The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Withdraw special grants for legislators'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 31, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Withdraw special grants for legislators'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 30. Members of the Opposition Janata Dal (Secular), the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party stalled the proceedings of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Council on the budget for half a day on Wednesday demanding withdrawal of the special development grants for legislators and nominated corporators.

While the members staged a dharna in the well of the House and refused to budge unless the Mayor, R. Narayanaswamy, announced the withdrawal of the grants, the Mayor adjourned the House thrice for short intervals.

The members alleged that there was disparity in the allocations for the development of various constituencies. "While the areas represented by BJP MLAs have been ignored, those represented by the Congress MLAs have got a major chunk of the allocations. You have presented a budget that will help the Congress during the next elections. We want the grants to be withdrawn," the Opposition leader, B.R. Nanjundappa, said.

The BJP Floor Leader, B.M. Mangala, pointed out that Uttarahalli, Chickpet and Shantinagar constituencies, represented by BJP MLAs, had not got any allocations. "You have set aside a meagre fund of Rs. 1 crore for the development of Shivajinagar and Bharatinagar constituencies (represented by BJP MLAs). But areas such as Basavanagudi and Rajajinagar (whose MLAs and also corporators) have got Rs. 11 crores and Rs. 5 crores respectively.

This is political party-based discrimination," she said and demanded that the funds be withdrawn and distributed equally among the 100 corporators.

Discrimination

The Janata Dal (U) leader, Padmanabha Reddy, came down on the ruling Congress for allocating Rs. 25 lakhs for each of the 10 nominated corporators. "When we (elected representatives) do not have any fund, why should the nominated corporators, who are here only to advise the BMP on its affairs, get allocations? When the erstwhile Janata Dal was the ruling party in 1998 and I was the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, we had allocated in the budget Rs. 5 lakhs for works directed by the MLAs in each ward. But the Congress opposed it and the funds were withdrawn. We want you to adopt the same policy," he said.

`Rework budget'

The members wanted the Mayor and the Commissioner, K. Jothiramalingam, to rework the budget and present a modified one. The dharna was withdrawn after repeated pleas by the Mayor and an assurance by him that he would ensure that each of the 100 corporators got justice after the discussions.

Later, the ruling party leader, B.T. Srinivas Murthy, initiated the budget discussions. Mr. Nanjundappa and Ms. Mangala pointed out several discrepancies in the other allocations.

While Mr. Nanjundappa termed the budget a "salada budget" (based only on loans), Ms. Mangala called it a "jumble of figures." The discussions will continue on Thursday.

ALLOCATION FOR

ASSEMBLY SEGMENTS

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