BENGALURU: The BBMP Joint Select Committee, headed by BJP MLA S Raghu, has recommended the inclusion of 1km area beyond the existing BBMP limits encompassing 800 sqkm. The government is expected to pass a separate BBMP Bill on Thursday. Tabled in the assembly in March, the BBMP Bill was referred to a joint committee after several city MLAs, including those from the BJP, opposed it. The State Government constituted a 20-member Joint Select Committee in August, headed by BJP MLA Raghu, to look into the BBMP Bill. The panel, which has recommended 243 wards, tabled its report in the assembly on Wednesday.
BJP MLA from Basavangudi Ravi Subramanya, who is part of the committee, said they have recommended expanding the Palike limits to 1 kilometre from the existing BBMP border. These will include IT pockets located outside the existing BBMP limits, like parts of Electronics City, and some IT parks outside Mahadevapura. This is expected to improve the corporation’s revenue inflow.
Committee bats for inclusion of Gram Panchayats under Palike
The committee also recommended inclusion of Gram Panchayats and Taluk Panchayats into the new bigger BBMP. This apart, the committee also recommended longer terms for the mayor, deputy mayor and standing committees from the existing 12 months to 30 months (2.5 years). They have also recommended reducing the number of standing committees from 12 to eight. “We will strengthen the committees,” Ravi Subramanya said.
It also recommended giving more power to zonal commissioners. “At present, most of the files come to the commissioner and things get delayed as he is the only person clearing them. By giving power to zonal commissioners to clear files of contracts up to Rs 5 crore, files can be cleared at the zonal level itself,” he added.
The Karnataka government has approached the Supreme Court in appeal against the recent High Court direction on conducting BBMP elections at the earliest. Recently, the high court directed the government to conduct elections within six weeks from the date of issuing reservation notification. A meeting of Bengaluru MLAs was chaired by Law Minister JC Madhuswamy on Monday to discuss the issue.