BENGALURU: Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D V Sadananda Gowda lambasted the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike for ‘mismanaging’ its finances. He also warned that if the civic body continues in this manner, it might have to face criminal action.
The minister, who is also BJP Member of Parliament from Bengaluru North, stated that the BBMP was diverting central government released for specific projects for other purposes.
“Last year, Rs 200 crore was allotted under the Finance Commission out of which Rs 50 crore was for improving storm water drains, Rs 50 crore for building parking complexes and Rs 30 crore for roads and flyovers. But the Centre has noticed that none of these projects were undertaken. Despite such problems, BBMP has announced a budget outlay of Rs 9,241 crore and expects 46 per cent grants from the state and Centre,” he said.
“They have also not reached their targets for tax collection in any of the years. Last year, they collected only Rs 1,600 crore out of Rs 2,600 crore target,” he added.
Gowda also criticised the BBMP for failing to mobilise revenue from advertising. “It should get Rs 200 crore revenue from a 5-km radius around the Airport alone. But BBMP has managed to collect only Rs 32 crore as advertisement revenue from its 825 sqkm area. The target for this year is only Rs 86 crore. How is this right?” he questioned.
Further, he said BBMP had managed to give trade licences for only 60,000 businesses when there were five lakh businesses.
Warning that BBMP should seriously consider implementing its programmes announced in the budget, Gowda also said that BBMP had constructed only 871 houses out of its goal to construct 10,000 houses. “And now, they are deceiving people by promising to distribute 50 cycles and 40 sewing machines in each ward,” he added.