People must join hands with govt

eople must join hands with govt
TEAM TOI


People’s participation in governance is a sure way of moving ahead. This was the resounding thought at the interaction. Most panelists felt citizens’ groups needed to actively participate in the planning, implementation and review of the government’s programmes and projects.
Former CM S M Krishna drove home this point in his introductory remarks. He believes that ultimately, residents of a city shape its character. “If there is no active involvement of citizens, no government programme will succeed, regardless of how well it is planned and executed.”
“Making Bangalore into another Singapore is a statement that keeps coming to me again and again. But I feel the people of Singapore have made it what it is and not the city government. Bangaloreans can do something similar,” he said.
He was very clear about who is responsible for the traffic mess in Bangalore: “You can put politicians at the number one slot there.” He also felt that a part of the fault lies with the bureaucrats who ought to enable connectivity.
Lok Ayukta Justice Santosh Hegde felt the lack of a masterplan for the city was responsible for most of its problems. The government invited investors to stay in Bangalore, without upgrading its infrastructure to receive them. “The government should have anticipated the city’s growth. Citizens cannot do that,” he said. He also warned the government: Don’t test the patience of the aam admi. He has tolerated too much injustice in sixty years.”
Aviation entrepreneur Captain G R Gopinath believed that the private-public partnership forum, Bangalore Agenda Task Force, must be revived. In his view, allocation to BBMP and other bodies should go up by seven to eight times.
Talking of his pet issue, he emphasized the need to have two airports in Bangalore. “The HAL Airport should be retained even after connectivity to the international airport improves. That is because the issue is monopoly and not connectivity. And we should not replace a public monopoly with a private one,” he said.
Janaagraha founder Ramesh Ramanathan felt the government was focusing too much on rural development. He also hoped an umbrella body like the Bangalore Urban Land Transport Authority would coordinate actions of various agencies responsible for traffic movement in the city. Many bureaucrats, he noted, needed a closer introduction to urban planing.
Lead India initiative winner R K Misra believes that in many foreign countries, urban planning is worthwhile because it is done by university professors. At another point, he said South Bangalore residents needed to strongly support construction of the NICE road segment between Tumkur Road and Hosur Road. The key to effective implementation of projects was in public-private partnerships.
AUDIENCE REACTS
Some posers to S M Krishna by Resident Welfare Associations
Why are parties spending Rs 10-12 crore per candidate for campaigning when the CEC has set Rs 10 lakh as the limit? No party can spend Rs 10 crore. I am also not aware of any party doing so.
Karnataka has a debt of Rs 60,500 crore. Why are we in a debt trap? In 2002, we passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act which has been the bulwark for fiscal discipline for a host of programmes. We can certainly deal with debt by internal generation of resources. We don’t have to tax people further.
Why don’t you visit Chamarajpet and Chickpet to see problems there? There are problems in every pet, why only Chamarajpet and Chickpet? Together, we should join hands and sort out problems everywhere. The Times of India has made a beginning. Let us join hands and continue the effort.

Members of the audience included former bureaucrats, residents’ welfare association members and eminent citizens of Bangalore