institutions.
The location of power at state level re‐enforces the functional fragmentation in respect
of city governance. This is because state power is generally organised through ministries
which have jurisdiction over a particular function – but exercise it over the whole state.
In sum, key strategic decisions affecting the city tend often to be taken by state level authorities
whose mandate and concerns are organised around specific functions and exercised not across
the city alone, but the state as a whole. Thus there is an absence of a strategic centre for city
wide decision making that takes into account all the key aspects impacting on city governance.
9
Clear assignment of responsibility and accountability for city management
Enhancement of revenue instruments
Enhancement of financial administration
This is evident from the objectives and expected outcomes as stated in the JNNURM Overview
report, as well as the reforms required of the recipients of JNNURM funding. Apart from the
intended ‘outcomes’ quoted above, the ‘objectives’ include
a) Focussed attention to integrated development of infrastructure services in cities
covered under the Mission
b) Establishment of linkages between asset‐creation and asset‐management through a
slew of reforms for long‐term project sustainability
c) Ensuring adequate funds to meet the deficiencies in urban infrastructural services
The requirement for institutional reforms is backed up by a set of mandatory reforms required
by Urban Local Bodies and State Governments respectively. The JNNURM overview document
states that ‘a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between States/ULBs/Parastatal agencies and
the Government of India, a prerequisite for accessing the Central assistance, would spell out
specific milestones to be achieved for each item of reform’. It further states that ‘all mandatory
and optional reforms shall be completed within the Mission period’.
The mandatory reforms at the level of Urban Local Bodies and Parastatal Agencies are as
follows:
a) Adoption of modern accrual‐based double entry system of accounting in ULBs and
parastatal agencies.
b) Introduction of a system of e‐governance using IT applications, such GIS and MIS for
various services provided by ULBs and parastatal agencies.
c) Reform of property tax with GIS. It becomes a major source of revenue for ULBs and
arrangements for its effective implementation so that collection efficiency reaches at
least 85 per cent within next seven years.
d) Levy of reasonable user charges by ULBs and Parastatals with the objective that the full
cost of O&M or recurring cost is collected within the next seven years. However, cities
and towns in the North East and other special category States may recover only 50 per
cent of O&M charges initially. These cities and towns should graduate to full O&M cost
recovery in a phased manner.
e) Internal earmarking, within local bodies, budgets for basic services to the urban poor.
f) Provision of basic services to the urban poor including security of tenure at affordable
prices, improved housing, water supply and sanitation. Delivery of other existing
universal services of the government for education, health and social security is
ensured.
The mandatory reforms at the level of States are as follows:
10
a) Implementation of decentralisation measures as envisaged in 74th Constitutional
Amendment Act. The State should ensure meaningful association and engagement of
ULBs in planning the function of parastatal agencies as well as the delivery of services to
the citizens.
b) Repeal of ULCRA.
c) Reform of Rent Control Laws balancing the interests of landlords and tenants.
d) Rationalisation of Stamp Duty to bring it down to no more than 5 per cent within next
seven years.
e) Enactment of the Public Disclosure Law to ensure preparation of medium‐term fiscal
plan of ULBs and parastatal agencies and release of quarterly performance information
to all stakeholders.
f) Enactment of the Community Participation Law to institutionalise citizen’s participation
and introduce the concept of the Area Sabha in urban areas.
g) Assigning or associating elected ULBs with “city planning function”. Over a period of
seven years, transferring all special agencies that deliver civic services in urban areas to
ULBs and creating accountability platforms for all urban civic service providers in
transition.
It is therefore evident that the aims, objectives and expected outcomes of JNNURM are
consistent with the institutional focus suggested above as a key component required to enhance
both city governance and financial administration.
4.1 Introduction
This paper has so far discussed the need for a ‘strategic centre’ for city governance arguing that
this was needed for any fundamental financial management improvement programme, and
showing how this concept was consistent with the objectives of the JNNURM. This section
makes suggestions about an approach to implementing these ideas given the experience in
recent years with the JNNURM programme.
