Kochi has been ranked 39 in the Ease of Living Index among cities with population less than a million.
The city topped the ‘governance’ vertical under the Municipal Performance Index by scoring 61.39 points. It is ranked 12 in the overall municipal performance, according to the report released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Thursday.
As many as 111 cities had participated in the assessment that was conducted before the lockdown in March last year.
The Ease of Living Index evaluates the quality of life and the impact of various initiatives for urban development. The parameters assessed include Quality of Life, Economic ability, Sustainability, and Citizen perception. Kochi won the third rank under the economic ability category, while it was ranked 52 in terms of quality of life. The city was placed 48 in the citizen perception vertical that is evaluated based on a survey among the public.
The elements assessed under the Municipal Performance Index include local governance in delivery of services, finance, planning, and governance. Kochi was ranked 36 in the services category, while its rank in the finance category was nine. The city won rank 18 in the planning category, while the rank in the technology vertical was 33.
Both indices represent an attempt to gauge the performance of Indian cities on various parameters of urban living. The indices provide a holistic assessment of cities based on their efforts to cultivate better quality of life, create infrastructure, and address challenges of urbanisation.
Lessons gathered from the indices could help the government identify gaps, tap into potential opportunities, and increase efficiency in local governance to improve the lives of citizens and fulfill broader development outcomes, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
