Metropolitan Governance and Social Inequality in India

Abstract

This chapter provides insights into an issue of growing importance in India, namely, social inequality within its metropolitan areas. Through an examination of the role of urban local government in the Indian federal structure and its relationship to upper tiers of government, the wider context of metropolitan governance is highlighted. Then, taking the example of two contrasting states, West Bengal and Karnataka, and examining the governance of their largest metropolitan cities, Kolkata and Bangalore, respectively, the chapter shows that economic differentiation between the core city and its suburbs has increased since the 1990s. While government transfers have lowered the differentiation, core cities are well ahead of suburbs in access to basic facilities.

Revised after presentation at the International Workshop on ‘Metropolitan Inequality and Governance in Global Perspective’ held at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, January 30–31, 2009. I thank participants for useful comments.