Social Sustainability and Urban Governance: A Comparative Study of Hyderabad and Jaipur

By : Vikas Sehra , Milap Punia

Page No: 293-310

Abstract
Concept of “sustainability” has garnered universal system wide support. Its concern for balancing the needs of current and future generation has majorly leaned towards technical consensus. Conceptualization of sustainability stands on tripod of economy, environment and society and many scholars agree with its capacity to comprehensively engage with them, but the societal aspect has remained least examined. The Present paper takes up social sustainability as vantage point for engagement with urban governance and argues for need to make the sustainability concept more than a “empty signifier” and grow out of its post political tendencies. Comparative case study of Hyderabad and Jaipur are taken as background to develop these arguments. In investigating social sustainability, study follows livelihood approach that includes social, human, financial and physical aspect for a holistic analysis. To assess urban governance, it presumes that, good governance will be reflected in provision of basic amenities. Study helps to identify poor and high performing municipal wards. Results show a pattern of peripheralization of the social sustainability and urban governance in cities, along with intra and intercity disparity and characteristic clustering of poor performing wards. The study contributes by bringing forth the failure of technical conceptualization of sustainability in engaging with governance institutions to deliver better quality of life. It concludes that for disrobing sustainability of its post political carapace, it needs to veer towards its societal conceptualization and must reengage as dialogues of diverse narratives.

Authors :
Vikas Sehra :  PhD Research Scholar, Centre for the Study of Regional Development (CSRD), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Milap Punia : Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development (CSRD), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/ATNAGI.2019.39.02.9