The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mayor demands more power, funds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 06, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mayor demands more power, funds

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, OCT. 5. The Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, wants separate legislation giving more power to the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP), with provision for additional funds from State levies collected from industries and businesses in the city.

Speaking at the meet-the-press programme organised by the Bangalore Press Club on Tuesday, he made out a case for a longer term for the mayor (the term is one year at present). He said Bangalore was governed by a separate law till the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act came into effect in 1986. "This Act treats Bangalore on a par with five other cities, which put together do not have the population of the city,'' he added.

During his term as Mayor, nearly three months were lost owing to the general elections when no new development works for the city could be taken up.

Revenue

Mr. Ramesh was emphatic about the need for the BMP to go beyond its present annual budget of about Rs. 1,400 crores. Revenue from property tax was the main income, and this was only Rs. 200 crores last year. Taxes on vehicles yielded Rs. 5.45 crores. What was earlier "octroi compensation" and now part of the consolidated fund did not exceed Rs. 75 crores.

"The State Government earns tax revenue of about Rs. 10,000 crores from industries and businesses in Bangalore, plus revenue from entry tax and commercial taxes, and if a part of it is passed on to the BMP, we can do a lot for the city. We can become a real global technopolis,'' Mr. Ramesh remarked.

Facelift for hall

The BMP was serious about restoration of heritage buildings, and works would begin soon at Sir Putanna Chetty Town Hall, which was handed over to it recently by the Government. Work would also start at the older Mayo Hall.

Two stadiums were getting ready, and as an experiment, 400 km of roads in the city were being resurfaced with a mix of tar and melted waste plastics.

The Mayor also took credit for creating a separate fund for the maintenance of statues because "they honour great personalities, and we should respect their memory.'' Upgrading of schools, hospitals and dispensaries was on.

The BMP was not directly involved in disposal of biomedical waste from hospitals and clinics, and a private firm doing this work was incinerating the waste at its facility on Kanakapura Road, he said in response to a question.

As far as parks handed over to some private firms were concerned, this was only for their proper maintenance. No construction would be allowed in such parks, he clarified.

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