Our Work

Janaagraha works to improve the quality of life of all the people in our cities and towns.

We work with citizens and governments to bring about comprehensive solutions to the problems facing our cities. And we do this using a systems approach. As an example let’s take traffic - People suggest many solutions such as, widen the roads, improve the public transport system, reduce the number of vehicles, and so on.

The fact is there are no simple answers. We need to look at all of these together as parts of a complete solution.

What is said about traffic is true for every issue that affects the quality of life in our cities. In other words we need to look at the entire SYSTEM to solve each one of these problems. Countries like China, Singapore etc give their people good quality life in their cities because they take a systems approach. In Janaagraha we believe that it is not enough to have a systems approach alone; our solutions have to be rooted in democracy.

[Think of a TREE- the roots are democracy, the trunk is the systems approach, and the fruits are a better quality of life. What nurtures this tree in a democracy like India is citizenship!]

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So how does Janaagraha’s systems approach guide the work we do with citizens and government? We use the REED framework. It has four parts: R E E D

The first part, R stands for REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE. We cannot view the problems of the city in isolation. The city is part of a larger region and there are many inter connections For example, when you have an international airport outside the city it’s going to impact traffic and transport in the entire region. We need a regional view for all our planning & resource requirements. Janaagraha seeks to sensitize the citizens and government to taking a regional perspective.

The second part of our systems approach is E which stands for EMPOWERING GOVERNMENTS AND CITIZENS.

Inside any region there are many local governments – municipalities & panchayats. Janaagraha actively advocates decentralization, devolution of functions and the restructuring of local bodies so that our local governments are EMPOWERed to solve the problems in our cities.

We also work towards EMPOWERing citizens. We have been advocating a law for citizen participation at the level of the Union Government which gives citizens a formal voice in local decision making. Today this is a mandatory reform in the largest mission for Urban India - JNNURM.

We also EMPOWER citizens with knowledge and awareness about their role in the democratic process. Bal Janaagraha, Yuva Janaagraha and the training programs such as CAP are aimed at educating and motivating citizens to participate in their communities.

The third part of our systems approach is another E. This stands for ENABLING OUR CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENTS. In order for the municipalities to perform their functions effectively they need technology tools like GIS, skilled people, and so on. Janaagraha is developing programs to ENABLE the local governments with such skills and tools through workshops and training.

Janaagraha also ENABLES citizens with platforms, skills and tools to participate effectively. We have piloted the Area Sabhas in 4 wards of Bangalore, created platforms like City Connect, and tools such as the Ward Infrastructure & Services Assessment (WISA) project.

The fourth part of our systems approach is D. This stands for direct accountability. If we only empowered and enabled the local governments we could be only decentralizing corruption. We need to make the governments accountable directly outward to the people so that there is transparency and participation in their functioning. Our PROOF program works with the government to create processes for public disclosure of financial records and performance evaluations of urban governments.

We believe that only when we have all four pieces of REED, Regional view, Empowered citizens and local governments, Enabled citizens and local governments, with Direct accountability of the government to the people, will we have a complete system to improve the quality of life in our cities.

So rather than working on piecemeal Band-Aid solutions to particular problems in individual neighborhoods, Janaagraha works with both the government and citizens to improve our system of governance, so that the system can be more effective in delivering a better quality of life for our citizens.

You can work with us in Janaagraha to help improve urban governance systems, or nurture the tree of democracy by working in your own community. Instead of feeling helpless or frustrated with the quality of life in our city, you can make a real difference by working with us in Janaagraha or working in your neighborhood and we will help you!

Janaagraha works on issues related to public governance in Urban India. Our mission is to change the trajectory of our country.

We believe that India's democratic challenges need systemic changes and not band-aid solutions. The energy for change can come from both inside government as well as outside of it and requires constructive engagement from both sides. We are responsible partners to such engagement whenever the opportunities arise.

We also believe that democracy is more than the occasional trip to the ballot box, and citizen particpation - especially at the local level - is at the heart of a successful democracy. Participation in the decision-making process is not just a means for greater accountability from government, but fosters a society based on values that celebrate individual achievement while looking after collective advancement. We are rigorous in defining and developing the science of such participation.

Our power is our ideals and our innovations and we continue to practice on the ground and learn and improve upon these. We constantly reach out to diverse groups in our search to find common ground, without compromising on ideals, goals or integrity.

Core Values

Positivity: To believe that real change is possible, if everyone did his or her bit.

Belief in the power of the Community: To recognize that the central means of all action is a collective one. From an inclusive community comes collective strength, but also the building of long-term bonds that will shape our society."

Constructive Engagement: To engage (with individuals, communities and organizations) in the spirit of partnership and give the benefit of doubt until proven otherwise.

Professionalism: To deliver on individual roles and responsibilities at the highest degree of commitment and capability at all times.

Moral Compass: To consistently be guided in all actions by the principle of moral truth and be concerned with not just the ends but the means as well.

Compassion: To empathise with and support those in real need and carry out one's responsibilities in building a caring and just society.

Core Purpose

To improve the quality of life for all, by improving the quality of public governance.

Vision

To fundamentally transform the trajectory of our country, in 20 years.

Vivid Description

Twenty years from now, India will be best known for the quality of life it offers to its citizens. And this will be accomplished through the practice of democracy that is based on personal freedom, collective action and transparency. A democracy, that provides every citizen with a direct voice and an active role in public governance, leading to an abundance of public and private wealth.

This vision for India would be achieved by developing participatory structures of public governance, by evolving a sense of shared ownership of the environment and the community's destiny and by establishing practices of engagement that ensure broad participation in public governance, of the entire citizenry.

India would provide to the world a model of democracy that brings individual ambition and common cause into harmony, and helps unleash the creativity of millions of Indians in ways that generate the greatest rewards for the society as a whole. By 2025, no Indian would have reason to feel disenfranchised and in fact would have every chance to fulfill his/her personal potential while making the greatest possible contribution to the society.

Goals