Why Ward Committee Meetings Matter:
The Call Your Corporator initiative arose from the government decision to decentralise the COVID-19 response to ward levels in Bengaluru. Holding ward committee meetings every Monday became essential to strategise containment. Despite a prior low meeting turnout, the severity of the pandemic necessitated these gatherings.
Here’s a step-by-step summary of how this solution was executed:
Step 1: Planning
Approach: Opting for a decentralised approach, we engaged young citizens to call corporators in their respective wards. This approach was twofold:
- it made corporators more responsive to young citizens
- offered an opportunity for youths to engage firsthand with local governance
The Chatbot: Leveraging an existing Reap Benefit chatbot, we devised a three-step process.
- guided individuals to determine their ward
- provided their corporator’s details
- offered a scripted conversation in English and Kannada
- prompted them to report the meeting specifics
Step 2: Deployment
Publicising: We expanded reach by sharing campaign details in WhatsApp groups, ensuring even inactive chatbot users were engaged. Engaging digital posters amplified participation.
Corporator follow-up: Participants reported meeting details, compiled into a public document for wider access. Encouraging sharing in local WhatsApp groups aimed to boost public participation at the ward level.
Step 3: Scaling
48 individuals reached out to all 198 corporators in Bengaluru, resulting in 128 (~60%) conducting meetings the following week—a record high. Participants felt empowered and gained a new perspective on governance. For many, this marked their initial interaction with a local official.
The success in Bengaluru could be emulated in other Indian cities. Efforts are underway to package this process for wider adoption.
