TOI: Gloss taken off city’s shine: September 19, 2008

“The human development of Mumbai calls for addressing these concerns with greater determination and political will by policy makers as well as implementers,’’ says the draft written by Dr Sangita Kamdar, professor of economics, and Asoke Basak, former additional chief secretary, home. The two are working on a chapter called ‘Economic Development: Growth and Equity’, which will be part of the larger report.

Mumbai municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak has initiated the survey to better understand the services delivered by the BMC in each of its 24 wards and how they affect the quality of citizens’ lives.

Interestingly, the report says that if only certain parametrs are looked at—environment, public transport, crime and hospitality/leisure—then Mumbai ranks tops in India.

   However, when factors in the UN Development Programme’s City Development Index are considered, the gloss is taken off Mumbai’s shine. The report admits that there is inadequate sewerage treatment, road network and open spaces. Water supply lags at a dismal 31 connections per 1,000 people. Delhi has 112.

ECONOMIC GROWTH:

In 12 years (1993-94 to 2005-06) the per capita income of Mumbai has gone up from Rs 24,012 to Rs 65,625 per year, an increase of 171%. The gross district product rate of Mumbai and its suburbs (including Thane) has grown 8.5% from 2001-01 to 2006-07. Mumbai’s per capita income is much higher than the state’s, which is Rs 37,081. The city also contributes a lion’s share to the state’s income, 22.78%.

   However, some signs of a slowdown are evident. The per capita income of the state increased 208% from Rs 12,390 a year in 1993-94 to Rs 37,081 in 2005-06. This has been attrributed to rapid growth in other cities and regions of Maharashtra. 

   In fact, Mumbai’s contribution to the state’s income declined from 24% in 1993-94 to 21% in the late 1990s and has now marginally increased to 22.78% In the same period Thane’s contribution increased from 9% to 12%, and Pune’s from 9% to 11%. 

   The decline is attributed to the closure of some traditional industries in Mumbai, a lack of policies relating to redeployment of assets, infrastructure constraints and the conscious policy of the state government to disperse industries.

INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURE:

The National Sample Survey Organisation shows that per capita consumption expenditure on food amongst the better-off sections has dropped sharply. Amongst the top 20%, it has dropped from 49% in 1988-89 to 39% in 1999-00, which means that rising income has helped the standard of living.

   Amongst the middle class, food expenses dropped from 68% to 55%. However, sharply denoting the inequalities of the city, food constituted a major 65% of expenses for the lower income group. Across all groups, the expenditure on education was more or less the same, in the range of 4-7% of the total nonfood expenditure.

POVERTY:

Mumbai had the lowest percentage (14.5%) of population Below the Poverty Line in the state while neighbouring Thane had 22.47%. However, the report admits that non-income indicators of living give a better understanding of the quality of life in the city.

SLUM POPULATION:

According to the report, 58% of the city’s population resides in slums, by far the highest among cities studied. Pune was next with 40.3%. The nation’s capital, Delhi, has a slum population of only 15.51%. The reports states that growing slums show the “abject failure of public policy in the area of housing and shelter’’. “The growth of the slum population in Greater Mumbai in recent decades has been phenomenal,’’ the rport reads.

HEALTH:

Life expectancy in Mumbai is 71 years, which is marginally higher than the state average of 70. However, in Pune the life expectancy is better at 74 years, in Thane it is 72 years and in Raigad 71 years. Mumbai, however, has the highest number of safe deliveries at 91%.

ACCESS TO AMENITIES:

Surprisingly, around 2.16% households in the island city and 2.09% in the suburbs do not have any access to electricity. Again, in the island city 2.52% households do not have convenient access to drinking water. The figure is 3% for suburban Mumbai. The supply is also very skewed, with slums not getting even 90 litres per capita daily (lpcd), while well-off areas get 300 to 350 lpcd. 

   Almost 56% of households in Mumbai have no access to latrines. In Thane, the figure is 33%, in Pune 36% and Nashik 42%.

COMMUTING PATTERNS:

The most striking feature of commuting in Mumbai is the distance. The commute distance with the highest frequency is only 1 to 2km and more than 40% of workers commute less than 2km. Almost 19% of all workers and 11% of poor workers commute more than 10km. Around 44% of the working population goes on foot to their place of work. This goes up to 61% in respect of working people Below the Poverty Line. The report says that all this reflects the cost and time taken for commuting by public transport, the inadequacy of public transport and the ease with which one can set up one’s dwelling unit in Mumbai.

ENVIRONMENT:

The sea around Mumbai is the highest polluted. In all the 12 locations monitored in 2005-06 by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, the Biological Oxygen Demand exceeded the limits laid down.

   Mumbai, with its huge population, is the biggest consumer of water in the state and also generates the highest amount of effluents. Its network of sewage treatment plants is inadequate.

POINT COUNTER-POINT

Mumbai has a lot more organisation, more community living as compared to cities in the north and south and better civic sense. It is also safer for women and definitely a better city for families. When I did a survey on families, 147 of 150 voted for Mumbai as the best city to live in and I second that.

If quality of life is measured in terms of good governance, available housing, public spaces, utilities, green cover and so on, then Mumbai falls short by far. Factors like environmental pollution, crime, safety and leisure are reliant on various other aspects. In the absence of these aspects, such factors have little meaning.

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