For while the objectives of JNNURM are consistent with a sound urban reform agenda, there
does not appear to have been significant progress with the key elements of this agenda. From
the sample of credit rating reports analysed by the authors, as noted above, it seems evident
that progress at the level of urban local bodies tends to have been made in respect of reforms
such as the introduction of double entry accounting; certain aspects of e‐governance relating
especially to internet based interaction with citizens; and the improvement of property tax
administration through GIS and other technology. At state level progress tends to have been in
respect of the repeal of ULCRA, reform of rent control laws and the rationalisation of Stamp
Duty. However, progress in respect, for example, of the transference of ‘all special agencies that
deliver civic services in urban areas to ULBs’ appears to be largely absent.
11
The first of the mandatory state level reforms is that states should implement the
‘decentralisation measures as envisaged in 74th Constitutional Amendment Act’. Given that this
amendment is more than a decade and a half old, the fact that the centre should still be
attempting to have the amendment implemented demonstrates the challenge inherent in
introducing institutional reforms that involve decentralizing responsibilities.
Given the lack of success in shifting political responsibility it may be appropriate to attempt a
different approach which is more incremental and administratively driven. Such an approach
should be founded upon the logic spelled out in the previous sections relating to the need for
better city wide integration of governance.
This approach would place at its core the need to develop a strategic centre for city governance,
emphasizing the importance of this for achieving financial management improvements. This
could be linked to and made a condition of JNNURM transfers. The strategic centre could begin
as a locus for more integrated planning with the objective that it develop over time into a more
powerful organization able to ensure integrated city management.
12
clearly and appropriately defined and assigned, and processes then put in place to facilitate co‐
ordination and integration. Where the assignment of responsibility is unclear it is not possible
to design processes to co‐ordinate and integrate between the points of responsibility. This leads
to system failure.
This leads onto the second aspect to be highlighted here, namely how information technology is
utilized. Modern information technology serves two somewhat different purposes. Firstly, it
allows large amounts of information to be marshalled. Secondly, in a modern organization it
underpins business processes. Modern ‘enterprise resource planning’ (ERP) systems were
developed to facilitate the management of a variety of complex processes within modern
business organizations. If well designed and implemented they can greatly enhance efficiency.
An important pre‐requisite to successful use of modern ERP systems is alignment between the
structure of an organization, the business processes used in the organization, and the
information technology itself. The information technology assumes a business process. But this
must be aligned to the organizational design so that personnel are properly assigned to make
key decisions and take key actions required by the business process.
Modern ERP systems can be used within a single organization – or to underpin business
processes within or between a collection of organizations. A single system will require
alignment of a range of processes, as well as standardization of the basis for information
gathering. Standardisation of accounting approaches is clearly needed.
The need to introduce information technology into service delivery processes is widely
recognized in Indian local government. However the emphasis appears to be placed on internet
based mechanisms for the public to access services and tools such as Geographic Information
Systems (GIS), rather than on using it as a basis for re‐engineering all the core processes
(sometimes referred to as the ‘back‐office’). The scope for further efficiency improvements
within Indian urban local bodies through using information technology as part of a process for
re‐engineering business processes remains substantial.
13
and land use planning without linking this adequately to the planning of infrastructure
underpinning the management of the built environment.
Developing mechanisms whereby the planning of key built environment related
infrastructure is better integrated with the land use planning function of the
Development Authorities would represent an initial first step in the creation of a
strategic centre.
b) Linking asset creation to operations and maintenance. The next step would be to
achieve better integration between the planning of new infrastructure and ensuring
there is finance and management capability to operate and maintain it. Sound planning
should always consider how newly created assets are to be operated and maintained;
however this is often not done. By ensuring that the strategic centre embraces this link
in its approach to planning not only is the quality of planning enhanced, but the
sophistication of the strategic centre is improved.
c) Budgeting: Ensuring that there are sufficient financial and other resources to operate
and maintain newly planned assets implies that the strategic centre is beginning to build
its capacity for budgeting.
