Public participation in decision making has evolved over time from Karl Mannheim's initial emphasis on its importance in the 1940s. Advocacy planning involves long, medium, and short term strategies to influence policy and public opinion. In India, constitutional amendments in the 1990s established three-tier rural and urban local self governments to empower communities and ensure participation in planning and development. Current scenarios involve setting up ward committees, strengthening panchayati raj institutions, and some states enacting community participation laws to involve citizens in decision making. Public participation is an important democratic principle that improves decisions, increases support, and empowers communities.

1. Public Participation
College of Engineering, Pune

2. History of Public Participation (Global front)
 Karl Mannhiem’s in his book “Man and Society in an Age of Reconstruction
(1940)”; first emphasised the importance of Public Participation in its
crudest form.
 He proposed the power quotient for the government and Action for the
citizens.
 Frederick Hayek lead an opposition against the authoritative role of
government in Mannheim’s theories.
 Planning was then defined in two context—the process (e.g. organizing
public participation) or the content (e.g. designing policy to control
sprawl). Evolution of Advocacy Planning.

3. Advocacy Planning..
Advocacy planning is about the development of.
An Overall Change Strategy
 long-term plan that embodies vision and reflects where we are,
where we want to go and how we can get there.
A Campaign
 medium-term plan with activities aimed at influencing the policy
environment and public opinion.
Tactics, Actions, or Activities
 short-term activities within a larger change strategy, designed for
a specific moment and opportunity.
Advocacy planning is a continual process. If some groups have not been
involved in the initial stages of planning, they can be included later when
plans are being reviewed and modified.

4. Indian contextual Public Participation..
 During British Regime: Indian Leaders pressed for Autonomy at National
Level..
 After Independence: ‘Directive in article 40’ instated State to take steps to
organise Village Panchayats (Unit of Self Govt.)
 Rajeev Gandhi’s initiative: Notwithstanding cause Local units not
functioning as units of representative democracy, elections not held for
several years.
 Until constitutional Amendment act: Municipalities functioned as agencies
of civil services. Panchayats functioned as agencies of rural development
schemes.
 Micro level planning and Development required.

5. Amendments towards Public Participation
73rd
Amendment Act, 1992 (Rural)
 Hierarchy in administration (3 tier system): Village panchayat, District
Panchayat and Intermediate (Janpad Panchayat)..
 Plans for economic development and social justice. Power to impose taxes,
dutys, tolls.. Grant in aid to Panchayats.
 Election Commission: Gram Sabha.
74th
Amendment Act, 1993 (Urban)
 Hierarchy in administration (3 tier system): Nagar Panchayat for transitional
areas, Municipal councils for smaller urban areas, Municipal Corporation for
metropolis.
 Town Planning: Regulation of land use and control of Buildings.
 Slum improvement and upgradation.
 Planning Committee: DP for Metropolitan areas
 District Planning Committee for draft DP of District areas.
 State Finance Commission.

6. Current Scenario.. (Indian Context)
 Setting up of Ward Committees.
 Rural areas: Panchayat Raj Institutions.
 Community Participatory Law (CPL) mandated under JnNURM.
 Ward Committees in Mumbai
 MoUD: 12 States have enacted CPL.
 Viz. AP, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, MP,
MH, Rajasthan, Bihar, Tripura, UP and WB.
 Proposal for Sabha areas.

7. What is Public Participation
 Political principle or practice, and may also
recognised as a right.
 Practice of stakeholder engagement and popular
participation.
 Seeks and facilitates the involvement of those
potentially affected by or interested in a decision.
 The people affected by a decision have a right to
be involved in the decision-making process.
 The public's contribution will influence the
decision.
 Part of “people centred” or "human centric"
principles.
 Way of empowerment and as vital part of
democratic governance.

8. Methods for involving citizens
 Citizens must be given the opportunity and encouragement to participate.
 Many citizens do not possess the skills necessary to act effectively on their
own.

9. Merits Of Public Participation..
 Improve qualities of decision.
 Minimizing cost and delays
 Increase ease of implementation.
 Avoiding worst case of
confliction.

10. Importance of Public Participation..
 Opportunities for mutual education of everyone involved.
 Decision makers, in a relatively short amount of time, often can get
additional information, technical expertise, creativity .
 Taking part in effective public participation encourages civic and
community responsibility in meaningful ways.

11. Public Policy..
 In few countries public participation has become a central principle of public
policy making.
 Large-scale consultations, focus group research, online discussion forums, or
deliberative citizens' juries.
 A tool, intended to inform planning, organising or funding of activities.
 In the USA proposed rules are subject to public comment for a specified
period of time.
 Statutes or agency policies may mandate public hearings during this period.