BMP needs to demonstrate new initiatives

BMP needs to demonstrate new initiatives
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) had been busy hogging the limelight for many initiatives in last six months. Suvarna Bengaluru, Suvarna Khata, Suvarna Paravanige, Suvarna this and Suvarna that. The catch word, Suvarna, is not objectionable per se but prefixing it for every routine job of the civic body is an insult to Bangalorean.

Now the civic body has also launched a corruption hotline while hundreds of files of enquiry into corrupt deals by civic staff are yet to reach a logical conclusion. The audit objections to transactions worth Rs 700 crore are not explained for last two decades and accounting lapses grow every year.

No citizen has felt that Suvarna Bengaluru has translated into better roads and cleaner drains. But BMP got away by packaging its daily obligations of sweeping and maintenance as Suvarna Bengaluru. In the process the civic body spent about Rs 30 lakh.

Then came Suvarna Khata. The scheme promised a single window disposal of Khata applications.

The disposal never meant faster issue of Khata. It only meant that the applicant should ensure all requisite clearances and endorsements himself. BMP revenue officials could always reject applications on various grounds and regular delay of two-three months are maintained.

In the meantime, the civic body announced that it would clear all vacant sites in the city and then fine the owners. So far no site has been cleared and the officials have no inkling about if the scheme was legally tenable in the first place. Further, BMP has no data on number of vacant sites.

Most recent grand announcement was regarding issuance of building plans within three days. The scheme is called Suvarna Paravanige.

The scheme is again full of ifs and buts. If your proposal is about a residence within 4000 sq ft, if you have all the papers from civic agencies other than BMP and if you have obtained a legal opinion by yourself and if you have an architect vouching for you - you may get the plan sanction within three days. But BMP reserves its right to reject.

Health minister R Ashok recently took BMP for task for such grand announcements. He suggested BMP to be more careful in fulfilling its promises than in announcing some more. That is common sense, but that is in short supply at BMP.