Initially budgeting might only extend to the comprehensive planning of newly envisaged
services and infrastructure. However, as planning in this manner becomes more
generalized the scope of budgeting is widened.
d) Accounting and reporting: Once the strategic centre has taken over a budgeting role it
inevitably also becomes the basis for accounting and reporting, and, indeed, the whole
planning, budgeting and reporting cycle.
14
However, there may be practical considerations which render the development authority more
appropriate.
Firstly, the development authority will almost by definition include the whole urban functional
area, while many urban local bodies are only responsible for a part of the wider urban area. By
using an organization with a mandate that extends across the whole urban region one
important basis of fragmentation is addressed.
Secondly, the development authorities already have responsibility for strategic land‐use
planning. Planning is a key function of the strategic centre. Moreover, land use planning will lie
at the heart of this planning function. If the strategic centre is to begin as a site of more
comprehensive and integrated planning it may be appropriate to build it initially around what is
currently the key urban planning organization.
Thirdly, the immediate pressures on the senior management of urban local bodies related to
day to day service delivery in the context of a political body made up of ward level political
representatives may make it difficult for urban local bodies to drive the development of a more
strategic approach.
Fourthly, by locating the strategic centre within the Development Authority some of the political
resistance to the initiative might be addressed. The Metropolitan and Urban Development
Authorities represent a somewhat opaque hybrid between the authority of state governments
and that of the Urban Local Bodies, but as such, may offer the best option for building a stronger
authority able, eventually, to exercise city wide authority over key resource allocation issues.
Currently they tend to be better resourced than Urban Local Bodies and appear to be accorded
higher status through, for example, the nature of administrative appointments made.
Nevertheless, there are significant risks in building the strategic centre within the Development
Authority since this is not where the political authority of local elected representatives is
exercised, and over time such an approach may further entrench the ambiguity and
fragmentation surrounding authority over city governance.
Locating the strategic centre within the Development Authority would have to be accompanied
by an elevation of the authority of the Urban Local Body or Bodies within the Development
Authority. The key administrative leadership from the urban local bodies would have to become
the drivers of the new integrated planning through committees created by the Development
Authority for this purpose. Similarly, there would have to be a mechanism whereby political
representatives from the urban local bodies are consulted and drawn into the planning process.
The objective over time should be to build the strategic centre into the key locus of strategic city
management, with political authority derived from city elected representatives, but within a
15
structure and in a manner that enables an integrated and strategic approach to city government
to be adopted.
Ultimately, what is sought is some form of merger between Urban Local Bodies and
Development Authorities where, even if the organizations remain discrete bodies, they act in a
much more integrated manner.
5.1 What form should the financial management improvement plans take?
The above sections have suggested that significant financial management improvement in
Indian cities requires institutional change aimed at creating a clear strategic centre of
governance in each city, which is responsible for the provision and management of at least
those services related of the built environment. However, there is clearly a need to
simultaneously initiate financial management improvement even if it is constrained by current
institutional arrangements. This section attempt to sketch at a high level what such a
programme might encompass.
The six major dimensions of financial management in any public service agency, including
Urban Local Bodies and other institutions responsible for urban services provision are the
following.
Component Good financial management requires
1 Purpose and Clear and un‐conflicted purpose and mandate, expressed in law
mandate
2 Resourcing Adequate revenue potential, good effort & achievement
3 Strategy, plans Clear, well‐conceived strategies from which multi‐year plans and
& budgets budgets are derived
4 Operations Effective, economical & efficient provision of services.
and activities
5 Financial Transactions per regulations & correctly recorded.
administration High standard of budget, cash, financing and asset management.
