‘Agency should be a watchdog’

‘Agency should be a watchdog’
DO WE NEED A NODAL AGENCY ALONG THE LINES OF BANGALORE AGENDA TASK FORCE?

It’s the link between people and govt
A nodal agency that can convey the views of the people to the government is definitely needed. This can make the overall development process more efficient. I VIMALNATH
Yes, we need an action body which should initiate, coordinate and take care of the city’s infrastructure. The government should bring back the defunct BATF and make it a strong, committed, working body for the city which is crying for development. I PRABHU SAHUKAR
Yes, we need a nodal agency which will be an intermediary between the public and the government. This nodal agency should be a watchdog for each and every project. We can see the pathetic situation involving the BIA. If the BATF was in force, it would have highlighted the flaws of the project to the BIAL management. I SATESH
Giving too much power to one person can be counter-productive. We need a three-tiered central agency comprising eminent people drawn from both public and private sectors. The minister for Bangalore too should be a part of this scheme. Resident welfare associations and other non-governmental organizations should act as a link between ordinary citizens and the agency. Participation of ordinary citizens in discussions and problem solving is absolutely necessary because it is they who are most affected by problems plaguing the city. Involving the common man is the key to saving Bangalore. I USHA G RAO
It will increase accountability
The Bangalore Agenda Task Force, which was buried by Deve Gowda, needs to be revived immediately to infuse accountability into the system. Babus heading various civic bodies were required every six months to make a presentation before the CM and the resident welfare associations about the progress of various civic infrastructure projects under their departments. So, such an agency would coordinate the activities of the umpteen civic bodies and help sort out any differences between them on the spot. The private sector was also involved along with tax-paying public in various policy decisions on crucial issues affecting them. It also brought about transparency in the working of various civic bodies. I S SURI
Yes. A task force is absolutely necessary to control crime and corruption which is increasing every day. But it should be free from political interference to take free and quick decisions. The task force should take the help of
resident welfare associations, civic bodies, etc. I VIMALA KESARI
We do need a vigil agency to look after development works that take place and see to it that such works are completed within the stipulated time. I ANONYMOUS
It will increase efficiency
Yes, it is necessary to have a private agency for the development works of Bangalore as the central government’s Build-Operate-Transfer system (BOT) has been a great success. Even the contracts of highways given to private companies are doing well. On the same basis, under tight scrutiny, work has to be entrusted to the capable and not on the basis of recommendations or influence. Plus, all the works have to be certified by resident representatives of the area. I D R PRAKASH
Yes, since Bangalore has huge critical problems, it requires a task force. It should have a panel consisting of
Janaagraha founder Ramesh Ramanathan, Narayana Murthy, Ex-BBMP commissioners Jairaj, Srinivasa Murthy and Ravindra. I M N KESARI An agency consisting of all party MLAs and experts from various fields must be set up. They must chart out developmental projects and monitor timelines for their implementation in association with the cabinet minister. Priority should be given for connectivity and traffic problems. A dedicated agency with a clear vision can put the bang back in Bangalore. I TARUN K JAIN As Bangalore is one of the world’s fastest growing cities, it certainly needs more than one agency for its speedy development. With the government’s whole-hearted cooperation it will be nice to have another agency. When bogies are many, a twin engine can pull it faster. I P A SUKUMARAN
Participation of public and private agencies in the development of Bangalore has proved to be successful in national highway and state highway projects. This aspect would ensure safety and guarantee a good performance and will give the required result. I N B VISHWANATH
Yes. The need is all the more vital for better coordination. The nodal agency based on the PPP model can even be named as Bengaluru Abhivriti Karyacharana Pade. Ensure accountability, responsibility, quality and time-bound implementation. However, progressive monitoring of all developmental projects till completion must be linked to some sort of official policy, irrespective of any change in the government, from time to time. I MANJUNATH
Yes, we need a nodal agency which can take care of the entire BBMP area by providing water, sanitation and uninterrupted power supply. I G S ESHWARAIAH
It was successful before
Yes, we do need a nodal agency like BATF. This will certainly help solve problems. The BATF was successful earlier. This agency must include experts from all fields, not only from the IT industry. I RAVI K SURI
It’s time BATF was revived. It’s good to see that ministers seem more concerned this time. But the government must keep in mind that Bangalore is not the whole of Karnataka. How about a Karnataka Agenda Task Force instead? I SUNIL MITTAL
Definitely yes, the BATF was doing a wonderful job. Now that the people have removed the stumbling blocks, the BATF should be revived. I GIRISH MEHTA