BANGALORE: All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and former Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad has alleged that thousands of crores released under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) project to Bangalore have been misappropriated by the ruling BJP in the state.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, the AICC general secretary said that during last three years over Rs 7,000 crore have been released for infrastructure development projects under the JNNRUM by the Central Government.
Whereas, the amount that the local civic body Bruhath Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) spent under the JNNRUM scheme was not commensurate with the development as the funds released to improve drinking water supply, roads, communication and underground drainage works have been misutilised by the State Government here.
The demands of the citizens with regard to getting better roads, drinking water supply and transportation remains to fulfilled and the available facilities woeful, despite the release of large amount of funds, the Congress leader said.
Charging that the ruling BJP members in the BBMP have indulged in raising bogus bills for the work not done to the tune of over several thousand crores, he said, “The total swindling of money involved in the BBMP scam is larger than the illegal mining scam in the state.”
Demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Lokayukta inquiry into the BBMP scam, the AICC leader threatened to launch an agitation in the city to press the government to act on the issue.
He also urged the BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah to recommend to the State Government an inquiry into the scam to unearth the truth and take action against the guilty. Referring to a case of corruption, the AICC leader said that the Union Government had released an amount of Rs 900 crore for the storm water drainage works in the city. However, a majority of the funds released for the purpose was swindled by the ruling party members, he charged.
Senior Congress leader and former Bangalore Mayor Ramachandrappa was also present on the occasion.