What is the Solution Exchange for the Decentralization Community?
The Decentralization Community strives to strengthen the institutions of local self-government- Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and municipal bodies- in the light of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution, to help bring about more transparent and participatory governance, effective local development and better delivery of services.
Solution Exchange connects members of this Community and increases the effectiveness of their individual efforts, helping them share and apply each other’s knowledge and experience. Through Solution Exchange, colleagues can turn to their peers across India for solutions to the day-to-day challenges they face.
What are some of the issues covered by this Community? - Renewing public interest and political buy-in for empowered local bodies
- Effective devolution for administrative and fiscal decentralization and resource mobilization
- Ensuring clarity of accountability relationships-defining functional boundaries of line agencies vis-à-vis local authorities
- Building capacity for decentralized planning, data collection and providing information for effective devolution
- Local body elections and jurisprudence
Who should become a member of the Decentralization Community? - Policy-makers and planners from government
- Practitioners from NGOs and the private sector
- Donor agencies
- Academic institutions
- Other professionals interested in decentralization and local governance
Membership Profile |  | | | | | Since its start in July 2005, the Decentralization Community has grown to over 1,900 members, joining at an average of 15 persons a week. 23% of the members have posted one or more messages. Based on quarterly sample surveys of members, the benefits gained from membership averages out at 3.6 out of 5 "stars" |
| | | | 33% of the members work in NGOs, 19% in Government agencies, and 18% in policy or research institutes or academia. 10% work in the private sector or are independent consultants. 20% work for UN or other donor agencies, programmes and projects, or professional associations. Regionally, membership balances out between 29% in Delhi and 10% in the West; 4% come from outside India.
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