Abstract
Constant re-invention or reform is seen as a key to success by cities around the world. However, reforms did not always prove to be a smooth process in developing countries, as the race to bring them in often led to widespread exclusion of certain sections of society. Such a situation becomes complex when reforms that are not informed by the context in which they come about negatively impact groups belonging to the most marginalised sections of society. Such groups are neither able to retaliate nor garner support for their plight due to their social standing and the nature of work they undertake. A closer examination as to why certain interventions on the part of the state go awry suggests aloofness by reformers of public policy from the context as well as lack of inclusiveness and participation of all stakeholders. In order to empirically test this framework, this chapter investigates the experience of reforms in solid waste management (SWM) with the focus being on the city of Delhi, on the informal sector, more specifically ragpickers engaged in the management of waste.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Reforms have been defined as “deliberate efforts on the part of the government to redress perceived errors in prior and existing policy and institutional arrangements” by Grindle and Thomas 1991, p. 4.
- 2.
Donald 2000, p. 1.
- 3.
Scott 1998, p. 4.
- 4.
Zhu et al. 2008, p. 73.
- 5.
Dhamija 2006, p. 72.
- 6.
Schindler and SB 2012, p. 8.
- 7.
Grindle 2000, p. 5
- 8.
Ibid., p. 4.
- 9.
Ibid.
- 10.
Ibid.
- 11.
Ibid., p. 7.
- 12.
Batley and Larbi 2004, p. 44.
- 13.
Goodin et al. 2005, p. 3.
- 14.
Grindle and Thomas 1991, p. 8.
- 15.
Ibid., p. 8.
- 16.
Sen 2000, p. 506.
- 17.
Haan 1999, p. 1.
- 18.
Hust 2005, p. 10.
- 19.
Harris 2003, p. 4.
- 20.
Schindlmayr et al. 2005, p. 8.
- 21.
Fernandez 2004, p. 2416
- 22.
Ibid.
- 23.
Ibid.
- 24.
Chatterjee 2004, p. 131.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
- 27.
For further information refer to the work of Payal Saxena, “Radiating Error,” The Week, June 12, 2010.
- 28.
Mawdsley 2004, p. 89.
- 29.
Gill 2010, p. 191.
- 30.
Ibid.
- 31.
Interview with Ms. Malati Gadgil of Chintan on 5th April, 2010.
- 32.
Ibid.
- 33.
Ibid.
- 34.
Schindler and SB 2012, p. 19.
- 35.
Ibid.
Bibliography
Batley R, Larbi G (2004) The changing role of government the reform of public services in developing countries. Palgrave Macmillan
Chatterjee P (2004) The politics of the governed reflections on popular politics in most of the world. Permanent Black
Dhamija U (2006) Sustainable solid waste management issues policies and structures. Academic Foundation, New Delhi
Donald F (2000) Kettl. The global public management revolution: a report on the transformation of governance. Brookings Institution Press, Washington DC
Fernandez L (2004) The politics of forgetting: class politics, state power and the restructuring of the urban space in India. Urban Stud 41(12):2415–2430. http://faspolisci.rutgers.edu/fernandes/publications/UrbanStudies41%5B12%5D.pdf
Grindle M (2000) Designing reforms: problems, solutions and politics. JFK Kennedy School of Government Harvard University Faculty Research Working Papers Series, RWPOI-020: 1–38. http://papers.ssrn.com/paper.taf?abstract_id=274151
Gill K (2010) Of poverty and plastic scavenging and scrap trading entrepreneurs in india’s urban informal economy. Oxford University Press
Grindle MS, Thomas JW (1991) Public choices and policy change the political economy of reform in developing countries. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore
Haan A de (1999) Social exclusion: towards a holistic understanding of deprivation (pp 1–19). Department for International Development, London. www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications/sdd9socex.pdf
Harris WB (2003) India working: essays on society and economy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Hust E, Mann M (2005) Urbanisation and Governance in India, Manohar
Mawdsley E (2004) India’s middle classes and the environment. Devel Change 35(1):79–103. http://enviro.lclark.edu/resources/india/Third/India.pdf
Scott JC (1998) Seeing like a state: how certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed. Yale University Press
Sen A (2000) Amartya K Sen. “What is development about?,” in Frontiers of Development Economics The Future in Perspective, ed. Gerald M. Meier and Joseph E.Stigletz, (Oxford University Press, 2001)
Seth Schindler FD, Pandit SB (2012) Delhi’s waste conflict. Econ Polit Wkly 47(42):18–21
Schindlmayr T, Huber B, Zenelev S (November 2005) Inclusive policy processes. DESA Discussion Paper:1–30. http://www.iypf.org/Downloads/Inclusive_Policy_Processes_Discussion_paper_November_2005.doc
Sen A (2000) Social exclusion: concept, application and scrutiny. Social Development Papers No.1:i-51. http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Social_Exclusion/default.asp
Zhu Da, Asnani PU, Zurbrug C, Anapolsky S, Mani S (2008) Improving solid waste management in India: source book for policy makers and practitioners. World Bank Institute, Washington, DC
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer India
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ravi, P. (2014). Impact of Urban Policy Reform: A Case Study of the Informal Sector in Solid Waste Management in Delhi. In: Sridhar, K., Wan, G. (eds) Urbanization in Asia. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1638-4_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1638-4_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New Delhi
Print ISBN: 978-81-322-1637-7
Online ISBN: 978-81-322-1638-4
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)