Abstract:
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Solid Waste Management (SWM) are basic services essential to create clean cities and crucial determinants of a city’s health, livability, social and economic development. Listed as major components for achievement under the Sustainable Development Goals, access to safe and adequate WASH and SWM facilities is also linked with gender equality, nutrition, and child development along with health, environment, and economic benefits. The thesis aims to understand the municipal budgetary decisions with regard to WASH and SWM infrastructure, comparing budgets and service levels of infrastructure in Kochi Municipal Corporation (KMC), Thripunithura Municipality and Maradu Municipality. One of the first smart cities in the nation, Kochi Municipal Corporation showed poor performance in Solid Waste Management, Sanitation, water, and wastewater components of the Municipal Performance Index 2020. The city has also consistently ranked poorly in the Swachh Survekshan ranking, placing 298th in the country in 2022. The sewerage network covers a meager 5 % of the city area and the Corporation has been fined Rs 100 crore by NGT, for mismanagement of waste at Brahmapuram, the city’s waste dumping yard, following the recent fire outbreak. Increasing pollution of the water bodies positions both the citizens and the environment at risk. Both the Municipalities fare even worse in comparison to KMC with regards to the quality of infrastructure Thripunithura Municipality lacks an effective waste management system and Maradu Municipality suffers a water supply shortage. Neither of the Municipalities has a sanitation network or a treatment plant. With the 74th CAA decentralizing powers and responsibilities including urban planning, provision of infrastructure for drinking water, sanitation, and waste management to local Governments, municipal finances play a significant role in streamlining infrastructure financing. Weak finances result in poor basic services. A budget trend analysis observed increasing investment, poor service levels of existing infrastructure and inadequate financing from own revenue sources. The Capital fund distribution between ULBs does not correspond to the infrastructure requirement. The thesis aims to provide innovative policy recommendations to maximize service delivery by enhancing the financial efficiency of Urban Local Bodies.
