New Delhi, Nov. 3 -- Speaking at the National Urban Conclave in Odisha, Niti Aayog member Rajiv Gauba said that India's cities should not be governed from state capitals. Reiterating the recommendations of a Niti Aayog report on city governments, Guaba called for directly elected mayors with five-year terms, stronger municipal finances and devolution of responsibilities to local governments.

More than three decades after the 74th Constitutional Amendment recognized municipalities as institutions of self-government and identified 18 functions for devolution, elected city governments remain weak.

A 2024 CAG review found that typical municipalities fully controlled only 4 functions. Essential responsibilities-including urban planning, land...