The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP promises direct election of Mayor

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Friday, Apr 25, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP promises direct election of Mayor

Special Correspondent

Metropolitan planning council planned for city
Promises people-friendly property tax system

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday promised to introduce a system of direct election of Mayor of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and other city corporations in the State from the people of their respective jurisdictions if it came to power.

In its election manifesto released in Bangalore, the party said that as per its proposal, the Mayor would have executive powers. Similarly, the Commissioner for the BBMP would be selected from among professionals. He would be having a term of three years.

Promising to turn Bangalore into a world class city, the party manifesto offered to constitute a metropolitan planning council comprising elected representatives and experts to plan and co-ordinate various development activities in the BBMP region.

It proposed to set up a metropolitan transport authority to address the traffic problems of the city. The authority would have powers to plan and regulate transport activities.

It offered to review the CVS tax scheme and amend the relevant legislation, if need be, to put in place a people-friendly property tax system.

The BJP manifesto promised to examine the possibility of tapping water from the Hemavathi river to cater to the future requirement of the ever growing Bangalore city.

The other promises for Bangalore city included setting up of an exclusive power generation unit to back power supply in the city, an action plan for reducing environmental pollution and strengthening law enforcement system to reduce crime.

It proposed to provide all civic amenities to the revenue pockets within the metropolitan area. The manifesto proposed to introduce multipurpose identity cards for serving as address proof for various purposes like issue of driving licence, securing a passport, opening a bank account and so on.

Sanskrit University

The BJP’s manifesto promises to set up a Sanskrit University. It proposes to amend the Hindu Charitable and Religious Endowment Act to protect the “autonomous status” of religious endowments.

Manifesto committee chairman V.S. Acharya told The Hindu that the amendment would help reduce “government intervention in temple affairs”. The manifesto assured assistance to revive rural temples besides doubling grants to temples to Rs. 1,000 a month.

The only proposal it had for minorities was that of improving quality of education in Urdu schools.

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