BCC agenda: more projects, more promises

BCC agenda: more projects, more promises
The Times of India

Bangalore: From last year's ' Future City Projects,' to this year ' s 'Overall City Development , ' it's just a change in the name. Otherwise, the BCC's forthcoming budget looks much the same as last year's.

More flyovers and attention to better roads -- that's what will be the focus when the BCC is likely to present the 2005-06 budget on March 18. According to sources, this year's outlay is expected to touch Rs 1,500 crore, an increase of Rs 250 crore over last year. Under the of 'Overall City Development,' the focus this year will be on road development, drains, pavements. Last year, infrastructure projects were brought under 'Future City Projects.'

M.K. Gunashekar, chairperson of taxation and finance committee, says: "City development is a priority for us right now. We will be taking precautionary measures against complaints of poor infrastructure too.'' And even as every council meeting sees numerous complaints from corporators about the state of slums, the secondary accent this year is going to be on the city's urban poor. Debates on slum development have consumed much time but hasn't been translated into concrete action.

"My ward is thickly populated with slums. Repeated pleas to allocate funds have been turned down and the funds given for other works are always insufficient,'' pointed out a woman corporator. She hopes that the budgetary outlay this year would address slum development adequately. Last year, the budgetary allocation of Rs 1 crore per ward was slashed to Rs 50 lakh this year.

In the face of opposition from corporators, it was again increased to Rs 70 lakh. The exercise is likely to be repeated this year -- sources say Rs 1 crore a ward has been duly set aside.

Traffic management, another major issue, is likely to find redressal in BCC's budget. In the city, 45 roads have been identified for road widening by using Transferable Developmental Rights. Among health schemes being mooted, mayor Narayanaswamy's announcement of issuing rural health cards to the poor by which they can avail medical benefits at clinics and hospitals, is likely to receive a massive boost.

The outlay of Rs 1,500 crore, if realised, still spells trouble for BCC's coffers. Less than a month ago, BJP floor leader G.M. Mangala had alleged that BCC had borrowed loans to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore from various banks and was paying an interest of Rs 50 lakh a year.

POINTS TO PONDER

Capital Value System is likely to be implemented from April 1. But BCC has still not fixed the percentage of property tax.
Pay-and-park scheme to be scrapped from April 1. No alternate proposal on road and vehicle management has been mooted.
No thought given to timely distribution of uniforms and textbooks to schools. Given BCC’s track record, will it be in the first week of June?
Mode of collection of solid waste management cess and infrastructure cess not yet decided.