Janagraha’s proposal to enhance BMP revenue

Janagraha’s proposal to enhance BMP revenue
Janaagraha feels that the BMP has sufficient revenue potential to meet the development need of the City, but harnessing this potential will require a partnership approach with citizens.
Deccan Herald

The Janaagraha has brought to the notice of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike its proposal of enhancing BMP’s revenue with citizen’s participation.

In a press release issued here on Thursday, Janaagraha co-founder Swati Ramanathan said the proposal to enhance revenue arose out of a six-month long campaign of Janaagraha’s called Ward Vision, which ended in December 2003.

The proposal called WARD RECI-P, or revenue enhancement with citizen participation submitted by citizens of ten wards has brought to light that the potential of property tax collections in these wards alone is Rs 79 crore as against the collection of only Rs 27 crore for the year 2003-2004.

The report points out that citizens are willing to work with revenue officers to help close the gap, with the condition that portion of the increased revenues be used for local ward-level development works that have been identified by the citizens with their corporators.

If the potential in only ten wards is Rs 50 crore more, a rough extrapolation suggests that there could be Rs 500 crore more in property tax collections for the entire city, the release said.