Quarterly & monthly reporting on outputs, expenditures & revenues,
daily on cash balances, etc
6 Audits & Independent auditing of annual financial statements and annual reports,
programme within statutory time limits
reviews Evaluations of financial and service delivery outcomes, and taking steps
to improve performance
Table 1: Dimensions of good financial management
16
While the exact programme required to improve financial management of any Urban Local Body
or other entity obviously depends on the particular circumstances, characteristics and
capabilities of that body, in general terms it will need to take actions and initiate programmes in
the six dimensions along lines such as those indicated in the following Table. Less creditworthy
bodies are likely to need more comprehensive financial management improvement
programmes (FMIPs) than those which have achieved better credit ratings, but it appears that
most bodies need to take action on some of these aspects.
The more comprehensive the FMIP required, the more important it becomes to programme‐
manage it effectively, and with an appropriate change management strategy. A comprehensive
FMIP in fact amounts to comprehensive organizational renewal, and therefore absolutely
requires the correct management, leadership and political backing.
In cases where a less comprehensive or more targeted FMIP is required, it should be possible to
incorporate the FMIP into existing improvement programmes without necessarily needing to
address deficiencies across all fronts at once.
In some cases FMIPs may also need to include efforts to strengthen public service work culture
and ethics (such as honesty, transparency, measured effectiveness, accountability for
performance, common goal‐orientation, good‐faith supportiveness and trust, etc) among senior
and middle management, as well as more generally. Leadership energy and insistence that the
financial targets and service delivery will in fact be improved can have the effect of sharpening
performance and of testing boundaries previously deemed out of bounds.
Component ULB/agency actions to improve deficiencies
1 Purpose and Seek establishment of city‐wide strategic co‐ordination mechanisms
mandate Seek to clarify boundaries and responsibilities
2 Resourcing Manage overall step‐change in revenue effort and achievement
Comprehensive, target‐driven, medium‐term, and politically/socially
sophisticated programme to ensure full tax coverage and billing and
collection of revenues due.
Easy means of payment, visible campaigns to pay, incentives to pay early,
effective credit control, etc.
In due course, carefully‐managed programme to restructure tariffs (to
better reflect actual consumption and costs); and taxes (for greater
equity), with due consideration for affordability and safety nets for the
poor.
3 Strategy, plans Ensure correct leadership and top management
& budgets Develop realistic service delivery strategies
Establish CFO as a strategic financial management position
17
Build budget & planning capacity
Develop medium‐term plans & budgets to give effect to the strategy
4 Operations and Managers and professional, technical & other staff should be adequately
activities skilled and equipped, and should be performance‐managed.
Organizational structure should be facilitate effective management
accountability and teamwork
In‐year measurement and monitoring of service delivery, asset
maintenance,
Build on strengths, take action on deficiencies
5 Financial Structure of the accounting system should parallel the organizational
administration structure, so that line managers can be held financially accountable.
Line managers should receive written financial and operational
delegations
Effective systems for payments to suppliers and staff
Financial controls should be effective without unduly inhibiting
operations
Monthly and quarterly financial reporting regime, discussed and acted
upon
Capacity and systems for effective cash, debt and asset management
Fast, effective and clean procurement procedures
6 Audits and Obtain an independent auditor
programme Establish and enforce an annual reporting and auditing cycle
reviews
Establish periodic reviews of performance and outcomes
Take steps to address any deficiencies in resourcing or strategy, to
improve performance and to reduce risk.
Table 2: Financial management improvement actions by ULB and other urban service delivery
agencies
Most ULBs and other urban service delivery agencies, even those that are creditworthy, will
need to confront the fact that poor revenue effort and achievement (low tax coverage, under‐
assessment of values, tariffs which amount to undercharging; under‐billing, and finally poor
collection of amounts billed) adds up to very poor tapping of existing revenue potential.
Almost all ULBs thus require special revenue initiatives, as revenue improvement provides the
financial capacity to do other things. While there are clearly exceptions, for many urban local
bodies, there are too many property owners who one way or another manage to pay no
property tax (the valuation roll is out of date; or challenges to the roll are held up in courts; or
administrative boundaries exempt certain properties, etc); for water supply bodies, there are
too many consumers who should pay for water, who do not, even within existing regulations
18
and tariffs (no meters, inaccurate meters, poor billing and collection administration, weak
collection enforcement; illegal connections; etc).
