BENGALURU: Keeping BBMP polls in mind, the state cabinet on Thursday approved grants and projects worth crores of rupees for Bengaluru. Granting the administrative approval, the cabinet stated that over the next three years, the city will get Rs 6,000 crore for development works and basic amenities. The allocations will be made under the Amruth Nagarothana scheme, which marks 75 years of Indian Independence.
As part of the plan, a 10-lane flyover was proposed from Hebbal to the Kempegowda International Airport to manage heavy traffic on the stretch. BDA, BBMP, BMTC, Bescom and BWSSB, along with K-RIDE, were asked to prepare the estimation and plan. The cabinet also approved Rs 93 crore to treat Bengaluru’s sewage and use the treated water to fill lakes in Bengaluru East and Hoskote.
On the BBMP’s Self-Assessment Scheme (SAS) for property tax, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said notices had been sent to over 78,000 property owners for anomalies in their tax payment. They had been told to pay 2% of the property tax as penalty for every month of delay and other penalties. The error occurred because of a technical issue in fixing zonal classification. “The cabinet approved a proposal to rectify the error and to waive off the penalties against property owners. If the additional amount is already paid, it will be adjusted towards next year’s tax,” he said.
Not aimed at polls, says minister
The government had earlier okayed the procurement of 30 electric AC buses for Bengaluru. “But with rising Covid cases, we decided to go for non-AC buses. We will buy 100 non-AC electric buses with an allocation of Rs 100 crore,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said. Asked if the government is announcing these schemes keeping the BBMP polls in mind, Madhuswamy said it has nothing to do with the upcoming polls.
“We are always ready to face polls,” he added. Other major cabinet approvals included a rope way and a five star hotel near Jog Falls to turn it into an international tourist hub with an allocation of Rs 116 crore, he said. The projects will be taken up under public-private partnership. The Cabinet okayed a proposal to take a loan from the World Bank to complete the Jal Jeevan mission, which aims at providing tapped water to all residents across Karnataka by 2024. The State government will fund 45% of the project, the Centre 45% and the local bodies the remaining 10%. The state’s share of Rs 3,890 crore will be taken as loan from the World Bank.
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