Governance reforms must be driven by evidence-based decision making: Dr Jitendra

New Delhi, Jul 21: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh Tuesday said that India’s next generation governance reforms must be driven by evidence-based decision making, professional capacity building and robust financial management at the grassroots. Stressing that municipal accounting is no longer merely a financial function but the foundation of transparent, technology-driven and citizen-centric urban governance, he said strong institutions, backed by research and professional expertise, are essential for creating efficient Urban Local Bodies capable of meeting the aspirations of a rapidly urbanising nation.
The Minister was addressing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS), Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for Capacity Building of Municipalities and Strengthening Municipal Accounting and Financial Management Practices. The collaboration seeks to combine IIPA’s expertise in governance, research and public administration with ICAI’s professional strengths in accounting, auditing and public financial management to support institutional reforms across municipalities.
Describing the partnership as a significant milestone in strengthening local governance, Dr. Jitendra Singh said both institutions have evolved over decades into nationally respected centres of excellence and their coming together represents a natural convergence of knowledge, governance and professional competence. He said while IIPA has expanded far beyond its traditional role of training civil servants to serve elected representatives, judicial officers, defence personnel, the private sector and other stakeholders, ICAI has emerged as one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies with unmatched expertise in financial management. Bringing these complementary strengths together, he said, would create a strong institutional platform for improving governance at the municipal level.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said governance today is increasingly shaped by technology, reliable data and professional systems, making municipal accounting reforms more relevant than ever before. He expressed confidence that the collaboration would not remain confined to the activities listed in the MoU but would continuously evolve as both institutions identify new opportunities to improve urban governance through research, innovation and institutional learning. He also noted that the extensive nationwide networks of IIPA and ICAI would enable the benefits of this partnership to reach municipalities across the country through sustained capacity-building initiatives.
The MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for collaboration in research and knowledge development, capacity building, training, advisory services and technical support to strengthen municipal accounting systems and financial management practices. The two institutions will jointly undertake policy research, surveys, documentation and preparation of knowledge products; organise training programmes, workshops, seminars, conferences and webinars for municipal officials; develop learning resources; and facilitate the exchange of professional expertise and best practices to improve financial accountability and governance in Urban Local Bodies. The agreement will remain in force for an initial period of three years.