Role of municipal councillors in the implementation of social protection schemes for children: a case of Ahmedabad, India

Abstract

The 74th constitutional amendment paved the path for strengthening of local governments in India, by devolution of functional and financial powers. The elected local representatives (municipal councillors), as the closest link of the Government to the citizenry, are expected to be the bearers of information regarding the needs and priorities of the people they represent. They can become the champions for effective implementation of service delivery schemes designed locally or at higher levels of governance. This study examines the designated and perceived roles of municipal councillors in the context of the implementation of social protection schemes for children in the city of Ahmedabad. Based on the information collected through personal interviews with a sample of 18 municipal councillors over 4 months, the study brings out the stark absence of designated roles for councillors and the limited perceived role in information dissemination. Councillors’ political ambition, experience, and access to the executive machinery come out to be the most critical determinants of the effectiveness of limited mediation role played by councillors to ensure faster delivery of benefits or inclusion of beneficiaries. The need for institutional strengthening and capacity building at the local level also gets substantiated by the analysis.