Revenue improvement is thus the most obvious area which requires wide attention. Yet solving
the revenue problem is almost never merely a technical matter. Poor revenue effort is so
widespread that it again points to governance‐related issues in city management2. Revenue can
be the most difficult area in which to gain lasting improvements, as the failure of political will to
confront difficult constituencies fatally undermines already weak administrations.
Most ULBs and urban service delivery agencies appear to need to make improvements to their
organizational and management structure to ensure good financial management. There should
be a post of Chief Finance Officer, with a strategic financial leadership role, to which the Chief
Accountant should report. Bodies and agencies should develop the administrative capacity to
plan and budget reliably over the medium‐term (budget office). They should also ensure that
they have the capacity to manage cash, debt and assets (treasury). Almost all bodies would
greatly enhance their overall performance if procurement procedures could be improved.
Differences across ULB’s and service delivery agencies mean that different kinds of financial
management improvement programmes are required in different instances. Some bodies would
benefit most from an intervention targeted as a specified shortcoming, such as revenue
collection, or information technology systems. Others require a more comprehensive approach.
A comprehensive FMIP will need to address all the major dimensions of financial management
improvement discussed in this section, and summarized in Table 1. As indicated, it amounts to
a comprehensive organizational renewal, and is necessarily the responsibility of all top
managers, led by the Commissioner, rather than the accountant alone.
Comprehensive organizational renewal requires consideration of the following:
Designing the FMIP: to plan specific interventions across areas including purpose and
mandate, resourcing, strategy, plans & budgets, operations and activities, financial
administration, and audits and programme reviews; and preparing to launch
organizational renewal.
Leadership of change: Commissioner cannot delegate this, and needs a monthly
meeting with his top managers on progress
The management of change: the creation of a change team and change agents, building
a coalition for change, overcoming resistance to change, management of setbacks
2 City revenue functions are an important two‐way accountability mechanism in city governance. Revenue derived
from municipal taxes and services is paid by households and businesses to whom city agencies and city government
are responsible for effective city services (and not just as individual services: the whole city should function
effectively). Conversely, households and businesses should use the city environment and city services responsibly,
and should pay charges and taxes. Systemic failures in this two‐way accountability mechanism will show up in the
revenue accounts side of city service agencies.
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The measurement of change: choosing indicators, setting targets, measuring the
`before’ state, measuring the `after’ state, etc
Communications: what changes are planned, why the changes, the benefits of changing,
the costs of not changing, when the change, how it affects you, what benefits for you,
how dis‐benefits will be covered, etc)
Sequencing of actions: ensure that the requirements for each change element are in
place before embarking upon that element; plan for quick wins, plan to promote the
building of momentum for change.
Resources for change: finances required for change projects; administrative support
for change projects and teams
5.2 State and central support for the financial management improvement plans of the
urban local bodies
A range of specific supporting and framework actions to be taken by the Centre and by
individual States are suggested in Table 3. `Supporting actions’ are those aimed at assisting
ULBs to design and implement their own individual FMIPs, while `framework actions’ are those
which would permit and encourage improvements in the overall financial management of built
environment and infrastructure services in the cities, seen as functional wholes.
It is suggested that to effectively support the ULB FMIPs each State will need to establish a
specific administrative capacity for the purpose. This capacity should be in a position to assist
ULBs to design specific and appropriate FMIPs for themselves; and thereafter to assist them in
implementation. There will also need to be capacity to assign small temporary expert teams to
each ULB to assist their senior managers to implement their FMIPs.
This administrative capacity will need to develop an appropriate competence and expertise in
providing long‐term assistance to ULBs in implementing their FMIPs, without `taking over’ or
becoming a permanent administrative prop. Methodologies will need to be developed to ensure
that the FMIPs are developed and owned by the ULB, and that the State assistance effectively
empowers the ULB and is then duly withdrawn.
