STEERING GOVERNANCE THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES IN THE SRINAGAR CITY OF JAMMU & KASHMIR

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic tested the vulnerability, effectiveness and resilience of the governance institutions worldwide in mitigating the unprecedented challenges of the healthcare sector, personal safety and facilitating uninterrupted delivery of public services. The need for social distancing, rapid testing and vaccination became top priorities of every nation, including India. The vulnerability has been witnessed most in cities and towns due to congested population, increased threat of community transmission of the virus and loss of livelihood to daily waged earners due to economic shutdown. The response strategies of urban administration varied across regions, depending upon the level of socio-economic development and adapted governance mechanisms to ensure essential urban services like drinking water, electricity, and waste management. The paper analyzes the effectiveness and challenges of governance in the Srinagar city of Jammu & Kashmir, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on governance mechanisms in the region and the mitigation strategies adapted by the Srinagar City Administration to steer the governance during such times. This paper is based on data analysis collected from journalists, academicians, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) using Focused Group Discussion (FGD) and interview techniques. It revealed public dissatisfaction about basic urban services, poor socio-economic infrastructure, lack of institutional coordination and bureaucratic rigidity as vital governance challenges in the Srinagar city. It also provides suggestions to augment governance approaches to ensure responsive administration and prepare for unforeseen future challenges.