NITI Aayog report on million-plus cities recommends directly elected Mayors with fixed tenure
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal released NITI Aayog's report 'Moving Towards Effective City Government â A Framework for Million-plus Cities' on 25 April 2026, recommending a directly elected Mayor with a fixed tenure and an empowered Mayor-in-Council.
Summary
NITI Aayog's report 'Moving Towards Effective City Government â A Framework for Million-plus Cities' was released by Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on 25 April 2026 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, with Urban Development Ministers from more than 10 states present. The report identifies fragmented leadership, limited devolution of powers, weak fiscal capacity and capacity gaps as constraints on cities. Its key recommendations include a directly elected Mayor with a fixed tenure, supported by an empowered Mayor-in-Council, and bringing key services such as water supply, sanitation and public transport under city governments.
Key facts
- Report
- Moving Towards Effective City Government â A Framework for Million-plus Cities
- By / released by
- NITI Aayog; Union Minister Manohar Lal, 25 April 2026
- Venue
- India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
- Leadership
- Directly elected Mayor with fixed tenure; empowered Mayor-in-Council
- Services
- Water supply, sanitation, public transport under city governments
Practice MCQs 2 questions
NITI Aayog's April 2026 report 'Moving Towards Effective City Government' focuses on which category of cities?
Show answer
Correct answer: B â Million-plus cities
The report is titled 'Moving Towards Effective City Government â A Framework for Million-plus Cities' and prioritises India's million-plus cities.
Consider the following recommendations of NITI Aayog's report on million-plus cities (April 2026): 1. A directly elected Mayor with a fixed tenure, supported by an empowered Mayor-in-Council. 2. Bringing water supply, sanitation and public transport under city governments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C â Both 1 and 2
Both are among the report's key recommendations.