ENARADA, Bangalore, July 27, 2013:
“The BBMP budget is as usual a contractor’s budget, unrealistic and lacks vision. As in the previous years, again a bogus budget has been presented and another attempt to fool the people of Bengaluru. It will be a miracle if even half of it happens. The real problem with the Budget is that it lacks priorities. They need to say, we will do the following Priority 1 projects if so much money is available, and if more money is available, we’ll take up Priority 2, and so on. Unless this is done, all the projects in the Budget get started, but there’s no money to complete any of them in any year” said Dr. Ashwin Mahesh, Loksatta state president.
The budget lacks realistic approach and people’s participation. More than half the revenue of the proposed budget depends on external sources and borrowings. This kind of approach is not sustainable in the long run. This is another budget for creating a concrete jungle. There is no clear indication of how the previous loans are going to be got rid off. Already there are huge arrears that need to be paid to the contractors, which are not taken care of. The world is witness to large cities going bankrupt and yet we are not learning lessons from the past mistakes.
The people of Bangalore have already seen how unrealistic the previous budgets were and do not believe in these kinds of budgets. At the least, when there are financial difficulties, it is common to priorities which ones will be taken up first or which will not or there is no review of the projects taken up in the midway.
One of the main responsibilities of a municipal corporation is education. However, the BBMP has shirked off its responsibility. The corporation schools are in bad shape and not much has been done for this sector.
An opportunity has been missed by the Mayor to present a realistic and create a vision for the city.
Loksatta party is of the view that a wholesale reforms needs to be brought in the Urban Governance. The city is growing in an unplanned manner. The reforms recommendations are gathering dust for the past several years and there is no talk either by the State Govt. or there is no urge among the corporators to bring in these much needed changes. The Karnataka Local Fund Authorities Fiscal Responsibilities Act 2003 has been implemented as the Govt. is yet to frame the rules.
There is no vision to the budget and how the city needs be grown. This clearly shows the lack of leadership and quality of our representatives.
