File clearance first, people’s woes next

File clearance first, people’s woes next

Deccan Herald

The BMP council has cleared the budget and in the first week of April, it was sent to the Urban Development Department for its approval.




If the recent rains have damaged the drain or created a huge pothole in front of your house, do not waste your time and energy knocking on the local corporator’s door for help. For, the citizens’ complaints across 100 wards in the City are responded with the obvious “come tomorrow”.

With the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) 2005-06 budget still pending before the State government for its approval, citizens’ woes pertaining to various civic issues, especially the emergency works, have remained unattended. As a result, the local elected representatives and officials are facing the ire of the people.

The BMP budget, which was presented on March 28, was sent to the Urban Development Department for its approval in the first week of April, after the BMP council cleared it. Since then, the budget copy is gathering dust. Surprisingly, there has been no effort on BMP’s part to get the budget copy approved before the code of conduct for by-polls to Chamarajpet Assembly seat was imposed, BMP official sources told Deccan Herald.


BMP has proposed Rs 1,569.74 crore budget and has earmarked a whopping Rs 627.43 crore for infrastructure development alone.

The heavy rains that have been pounding the City in the last weeks, have caused widespread damage to public properties. Though BMP has taken up rain-relief measures, there are innumerable other problems, mostly individual in nature, that have remained unattended, officials explained.

“Had the budget been approved and ward grants released, all such problems could have been attended to. Even contractors are refusing to do any work as they are not sure of getting their bill cleared if the work is done before budget approval,” BJP leader in BMP Council G M Mangala said.

Not only emergency works - several citizen-friendly programmes announced in the budget like setting up of tax adalat, four more citizen service centres, four more day care centres, development of 200 more parks, health cards for the poor and many others have remained on paper.

Officials said that all new programmes, including infrastructure projects, should be kicked off before the onset of monsoon. Otherwise, they have to wait till October. “Once work is taken up, it progresses on its own pace, whether it is raining or not,” officials added.

When contacted, Mayor R Narayanaswamy said the delay is due to by-election to Chamarajpet seat. With the end of the election process now, the government is expected to approve the budget in a day or two,” he assured.


THE BUDGET

*Rs 627.43 crore for infrastructure.

*4 flyovers, 8 grade separators, 13 subways and skywalks and 11 ROBs and RUBs.

*Development of 200 parks.

*Tax Adalat for disposal of disputes.

*New Advertisement bye-laws.

*4 more Citizen’s Service Centre.

*4 more Day Care Centres.

*Ward grants increased to Rs 1 crore.