Abstract: This lecture will draw on the speaker’s long experience in governance and policymaking to address some key questions: What does mobility policy and governance actually mean? Are the two distinguished by a difference in perspective or do they fall on a continuum? From the practitioner’s perspective, it would call attention to the range of people who harbour specific mobility needs and explore how their real mobility needs can be identified, especially when they lack voice. It would then discuss the policy pathways, challenges, and opportunities involved in attempting to fulfill these needs, using examples of footpaths, bus transport, and Bus Rapid Transit Systems. It would then move on to larger questions like ‘How does the government think about mobility?’ by discussing concrete examples of policy preferences and practices related to taxation, public buses and big infrastructure projects. Finally, it would reflect on what change is needed in the domain of mobility policy and governance and explore what a ‘better’ mobility policy could look like, how it might be implemented, and what must be done to work towards it keeping in mind a range of challenges.
Speaker Bio-sketch: Dr Nitin Kareer is a former Indian Administrative Service officer and last served as the Chief Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra. He has been appointed as the Chairman of the sixth Maharashtra State Finance Commission. He is also currently Visiting Professor of Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and is associated with the Pune International Centre, an independent policy think tank. Nitin has held several key positions in the state of Maharashtra, including District Collector of Sangli, Municipal Commissioner of Pune , Inspector General of Stamps and Registration, and Sales Tax Commissioner, among other positions. He has been Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and Secretary in the departments of Urban development , Revenue and Finance. His expertise and experience are in taxation, land and urban development. Nitin holds a MBBS from Pune University and a PG Diploma in Management (Finance).