The Role of the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) & City Governance: Towards Developed Urban India 2047

#IMPRI Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies (CHURS), IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi invites you to an IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk:

The Role of the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) & City Governance:
Towards Developed Urban India 2047

A One-Day Online Workshop Program

Live Video: https://youtube.com/live/uiIS_C1_aQw

HQ Video: https://youtu.be/Jyl7E2ZyR6U

Podcast: Spotify | YouTube Music

Details of the #WebPolicyTalk:
Date: October 9, 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 3:30-5:30 p.m. IST
Platforms: Zoom | YouTube Live @ YouTube.com/@impriindia | Spotify
Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WflTeQkxQpeNgVRSRHWLLw

Experts

Chair: Prof Chetan Vaidya, Former Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) & School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi; Visiting Distinguished Professor, IMPRI

Opening Remarks: Prof Debolina Kundu, Officiating Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)

Inaugural Remarks: Dr M. Ramachandran, Former Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

Panelists:

Mr Sameer Unhale, Joint Commissioner, Department of Municipal Administration, Government of Maharashtra; Urban Practitioner; Visiting Senior Fellow, IMPRI

Dr Purnima Chauhan, IAS (Retd), Former Secretary, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh & Director, Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration (HIPA); Visiting Senior Fellow, IMPRI

Smt Nancy Sahay, (IAS) Director, Directorate of Municipal Administration, Department of Urban Development & Housing, Jharkhand

Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, Member, Kerala Urban Policy Commission; Former Deputy Mayor, Shimla; Senior Fellow, IMPRI

About

The idea of municipal governance in India was introduced nearly 175 years ago during the colonial period and has since remained a defining force in India’s urbanization. Rooted in the spirit of self-rule and the national movement, the early model placed civic services under the supervision of the District Collector, which later evolved into the role of the Director of Municipal Administration or Director of Local Self Government, with varying structures across states.

In recent decades, national missions, state-level Program Management Units (PMUs), and urban financing institutions have significantly reshaped governance dynamics. Looking ahead, achieving Vision@2047 requires a holistic and integrated approach to multi-level governance, with institutions like the DMA playing a central role in guiding Indian cities. This vision of Viksit Nagar for Viksit Bharat demands fresh thinking to address contemporary challenges such as climate change, localization of the SDGs, and the transition towards carbon net-zero cities.

The workshop will bring together experts and stakeholders to:

• Decode the DMA’s role, practices, and challenges
• Discuss case studies, innovations, and best practices
• Examine the multi-stakeholder governance ecosystem
• Chart a roadmap for reimagining urban governance for 2047

The workshop aims to generate actionable insights and policy recommendations that can redefine the DMA’s role and contribute to building sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready Indian cities by 2047.

Key Highlights: Deconstructing the role of the DMA—functions, powers, and challenges; Analyzing governance models and their impact on service delivery, infrastructure, and participation; Identifying policy–practice gaps and ground-level realities; Exploring innovations, best practices, and success stories; Fostering dialogue among policymakers, administrators, academics, and citizens

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The Role of the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) & City Governance: Towards Developed Urban India 2047 | A One-Day Online Workshop Program | Oct 9, 2025 | IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk