Crowd Sourcing for Municipal Governance

Abstract

This paper examines the incidence and impact of crowd sourcing in the urban governance in India. It is noted that intergovernmental consensus and cooperation for crowd sourcing for municipal governance have produced a set of models. Yet the scope of expansion for crowd sourcing as a tool to improve municipal systems and citizen centricity is fairly wide. In this regard, the role of city government as a mother institution in the sector is crucial. It is also noted that mobile users hold the key to enhance the citizen access to crowd sourcing. It is worth noting that city-specific use of crowd sourcing in the areas of accounting and revenue administration, governance and management of roads and related services, solid waste and assets has improved governance significantly in terms of decentralization, accountability, transparency, equity, efficiency and civic participation. Finally focus areas are identified for intergovernmental agenda on use of crowd sourcing for municipal governance.