Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation - Track Record and Reforms

Track Record and Reforms

The confidence of the citizen stems from the fact, that the city governments have proven their efficiency in delivering services. Over the years, AMC has faced growth challenges effectively and provided urban services at a level significantly higher than the national averages, making it one of the top tier service providers in the country. Coverage levels in water supply, solid waste collection and sewerage are well above national averages.

The recent focus on city transportation, encroachment removal and cleanliness has been maintained with impressive improvements over the past. More roads have been resurfaced, more encroachments removed and more solid waste collected recently than in any comparable period in the past.

AMC’s service delivery is matched by its high quality of governance, which has setbenchmarks for other municipal corporations in the country. AMC has undertaken several novel initiatives including:

• Issuing municipal bonds: AMC was the first municipality in Asia to have accessed the capital markets, and enjoys a high credit rating (AA+ by CARE). This has been made possible by AMC’s sound financial management, which has resulted in a healthy revenue surplus in recent years.

• Implementing property tax reforms: Ahmedabad was the first large city in India tohave implemented property tax reforms, and set a “zero litigation” record. CRISILrecognised this as the best urban practice in financial management and extended theCRISIL Award for Excellence in Municipal Initiatives to AMC in 2004.Setting benchmarks in the areas of e-governance, slum improvement and other urban management areas.

• Environmental improvement: The civic centres of Ahmedabad are a model in governance, which has greatly benefitted citizens. Not surprisingly, these models arebeing adopted by several other cities.

• Implementing the public private partnership model in municipal transport: This novelstep, involving 220 environment-friendly CNG buses, led to 33 per cent reduction inAMC’s operating costs. AMC intends to procure 180 more such CNG buses.