Wed Dec 03 08:16:37 UTC 2025: News Article:

Praja Foundation Unveils Citizens’ Manifesto Aiming to Revamp Maharashtra Municipal Governance Ahead of Elections

Mumbai, December 3, 2025: As Maharashtra prepares for municipal elections after a three-year delay, the Praja Foundation yesterday unveiled its Citizens’ Manifesto, a comprehensive plan designed to overhaul urban governance in the state through increased transparency, accountability, and citizen involvement.

The manifesto highlights the need to restore democratic processes in local governance, emphasizing that crucial decisions have been made without public participation during the extended period without elected representatives. Nitai Mehta, founder of the Praja Foundation, stressed that governance must be rooted in public voice to rebuild trust.

Key proposals within the manifesto include:

  • Strengthening Municipal Capacity: Addressing critical staffing shortages in healthcare and recruiting experts in fields such as planning, climate, and data analysis. The manifesto also calls for performance-linked incentives and the appointment of Chief Data Officers and Chartered Accountants.
  • Open Data Portal: Creating a publicly accessible platform with real-time, ward-level data on projects, tenders, budgets, and key indicators like water supply, waste collection, and health. AI-powered chatbots and data visualization dashboards are also proposed.
  • Enhanced Citizen Participation: Establishing a unified digital platform for citizens to provide feedback, track their inputs in budgets, and access ward-level information. The manifesto also suggests digitizing Ward Committees for greater transparency and real-time monitoring of works.
  • Service Level Benchmarks: The manifesto outlines mandatory disclosure of Service Level Benchmarks and quarterly ward reports, real-time dashboards for air and water quality, decentralised waste-processing systems, and ward-level monsoon vulnerability mapping.

Praja Foundation CEO Milind Mhaske urged all political parties and candidates to adopt the manifesto, promising improved service delivery through technology and a deeper engagement of citizens in decision-making. The foundation plans to present the manifesto to political parties, encouraging them to integrate its principles into their respective platforms for the upcoming elections.

Summary:

The Praja Foundation released a Citizens’ Manifesto outlining reforms for Maharashtra’s upcoming municipal elections. The manifesto stresses transparency, accountability, and citizen involvement. It calls for filling vacant municipal positions, creating an open data portal, a unified digital platform for citizens and tech-enabled systems to improve public services and enhance public trust. The foundation urges political parties to adopt its manifesto.

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