It will also be useful to arrange a series of compulsory training and information‐sharing
workshops for senior ULB management and their FMIP implementation teams, in order to
develop a common understanding of what is expected, and to share lessons and experiences
across the different ULBs.
The administrative capacity should also initiate, champion and see through the supporting
actions such as those listed in the table, as required; and should also become an effective
champion of the framework adjustments.
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1 Purpose and Facilitate increased status of key ULB Clarify any mandate overlaps, and
mandate officials (Commissioner, CFO, Chief increasingly centralize built
Engineer) in State and Indian environment related decisions
Administrative Services through a strategic centre for each
city
2 Resourcing Facilitate simplification of legal Mandates should not be
processes to collect ULB debts excessively under‐resourced.
Provide temporary support capacity for Provide for a local business tax to
data cleansing, moving to monthly increase fiscal capacity, reduce
billing and collection; credit control, etc grant dependence, and improve
Provide significant political and media local accountability
support to city revenue improvement
and debt collection programmes
3 Strategy, plans Facilitate establishment of CFO posts Establish a strategic centre for
& budgets Support move to medium term plans each city, which should take
and budgets strategic built environment
decisions, and through which
built environment funding should
increasingly pass
4 Operations and Ensure alignment between capital
activities investment, service operations & asset
maintenance, especially in respect of
ongoing maintenance
5 Financial Provide temporary expert capacity in
administration revenue, accounting, budgeting, etc
Develop standards and models for ULB
cash, debt and assets management
Provide ongoing capacity‐building
programme
6 Audits and Legislative provision for enforcing
programme annual reporting cycle; and for
reviews independent audits
Table 3: Supporting and framework actions by State and Centre
There will no doubt need to be financial support for the FMIPs, especially those that are more
comprehensive. But depending on how they are designed, FMIPs can be `self‐financing’ to the
extent that they do in fact achieve increased revenues, better controlled expenditures, better
management information and better decision‐making. It is therefore suggested that
mechanisms be put in place to recover at least some of the financial support in due course.
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6. Conclusion
This paper has argued that the basic building blocks of good governance (planning & budgeting,
controlled spending, accounting and reporting, and monitoring and evaluation) are necessarily
the starting point for any plan to improve financial management. However, where the
institutional arrangements governing a city are fragmented and inappropriate, measures to
improve financial management within each of the constituent organizations, such as the ULBs or
service delivery agencies while useful, may have limited benefit.
To properly confront the myriad of serious infrastructure and services challenges facing cities, it
is necessary to develop a city‐wide view of these challenges. Furthermore, all the agencies
supplying services and infrastructure to the city should participate in a co‐ordinated strategy to
improve service delivery. Decisions about the allocation of key capital and operating funds to
be spent in the city should also be made at city level, because this is much the best way whereby
crucial trade‐offs and decisions can be made with a true appreciation of the service delivery
consequences for the city.
In India (and, indeed, in numerous other countries), given the fragmentation that has been
described in this paper city government as such hardly exists. Instead, the built environment of
the cities – which, we have argued, represents its quintessential nature – is run to a large degree
by a number of state‐level agencies (a water and sanitation supply agency, a land development
agency, a transport infrastructure agency, etc) who are often primarily concerned with how
their work impacts upon the State, rather than on the city.
The challenges of fragmentation and how this impacts on city management have been
recognized to a degree, and government has been seeking by means of conditions imposed
through JNNURM to begin to address the issue. However, success has been limited so far. This
paper has suggested that consideration be given to pragmatic ways of building city government
incrementally, which may involve starting with the creation of a ‘strategic centre’ within what
are essentially state level bodies, such as the metropolitan or urban development authorities.
The paper has also sought to give an indication of the possible scope of financial management
improvement programmes at a more limited level than in cases where the significant
institutional issues are tackled.
Nevertheless, unless the institutional fragmentation is addressed it will be difficult to
fundamentally enhance the somewhat disappointing levels of service and city management in
Indian cities and this will continue to be a significant constraint on India’s national social and
economic development.
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