Page 8 - Shelter, October 2024

THEME PAPER

Consequently, young people By considering the views of Urban policies and legislations
have insufficient avenues young people and involving
(both offline or online) for them actively in urban The 74th Constitutional
expressing their concerns governance processes, it will Amendment Act (CAA) of the
and there are limited help build their skills and Indian constitution creates
room for citizen engagement
formalised platforms which capacities as well as encourage in urban governance under
can offer continuous dialogue them to be catalysts of change. Section 243S by mandating
between youth groups Key Enablers for Youth State legislatures to make
and urban policymakers. Participation in Urban provisions by law to
There is an urgent need to Governance constitute ward committees in
improve and standardise all metropolitan areas having
participatory processes so Youth face complex urban population of 3 lakhs or more.
that the perspectives of challenges, such as the However, the engagement
young people are included rising crises of climate efforts have continued to
from the inception stages change, exacerbating be piecemeal as either not
of urban policymaking and income inequality, several all states have the enabling
planning instead of being international conflicts, to legislation to constitute the
consulted at a later stage of difficulties affecting their committees; not all cities in
policy implementation as a education, employment, states having the legislation
perfunctory step. and social issues. Youth have constituted the
mainstreaming or the committees; and wherever the
The scale of the ‘Urban Youth systematic consideration of committees are functioning,
Bulge’ thus requires deliberate views of the youth in urban their composition varies
strategies to reformulate planning and policymaking considerably across states
the social contract between processes will ensure that and are not delegated with
young people and the urban the various requirements essential functions and
environments. Governments of diverse youth groups are resources, and the line of
must invest in initiatives met without major obstacles. control still exists with the
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that promote education Without a youth-sensitive municipality .
and skill development, as strategy, we risk limiting the Moreover, under the purview
well as leadership and civic potential that young people of the previous Jawaharlal
of the country could provide
involvement. Moreover, in the development process Nehru National Urban
adequate and consistent to build truly inclusive Renewal Mission (JNNURM)
coordination between environments. scheme of erstwhile Ministry
government institutions, of Urban Development
civic society, and youth To incorporate youth (MoUD), Government
representatives and mainstreaming in urban of India, enactment of a
champions is needed so that governance processes, an Community Participation
these initiatives do not fail intersectional 7 and multi- Law (CPL) – or the Model
to provide long-term and sectoral approach is needed Nagar Raj Bill - was a part
sustained changes. across the following aspects: of the mandatory reforms

7 Hankivsky, Olena. 2012. An Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis Framework. Accessed at: https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/download/46176
8 Sharma, Tarun, and Vora, Yutika. 2022. How do citizens engage with their cities? India Development Review (IDR). Accessed at: https://idronline.org/
article/urban/how-do-citizens-engage-with-their-cities/

6 HUDCO-HSMI Publication