CHENNAI: Chennai and Coimbatore have been ranked first and second respectively for providing quality of life among cities across India. They also figured among the top 10 on the overall Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020. While Chennai bagged the fourth place, Coimbatore ranked seventh among cities with a population of more than a million.
Chennai was ranked sixth for economic ability, with a score of 34.16, third under citizen perception survey (82.60) and 22nd under sustainability, with a score of 57.05. Coimbatore was ranked 47th under sustainability parameters. The EoLI is an assessment tool that evaluates the quality of life and the impact of various initiatives for urban development.
It provides a comprehensive understanding of participating cities across India based on quality of life, economic-ability of a city, and its sustainability and resilience. The assessment also incorporates residents’ view on services provided by the city administration through a ‘Citizen Perception Survey’ (CPS).
The assessment was conducted from January 16, 2020 to March 20, 2020. A total of 32.2 lakh citizens from 111 cities participated.
Meanwhile, Chennai fared poorly in Municipality Performance Index among cities with a population of more than one million. It ranked 18th, while Coimbatore was 12th. Under planning parameters, Chennai was ranked 44th and Coimbatore 29th. Interestingly, no cities from TN were among the top 10 in this index. The saving grace was that Chennai was ranked third for finances, while it was ranked 25th for governance.
The Municipal Performance Index provides a granular understanding of a municipality’s functionalities and the extent of its development and capabilities. Through the index, citizens can better understand their local government administration, which in turn builds transparency and generates trust among key stakeholders. Salem, Vellore and Tiruchy figured among the top 10 in the EoLI among cities with a population less than one million.