Promote cosmopolitan culture
It is an indisputable fact that urbanisation is expanding at a great speed and, ultimately, there is no doubt that the urban amenities will reach most of India. Currently, there are more than 5,000 urban places in India where nearly 40 percent of Indians are living and they, as local residents are struggling hard to improve quality of their lives by their own efforts. The quality of service from urban local bodies and politicians are always unsatisfactory, delayed, inefficient, vexatious, corrupt, etc. The support of MLAs and MPs come with a price which is always too high for urban residents. In the face of this and in order to realise the promise of a city, what is the solution?
It is the emergence of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) which is formed by necessity in the areas or colonies and by statute in the apartment-buildings. RWAs are the first school of democracy as residents participate to elect their own governing body. They raise their own financial resources to initiate and maintain social infrastructures like community function halls, day care centres, play grounds, tank-bunds and parks, etc. RWAs deal with all aspects of the resident’s life, from the cradle to the grave. The RWAs are a coordinator and vector of all services from many departments, boards, corporations of the municipal, state and central authorities and cooperate with the constitutional bodies for elections, census, auditing, national security, etc. They form urban micro-communities which are laying the foundations for socio-democratic living with new bonds of affinity and friendship, not necessarily limited to blood-relationships. RWAs serve as a tool to promote a cosmopolitan culture of sharing and caring among residents. Children learn social skills, women have more opportunities to express themselves, elderly find security and conviviality which their children may not always be able to provide. It is within these micro urban communities that all those groups that have low incomes and minority identity assertions can be included without conflicts into a cohesive and harmonious society.
Rao V.B.J. Chelikani (President, UFERWAS, President International Foundation for Human Development (IFHD) email: raovbj@yahoo.com)
A useful link between government and citizens
It is often noticed that whenever any work or project is undertaken by the government in public domain, the involvement of the community and the role it can play is discussed. In the context of the community, the question arises as to who or what is the community.
RWAs have surely in recent times emerged as a true representative of the ‘community’. They have evolved into a useful link between government and citizens. In fact, the 74th amendment to Indian Constitution which is about devolution of powers mandates that ward committees which are the apex institutions to oversee the development process at ward level should have a minimum of two members from RWAs. However ensuring implementation of this mandate is a challenge.
In the Hyderabad perspective, U-FERWAS is engaged in a continuous dialogue with civic service providers like GHMC, water board, police, electricity departments etc. Areas wise RWAs, realising the power of collective community voice are being assertive about the role of service providers to ensure citizens get quality and efficient services like drinking water, power, public transport etc. However in a system where politicians and bureaucracy are the defining institutions, RWA voice is not being heard sufficiently.
In Hyderabad, RWA activity gets pronounced visibility during a crisis. The AOC road closure by Army is a case in point when the Malkajgiri U-FERWAS took up the issue and enabled a solution. The challenges before RWA movement are an insensitive bureaucracy, political apathy and citizen indifference. RWAs are still seen as retired peoples sojourn. But then in the last few years things are changing. Increased media focus, assertive citizenry and governments recognising the ‘community’, it’s only a matter of time before RWAs truly become the fulcrum of community to ensure that civic agencies deliver the services which citizens deserve.
Maj. Shiva Kiran (Vice-President, United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (U-FERWAS). email: majorkiran@gmail.com)
Women are underrepresented
A very visible lacuna in the progress of Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) is the lack of women’s participation at all levels - from planning to administration. Women have proven abilities in community activities like managing slum areas, running schools for under-privileged and ensuring delivery of government aided schemes in health care sector like administering polio drops, giving pre and ante-natal health care, adult literacy etc.
However, what about women’s role in management of RWAs? Are they ready to volunteer time, energy and skills for their own communities? The broad areas in which women can participate as active executive committee members of RWAs along with men and make a significant contribution are listed below:
1. Being aware of rules, by-laws, ratios of built up and open spaces, common facilities, water sources and harvesting provisions, parking spaces, lifts, illumination, greenery, children’s play equipment, entertainment areas.
2. Laying down ground rules for maintenance, ensuring equity in use of common spaces and facilities. Women can play a big role in creation of libraries, outdoor and indoor games, cultural activities, community get-togethers. They can identify different aspects of maintenance and persons in charge of overseeing them.
3. Creating a ready reference of information of colony or apartment complex containing list of occupants on date, directory of all resident members, list of important contact persons and phone numbers for all civic amenities, display of important common events related to group living and celebrations, visits by local authorities.
4. Conducting group events involving all age groups, to promote skills and talents, art, culture, cookery, physical fitness, sports, personality development.
Today, women are professionally qualified, confident and competent to make valuable decisions in matters of common interest at their workplaces. All that is required is the will to make a beginning.
Gita Dendukuri (The writer is founder-member and VP, Methodist Colony Welfare Association, Begumpet)
