A flood of projects in the 2024-25 budget; ‘New revenue’ not implemented
‘Brand Bangalore’ budget not launched
Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್
Bengaluru: The BBMP budget for 2024-25, which was presented to give a new look to Bengaluru under the concept of ‘Brand Bangalore’, is coming to an end, but many of the original projects have not been launched.
Projects such as 50 new Indira Canteens, ‘Arogya Sarathi’ that will go to the doorsteps of citizens in electric vehicles and give injections to improve immunity, establishment of 40 new primary health centers under the ‘Samagra Sadruth Arogya’ scheme, ‘Sharane Satyakka’ award for civic workers, Kempegowda Award scheme, construction of ‘She Toilets’ for women were announced in the budget. However, even as the budget for 2025-26 draws near, there are no signs of the projects announced in the previous year starting.
The ‘Brand Bangalore’ concept project, which was launched on the instructions of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, was started by collecting information through discussions with citizens, including educational institutions, and a report was prepared. The same was also suggested by Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar to incorporate it in the BBMP budget.
As per D.K. Shivakumar’s instructions, the BBMP budget was presented in seven sections under the title ‘Brand Bangalore’. It was intended to use the additional income from the Premium FAR and the advertisement policy for the implementation of these projects. It was also said that ₹1,580 crore would be transferred to the ‘Escrow’ account for this. However, a notification was issued on February 21, 2025 for the Premium FAR. The advertisement policy has not been implemented yet. Therefore, the projects under the ‘Brand Bangalore’ concept have fallen on deaf ears.
Municipal workers did not get ‘Sharane Satyakka’ award
Under the ‘Swachh Bengaluru’ concept, ₹100 crore has been allocated to purchase 100 acres of land each in four directions for waste processing. This is in its initial stages. Although ₹1,000 crore has been allocated for solid waste management, segregation, development of landfill sites, and operation of solid waste treatment plants, BSWML has stopped the projects at the tender stage.
Although the two-year-old plan to build 100 ‘she toilets’ for women was announced in the budget, the corporation has failed to give it a shape and implement it.
The plan to give ‘Sharane Satyakka’ award to eight people, like one municipal worker in each zone, and give ₹50,000 in cash each, Kempegowda Day celebration, and Kempegowda Award distribution have not been launched.
‘Separate Health Commissionerate’ not implemented
₹100 crore was allocated in the budget to upgrade health services under the name of ‘Healthy Bengaluru’. Plans to establish a separate Health Commissionerate for Bengaluru itself and manage all types of health services have been shelved. ‘Arogya Sarathi’, ‘Manobimba’ Samvad YouTube, ‘Sadhu Arogya’ schemes remain as budget book announcements.
It was announced that a comprehensive system would be created for civil services under the ‘Tech Bengaluru’ concept. The ‘Raste Gundi Kandhan Tantra’ app, which was launched to close road potholes, has been shut down in a few days. There is no response to the complaints filed by citizens. The ‘Service Platform’, a project to inform the stage of the process of resolving the complaints filed by citizens, has not been developed yet.
‘Indira Canteen’ not materialized: Katte Satyanarayana
‘None of the canteens, including the ‘Indira Canteen’ that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah first unveiled, are in good condition. No new menu has come. The promise of setting up 50 new Indira Canteens has been pending for two years. Under the scheme called ‘Clean Bengaluru’, the solid waste management system has deteriorated. There is one person who sweeps the garbage, one who removes it, one who collects it, one who transports it… Thus, the waste management system has deteriorated as there is a different agency for each. Although the BBMP presented the budget claiming to be the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ concept, no other work has started in the city except the old scheme of white topping,’ said former BBMP mayor Katte Satyanarayana.
₹12,371.63 crore – BBMP Budget 2024–25
Grant Allocation
Public Works; ₹7,280.93 crore
Solid Waste Management; ₹1,952.19 crore
Social Welfare; ₹829.63 crore
Public Health; ₹483.26 crore
Horticulture; ₹248.08 crore
Public Education; ₹214.82 crore
Town Planning; ₹62.30 crore
₹1,580 crore for ‘Brand Bangalore’
₹880 crore: Smooth Traffic Bangalore
₹225 crore – Attractive Bangalore
₹150 crore – Clean Bangalore
₹125 crore – Healthy Bangalore
₹100 crore – Green Bangalore
₹50 crore – Tech Bangalore
₹50 crore – Education Bangalore
No comments:
Post a Comment