Technical Assistance for Implementation of Support Programme for Urban Reforms (SPUR) in Bihar
Year - 2008 - 2016
Client - Department for International Development (DFID), UK
Project Brief
SPUR is a six-year partnership programme (2008-2014) and now on extension phase for another 2 years (2014-2016) between Government of Bihar {through Urban Development & Housing Department (UD&HD)} and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID, UK). The programme aims to revitalise and enable the urban centers in Bihar play their expected role in economic growth and poverty reduction through improved economic attractiveness of project ULBs for private investments. SPUR is being implemented in 29 ULBs that house about 60% of the urban population in the state of Bihar.
Click here to visit their website.
Expected key outputs from SPUR include:
- Effective policies and stronger institutions to promote and manage urban development in place;
- State and ULBs mobilise significantly increased resources for urban development and manage them more effectively;
- Identified ULBs plan, implement and manage urban infrastructure and services more effectively;
- Increased municipal capacity to attract private investment in urban areas (Local Economic Development);
- Empowered poor communities and socially excluded groups access increased urban resources and livelihood opportunities;
Our Approach
Our approach is based on working towards sustainability of the reforms. The focus is on capitalising on working relationships established with the stakeholders and utilising it to rise to the programme implementation challenges. The approach is centered around process, performance and experience. The guiding principle is inclusivity & participation and the work is information and evidence based. Further, to meet the unexpected events and to keep the project on-track, the main thrust of the team is on building capacities to ensure that all interventions are sustainable and scalable.
Key Achievements
The project has demonstrated strong progress especially under strengthening urban governance and municipal financial reforms. SPUR has put in place the important policy and regulatory frameworks. Infrastructure planning has improved and the focus has now been on helping government access funds from various sources including donor agencies for implementation of the various DPRs.
Capitalising on the lessons emerging from the implementation of local economic development interventions, SPUR is providing strategic guidance for implementation of National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM). Most importantly, SPUR has succeeded in making a gradual shift of attention towards urban poverty alleviation & livelihood issues. SPUR has adapted well to the changing (progressively more ambitious) policy priorities of Urban Development & Housing Department (UD&HD), Government of Bihar under four outputs of SPUR (governance, revenue mobilisation, slum infrastructure and community mobilisation) as these initiatives are now scaled up to all 141 ULBs of the state.
Client Feedback
"We highly appreciate the technical support being provided by IPE Global to the Urban Local Bodies of Bihar. We expect the same technical support from them in future as well".
Dr. Prem Kumar
Hon'ble Minister, Urban Development & Housing Department, GoB
"UD&HD acknowledges the support provided by IPE Global through its technical team in Bihar and believes that the team has effectively delivered on the outcomes envisaged under SPUR"
Dr. B. Rajender
Secretary, Urban Development & Housing Department (UD&HD), GoB