Citizens Perception Survey: A chance to effect change?

Imlisanen Jamir

 

How often have we wondered about the potential that the State Capital, Kohima has in terms of developing into a city at par with other tourist destinations of the country, while simultaneously managing its assets and delivering services to its citizens in an optimal manner?

 


The Kohima Smart City Project, in development since 2018, is one endeavour that can help Kohima reach its potential.

 


The task remains enormous however. Last year, the Ease of Living Index, compiled by the Central Government, ranked Kohima as the second most un-liveable city in the country.

 


And according to the Kohima Smart City Development Limited, this embarrassing ranking was partly contributed by the lack of citizen’s participation in a crucial part of the survey on which the index was measured.  

 


The Ease of Living (EoL) is aimed to quantify the ease of living, of citizens living in the cities across three pillars. They include Quality of Life, Economic ability, and Sustainability. These three factors have 70% weightage in formulating the city’s final score. However, the remaining 30%, a significant portion, is based on a Citizen Perception Survey, which helps in directly capturing perception of citizens with respect to quality of life in their cities.

 


For this year’s survey, the Kohima Smart City Development Limited along with its partners have been pulling out all the stops to encourage more participation of people in the city. It has succeeded in reaching the Centre’s prescribed participation benchmark. But mind you, that the number still stands at only a little above a thousand people participating in the survey as of February 14.

 


But the survey will go on till February 29.   

 


According to the developers and implementers of the Smart City project, the survey data is crucial towards making practical policies for the city. It remains to be seen if that will be the case.

 


From a still un-coordinated government machinery to poor planning and lack of facilities to shoddy policy implementations, the issues confronting Kohima, along with the rest of the State, is something no one can deny. And whether a Citizen’s survey truly brings policy change or acts as a mere factor to up ranking points remain to be seen. 

 


However, the Citizen Perception Survey does present a chance for citizens of the State capital to make their voices heard on a data sheet which will actually reflect the city’s actual liveability ranking. It will also, by all accounts, help direct policy decisions.

 


So login to EoL2019.org/citizenfeedback to participate in the survey.

 


Perhaps, we will actually effect some change.

 

Comments can be sent to imlisanenjamir@gmail.com