Local Governance

Through its initiatives, such as structured support for gig workers and education programs, ECTE has identified that effective community empowerment is closely linked to collaborating with the local government - Greater Chennai Municipal Corporation (GCMC) to implement beneficial policies for Chennai residents. ECTE is committed to establishing an organization to understand the GCMC's inner workings and to educate people while creating sustainable institutions that address the evolving needs of Chennai's residents. Aligned with the 74th Amendment of the Indian Constitution, this initiative aims to boost local capacity and improve the functioning of the Chennai council.

Recent Updates

• Partnership with Praja

  • We have formalized a partnership with Praja through an MOU, where they will serve as a knowledge partner and advisor. This collaboration will focus on initiatives like training, research on Corporation Procedure Rules (CPR), and advising on e-governance improvements. 

  • Praja is in the process of developing capacity-building training modules for elected representatives to improve their governance effectiveness.

• Study on Key Local Government Aspects

  • Our team has completed an in-depth study on two crucial areas of local government: Corporation Procedure Rules (CPR) and e-governance. 

  • We are currently conducting a baseline assessment to identify knowledge and skill gaps among ward councillors through field visits and interviews across different zones. This data will help shape the design and scheduling of capacity-building sessions for elected representatives.

• Capacity-Building and Post-Training Assessment

  • Following the capacity-building sessions, we will conduct a post-training impact study with the councillors who attended. The focus will be on identifying areas for improvement and creating actionable recommendations for future programs to enhance their governance effectiveness and skills.

• Performance Study of Elected Ward Councillors

  • We have also initiated a performance study of Chennai’s elected ward councillors, using the model developed by Praja in Mumbai. This research will involve filing RTIs to collect relevant information and develop a Chennai-specific scorecard. The goal is to encourage councillors to improve their service to constituents by providing valuable feedback on their performance.

Learn More About the Project..