Shillong: Meghalaya has been ranked as the third lowest-performing state in urban governance after Nagaland and Manipur, according to a new national study.
Shillong was previously identified as a low-performing city in the smart city project.
The study has been conducted by the Praja Foundation and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
The researchers conducted extensive fieldwork, visiting 43 cities across 28 states and three union territories and engaging with 2,213 key stakeholders, including elected representatives, administrators, academics, members of civil society, among others.
The findings, released on Thursday, revealed that Shillong falls short in several key areas, including empowered city representatives, administration, citizens, and fiscal empowerment.
The Urban Governance Index evaluates the effectiveness of urban governance based on four key factors: elected representatives, administration, citizens, and finances.
The Praja Foundation, which is a Mumbai-based non-profit organization, and NIUA released the Urban Governance Index 2024, ranking cities and states and identifying their shortcomings in civic governance.
Kerala emerged as the top-performing state in urban governance, followed by Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
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Meanwhile, Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya were ranked as the lowest-performing states.
Debolina Kundu, director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), said that by utilizing appropriate financial instruments, cities can pave the way for sustainable and independent governance.
