Over one-third of Karnataka’s population lives in urban areas. Most of the Urban population live in Class-I cities (cities with more than one lakh population) and their numbers are expected to grow very fast.

This rapid urbanisation is throwing up several challenges. Infrastructure is inadequate and often poorly maintained. Over a quarter of the population still do not have access to toilets. Urban poor not only live in bad living conditions but also do not have access to economic opportunities. Record keeping functions are poorly carried out and are a manual drudgery. Low resource mobilisation and inadequate managerial capacity results in absence of attitudes to usher in change. Without strong citizen participation, transparency suffers. In short credibility levels are low.

Nirmala Nagara programme launched by the Government of Karnataka aims to remedy the situation. The agenda is to make cities deliver and change the way people look at these institutions. Greater accountability and citizens participation will be the pivot. The poor will be at the centre of the agenda. With the aim to deliver substantial results in the shortest possible time, doable schemes as follows are being attempted.

1. Urban Stree-Shakti for poverty alleviation.

2. Solid Waste management

3. Computerisation

4. Implementation of Fund-based Accounting Services(FBAS)