ABSTRACT
The opening up of Indian cities to overseas investment in specific sectors like hospitality, recreation, luxury housing and real estate development is fast transforming them. The historical basic needs deficit in cities widened during the 1990s. This happened because already limited central funds were being increasingly diverted towards infrastructure development projects like roads, flyovers, lakes and park re-development, which created growth opportunities for stakeholder lobbies. Concurrent with the growth of specific lobbies in the city, a new form of non-governmental organisation similar to the United States not-for-profit organisations has emerged. The Community Participation Law aimed to create a new sub-ward level institution in the municipality — an ‘Area Sabha’. In keeping with the vision of this group of industries and non-profit organisations which were working together, it was also an opportunity to induct local-level grassroots into the grand project of efficiency and good governance.
