Why GHMC Mayor finds Hyderabad's Ease of Living Index rank 'unacceptable'

Hyderabad was ranked 24th in the Ease of Living Index 2020, among ‘cities with a population of more than a million’
Why GHMC Mayor finds Hyderabad's Ease of Living Index rank 'unacceptable'
Why GHMC Mayor finds Hyderabad's Ease of Living Index rank 'unacceptable'
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Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Mayor, G Vijayalakshmi, criticised the methodology used by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in evaluating Hyderabad in the Ease of Living Index 2020 (EoLI),  on Saturday. She said that the assessment made by the Union government was ‘unacceptable’.

In the EoLI rankings, among ‘cities with a population of more than a million', Bengaluru topped the rankings with a score of 66.70, followed by Pune (66.27), Ahmedabad (64.87), and Chennai (62.61). While Hyderabad was ranked 24th (55.40). 

The Ease of Living Index (EoLI) is an assessment tool that evaluates the quality of life and the impact of various initiatives on urban development. 

Expressing shock at the rankings, the Mayor said they were unfair, as according to her, Hyderabad was developed with better basic amenities than other metro cities. Stating that several international surveys have assessed Hyderabad as the best city in terms of development, basic infrastructure, quality of life, and law and order, Vijayalakshmi said that the research questionnaire and the methodology adopted by the MoHUA was skewed.

“The ranking is based on 79 indicators, which are grouped under four categories which includes education, health, quality of life, housing and drinking water, and is given just 35% weightage, while economic ability is given 15% weightage. Public services, which fall under the first category, demand a bigger weightage. The absence of any indicators that speak of jobs or productivity naturally reduces the value of the Index,” the Mayor said.

Further, the Mayor also said that MoHUA should have evaluated the financial aspects and use of toilets based on public opinion of the region and not based on government figures. 

“That is the reason the rankings announced by the MoHUA is not credible,” the Mayor said.

To support her argument, the Mayor spoke on Hyderabad's health infrastructure, she said that in the last five years, the GHMC has established over 225 Basti Dawakhanas (street clinics) for the poor. Basti Dawakhanas was established in 2018 by GHMC and provides free healthcare for the poor. According to GHMC, every day 80-90 people avail of the service. The people can avail themselves of outpatient services, basic laboratory tests and free medicines.  

Similarly, for better transportation, she said that signal-free highways under Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP), several underpasses, flyovers, and rail overbridges have been constructed.

 

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