Participatory budgeting began in Brazil in the late 1980s as a mechanism for citizens to decide how public funds are spent. It has since spread to many other countries. The process typically involves citizens brainstorming and voting on proposed public projects. In Pune, India, participatory budgeting allocates 50 lakh rupees per neighborhood for projects like parks, roads, and sanitation. In London, participatory budgeting allows citizens to vote on how to spend £140,000 in each of the city's 17 wards. The process in Medellin, Colombia improved infrastructure and social programs in slums. Tartu, Estonia's process includes an online submission and voting system. Santo André

1. Participatory Budgeting
Ravikant Joshi
TRAINING ON LEADERSHIP AND GENDER EQUALITY FOR IMPROVED
LOCAL GOVERNANCE
ORGANISED BY UCLG-ASPAC, EQUICITY AND AIILSG
3RD MAY 2018; INDIA HABITAT CENTRE NEW DELHI

2. Participatory Budgeting – When & Where?
 PB began at the end of the 80’s, in Brazil, when democracy was
reinstalled in the country.
 PB Phases:
I: Experimentation. 1989 - 1996
II: Expansion in Brazil. 1997 - 2000
III: Diversification in Latin America. 2001-2005
IV: International Awareness. 2003 – 2005
 Most experiences are still in Brazil, but many Latin American cities
have adopted
 Currently, cities from Europe, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe are
exercising PB.

3. What is Participatory Budgeting?
“a mechanism (or process) through which the
population decides on, or contributes to
decisions made on, the destination of all or part
of the available public resources.”
a form of participatory democracy
a combination of elements of direct or semi-
direct democracy with representative
democracy

4. What is Participatory Budgeting?
Citizens can get involved in all phases of the budget
process and cycle. They may be engaged
in the formulation of the budget,
in the review and analysis of the budget,
in tracking the expenditure, or
in audit and control.
Participatory budgeting is a way of promoting good
governance through increased participation,
accountability, and transparency.

5. Participatory Budget in Pune
 Initiated in 2006-07 by Pune
Municipal Corporation
 Mr. Nitin Karir
 Rs 50 lakh per prabhag
 Citizens can suggest works for
their neighbourhoods
 Should be a public work, on a
public land

6. Solid waste management
Parks and Gardens
Public buildings
Public Toilets
Water
Storm Water Drainage
Footpaths
Traffic signals
Bus stops
Street Lights
Public parking areas
Signage
Vendors’ platforms
Categoriesofworks

7. Citizens Suggestions Form नागरिक सूचना अर्ज

9. August -
Announcement
inviting citizens to
submit
suggestions
September - Last
date to submit
suggestions
September -
Processing of
suggestions at
ward offices to
identify eligible
works
October - Decision
by Wards
Committee on
suggestions
accepted, sent to
PMC Accounts DeptJanuary -
Presentation of
MC’s budget
March -
Finalization of
budget by
Body
April - Publication
of budget,
separate section in
budget book for
citizens suggested
works
May /June
onward -
Implementation of
works
Participatory
Budget Cycle

10. Financial Year
PB Expenditure
Rs Crore
2007-08 11.32
2008-09 20.75
2009-10 21.62
2010-11 16.55
2011-12 23.28
2012-13 16.67
2013-14 29.52
2014-15 35.56
2015-16 30.63
2016-17 35.15
0
10
20
30
40
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
PB Expenditure / allocation Rs Crore
Allocations for Participatory Budgeting in Pune
Budgeted
Rs. 1 Crore = Rs. 10 Million
Allocation under PB amount 1% of total budget of PMC

11. Pune PB is a good thing … but
 Open to all
 Free of cost
 Simple to participate
 Forms are easily available, at ward
offices and online
 Takes place every year
 Everyone accepts it is a good idea
 Platform beyond complaints, but
for suggestions
 Published in the PMC Budget Book
 No reallocation of budgets
allocated to Citizens works
 Has not progressed
qualitatively
 Has not progressed
quantitatively
 Minimalistic, Tokenism?
 Individualistic Participation
 No people’s participation at
large. No public hearings
 Probably Elite Capture
 Not canvassed, not replicated
at other places,

12. Participatory Budgeting, Tower Hamlets, London, UK

13. The Model
give local people more say in where it
spends money to tackle local
priorities
Tower Hamlets Council
A sum of £140,000 per ward
17 wards
extra services to help improve the
local area
8 Local Area Partnership
One You Decide! event held in each LAP
Actors involved
LAP Steering Groups made up of
Residents
Councillors
Service Providers
You Decide!

