Govt mulls setting up zonal committees

The government is considering promoting zonal meetings at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike ahead of the ward committees in an effort to de-centralise the powers of the civic body’s commissioner.

The zonal committee will involve special commissioners, engineer-in-chief, ward officials, officials from all civic agencies, MLAs, nominated representatives from citizen groups and members from ward committees of the respective zones. They will discuss the proposals and works to be taken up.

The government’s draft defining the committee’s jurisdictions said: “Zone-related constructions, waste management, horticulture, electricity, zonal planning, housing, estates maintenance, education, social welfare, forest, health and other matters will be discussed in second and fourth Monday of every month.”

It also added that the committee should clear the proposals and works before being sent to the council meeting for approval. The draft recommends including the committees in finalising the zonal budget for 2020 and getting the committee’s approval before sending it
to the final budget. The committee’s jurisdiction will include supervising building plan violations, lake rejuvenation, trade licencing, and property tax collection, among others.

The move comes soon after the government’s order to appoint four special commissioners charged as final authorities on all the public works decided by the committees chaired by the zonal special commissioners.

The draft says the workload on the commissioner will be minimised and the public involved in the committees can take decisions on zonal works with consultations at the bimonthly meetings.

The government has already issued an order to appoint a special commissioner for two zones, which meant four special commissioners will be managing eight BBMP zones.