The Economic Survey 2016-17 tabled in Parliament on Tuesday by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley places Mumbai’s urban local body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), at the top in India in terms of transparency and accountability.

On a scale of eight, Mumbai and Hyderabad’s urban local bodies have got a perfect score in transparency, accountability and participation. Chandigarh is at the bottom (scored two) among 21 cities presented in the Economic Survey. The Delhi urban body has scored just four, the same as Raipur and Kolkata.

In availability of services, Mumbai ranks fourth in India, after Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh, says the survey which has based its findings on the Annual Survey of India’s City Systems, 2015, Janaagraha.

Even on other parameters like own revenue as a percentage of total expenditure, the Mumbai civic body ranks third. Pune and Hyderabad were ranked first and second respectively on the list. In terms of resources, adequate staff and services, Mumbai has scored better than Delhi.

The survey highlights great variation in per capita expenditure by the cities vis-a-vis per capita expenditure of the states. Mumbai, Kanpur and Kolkata are cited as the ‘exceptions’. According to the report, Mumbai spends Rs 2,400 per capita compared to Rs 18,000 total per capita of the state. This difference is the smallest in India.

Interestingly, the survey has also busted a perception that a directly elected mayor for Mumbai would translate into better governance and accountability. The BJP has been advocating for a directly elected mayor for Mumbai since some time now.

The Devendra Fadnavis-led state government recently made an amendment, following which each chairman of the municipal councils is being elected directly. The survey finds negative relation between the two.