With the surging idea of civic participation in affairs of governance in India, there cannot be a more opportune time for K.C. Sivaramakrishnan’s book which presents an informative and detailed background of the early efforts made in the area of urban development in the country.
An Indian bureaucrat since 1958, the author is a veteran in the field, serving on numerous offices directly related to urban development for over forty years. Sivaramakrishnan is also presently Chairman of the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi and certainly has the vantage point to present numerous urban issues that have, over time, either plagued or augmented implementation of urban policy in India. He presents these measures through clear sub-heads that encompass major studies, programmes and strategies adopted in the various Five Year Plans. Focussing on ‘urban’ issues, the book’s most vital subject is its examination of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) where the author also served on the Technical Advisory Group (TAG).