‘I will seek to benchmark BMP’s activities’

‘I will seek to benchmark BMP’s activities’
Deccan Herald

Mr K Jairaj, the high profile bureaucrat, who was awaiting posting after a two-year stint as Publicity and Management Specialist at the World Bank in Washington, US was on Thursday appointed Commissioner of BMP. He is likely to take charge on Friday.

Mr K Jairaj, the high profile bureaucrat, who was awaiting posting after a two-year stint as Publicity and Management Specialist at the World Bank in Washington, US was on Thursday appointed Commissioner of BMP. He is likely to take charge on Friday.

“I am back with a lot of fresh ideas for the city” was Mr Jairaj’s initial reaction to the appointment.

“I will seek to benchmark BMP’s performance against well established world standards,” he said and noted that his thrust will be towards ‘the establishment of a good monitoring and evaluation system.’

Mr Jairaj who is taking charge during the election year at the BMP and at a time when the industry and the citizens are demanding better infrastructure, observed that during his stint at the World Bank he had worked as a consultant on public finance and infrastructure for Nigeria and Ethiopia.

FABS

His first stint as BMP Commissioner was from November 1999 to October 2000. The introduction of the Fund Based Accounting System and the launch of Swacha Bangalore and Nirmala Bangalore programmes marked his tenure. Thereafter he served as Managing Director, KSRTC and as Principal Secretary to the then chief minister S M Krishna before moving to the World Bank.

Mr Jairaj will be taking over from Mr K Jothiramalingam who has been Commissioner of BMP since July 2004. The latter will be taking over as Principal Secretary, Labour.

Speaking of what he noted as ‘an eventful 22 months’ at the helm of affairs in the city, Mr Jothiramalingam said he would like the BMP to continue with its “thrust on service delivery to the citizen.” A citizen seeking documents like khatha, birth and death certificates should be able to get it with minimum interface with the BMP official and as little time as possible, he said.

“I am happy and satisfied with the level of hard work, commitment and sincerity I put in”. But he was not satisfied with the level of co-operation from fellow officers and elected representatives to bring in the desired results.

BDA, BESCOM

The Bangalore Development Authority and the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company are also getting new heads. Mr Gonal Bheemappa has been appointed MD for BESCOM. and Mr Shankarlinge Gowda has been appointed Commissioner, BDA .

Reacting to the new posting, Mr Bheemappa said “I am yet to see the Government order. But I have the Common Entrance Test, which is scheduled for May 9 and 10 to complete before I take charge of a new post since I am the Special Officer of the CET Cell and the Director of Pre-University Education. After that I will also have to go as election observer to West Bengal. I will know of what is required of me only when I take charge.”