Abstract

“Jugaad” activities entail problem-solving by using existing resources innovatively. They are often conducted as survival strategies by those belonging to lower income groups out of the need to bridge the gap between their formal and substantive citizenship rights. This calls attention to the need for implementation of a planning framework that should inherently reduce this gap within citizenship rights and address the associated gendered risks and vulnerabilities. Such activities also demonstrate the innovative potential of individuals, which should be supported by this planning framework. Through literature review and examination of case studies, this article aims to delve into the underpinnings of “jugaad” in relation to the threefold dimensions of citizenship, risk, and planning in urban India, and the implications that each of these dimensions have on each other. By re-framing an everyday term of Hindi-language vocabulary and interrogating it through the theoretical perspective of a gendered lens, it opens up an avenue for developing an inclusive planning framework that should be incorporated into existing urban missions in India to support the creative potential of citizens for solving the problems of their city.