Centre to rank cities based on financial condition, beautification

The Centre has decided to rank cities based on their financial conditions and works undertaken for beautification.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday released draft guidelines for ‘City Finance Rankings 2022’ and ‘City Beauty Competition. Two will be separate ranking systems.

City Finance Rankings 2022 aims to evaluate, recognise and reward urban local bodies (ULBs) on the basis of their strength across three financial parameters -- resource mobilisation, expenditure performance and fiscal governance systems, Puri said.

Fiscal situation ranking of cities is to analyse and help the ULBs in identifying areas in their financial performance where they can make further improvements, to be able to deliver quality infrastructure and services, and hence a good quality of life to its citizens, said Manoj Joshi, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

"The city finance rankings will evaluate and assess each participating ULB on 15 indicators and metrics across three key municipal finance criteria which, put together, will help in identifying the most financially sustainable and accountable cities," he said.

City Finance Rankings would also create a conducive environment for developing a robust municipal finance ecosystem for promoting financially healthy, transparent and sustainable cities.

The "City Beauty Competition" has been conceived and designed as a platform to evaluate, recognise and reward wards and public spaces in cities across five broad pillars -- aesthetics, accessibility, amenities, activities and ecology.

The aim of ranking is to encourage urban local bodies to conserve their rich traditional heritage, streamline their delivery mechanisms for efficient provisioning of basic infrastructure.

The competition would be held at beautiful wards, both at the city and state levels. Cities would be awarded for their most beautiful public places, waterfronts, green spaces, tourist and heritage spaces and market and commercial places.

The cities have until January 15 to submit their comments before the guidelines are finalised and issued by January 30.