14. Current Programs
Youth inclusion programs
Early GCSE’s in a mother tongue
Street lighting
Drug outreach workers
Extended learning and family based
learning
Youth disabilities projects
Greening projects such as shrub
beds
Popular Demand

15. Examples

16. SlumUpgradingandParticipation
Medellin,Colombia

17. An “equal city for all and where all citizens can
construct relations stimulated by a city rich in
services, culture and public space” became one of the main
goals of the administration of Sergio Fajardo (Mayor, 2003-2007)
•Medellin, governable and
participatory.
• Medellin, social and inclusive.
• Medellin, a space for the encounter
of its citizens.
• Medellin, productive, competitive
and supportive.
• Medellin, integrated with the region
and the world.
SOCIALURBANISM
physical transformations
+
social programs
+
participation processes
Medellin – Colombia – PB Vision/Philosophy

18. Salient Features
• The PUI approach consists of three main components – physical, institutional, and social. At
the centre of its approach is “the improvement of public spaces and facilities, which are developed based
on participatory processes.”
• Modes of participation – public hearings, community workshops, plan consultations.
• Frequency - The technical team had met with community members over 600 times:- 166 sector
assemblies,166 meetings with community committees, 113 community workshops.
• Concept of co-responsibility.

19. Achievements
The “PUI Nororiental” built approximately 200,000 sq. m. of public space as well as
16,000 sq. m. of public facilities such as a metropolitan library, an institution for education
on entrepreneurship, day-care centres, sports fields, and schools
A 13 point
increase on the
quality of life index
between 1997-
2007.
Trust and relations
between the
inhabitants were
strengthened.
“Medellin from
FEAR to HOPE”

20. Preparation of a Participatory Budget
A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF TARTU, ESTONIA

21. Preparation of a Participatory Budget
A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF TARTU, ESTONIA
 The focus group consisted 10-12 people, representing all the political
parties in the city council including the city secretary, The Head of the
Legal department, Public relations department, Official from the
Financial Department, Mayor, Deputy Mayor
 Concept, case studies of PB, cost of process etc was explained
 The PB design in Tartu consisted of the following stages:
 Stage 1: August 21-September 10
The online and offline presentation of ideas – Everyone was eligible to present ideas
that would qualify as investments, and the cost limit was given as 140,000 EUR. (1% of
investment budget)
 Stage 2: September 10-October 15
Experts analyzed their respective topics, consolidated similar ideas, evaluated, and
commented the estimated costs of the proposals, as well as their content.

22. Preparation of a Participatory Budget
A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF TARTU, ESTONIA
 The PB design in Tartu consisted of the following stages:
 Stage 3: Mid November 2013 (yet to occur as per the context of the paper)
The event for presenting the ideas- All ideas would be made available on the city
webpage and an online broadcast is planned.
 Stage 4: November end 2013
All ideas and suggestions that adhere to the given budget, and receive positive expert
evaluations will be voted upon by the citizens using both traditional and online means.
 Stage 5: December 2013
The city council is obliged to approve the decision made by the citizens, and
incorporate it into the city budget.

23. Participatory budgeting in the municipality
of Santo André, brazil
 Participatory Budgeting ( OP- Orçamento Participativo) was defined by mayor Celso
Daniel as “a public sphere which creates possibilities for the population to
make their dreams, demands and needs explicit with an emphasis on the
specific, on the local problem, that creates conditions and alternatives for the
future”.
 Stage1 (internal): municipal secretariat and departments defined a draft proposal
 Stage 2 (public): mayor and secretariat discussed the budget proposal with the
population through meetings that were organised throughout the city.
 Stage 3: (adjustment): there was a matching of the budget with resources
available and with the demands of the population, an exercise that was undertaken
by the mayor, his secretariat, the financial and technical teams.
 Stage 4: (legislative): the final budget was presented and discussed in the
Legislative chamber

24. Participatory budgeting in the municipality
of Santo André, brazil
 The Method and Organisational Structure of the OP (Participatory Budgeting)
 Informative Plenary Sessions (March)
 Round of Intermediate Meetings (April – May)
 The municipal staff, civil society representatives and community leaders identify the problems and
needs in their specific areas of concern and assess the technical and financial feasibility of possible
solutions.
 Round of Decision making Plenary Sessions (June – July)
 During the months of June-July sessions are organised in 19 regions and 8 thematic groups when
problems are discussed and priorities are actually voted by all attending the meetings.
 These meetings are open to anyone who lives in Santo André but to have the right to vote or to be
voted.
 OP (Participatory Budgeting) Council Meetings (June – July)
 Debate and voting of the budget proposal by the Legislative Chamber (October-November)

25. Participatory Budgeting
Thank You