The Karnataka government is giving Rs 40 crore each to 12 MLAs from Bengaluru — 11 of them Congressmen — as the new government redistributes special civic grants allocated by the erstwhile administration last year.
Yeshwantpur MLA S T Somashekar is the lone BJP legislator to make it to the list. A former Congressman, Somashekar is said to be considering returning to the grand old party.
The 12 MLAs will together get Rs 480 crore of unused funds from the Rs 8,149 crore under the CM’s Nava Nagarothana scheme in 2022. Anekal, represented by B Shivanna of the Congress, will get Rs 5 crore.
Most of the funds have been earmarked for roadworks. A government order to this effect was issued by the Urban Development Department (UDD) last week.
Ever since the new government took charge in May 2023, Congress MLAs have been asking for special grants for their Assembly constituencies, citing “disparity” in funds allocated during the erstwhile BJP government. They pointed out that each BJP MLA had received anywhere between Rs 200 crore and Rs 500 crore when Basavaraj Bommai was chief minister.
The government has accepted the Congress MLAs’ request by withdrawing funds for 20 works. These include the proposed flyover between Minerva Circle and Hudson Circle via JC Road, flyovers proposed at Ittamadu and Sarakki junctions and the widening of roads leading to Shivaram Karanth Layout.
That’s not all. Rs 15 crore allocated for supplying uniforms and safety equipment to women pourakarmikas has also been withdrawn.
A majority of the Congress MLAs intend to spend the funds on asphalting roads in residential areas.
Only three MLAs — B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Priya Krishna and N A Haris — will spend the funds on other projects, too.
The renovation of government schools has been given priority in Chamarajpet (represented by Khan). In Govindarajanagar (represented by Krishna), most of the funds will be spent on building community halls, parks and borewells. Haris, the Shanthinagar MLA, has allocated the entire Rs 40 crore for constructing a 300-bed multi-speciality hospital.
Brand Bengaluru?
BJP MLAs, particularly C K Ramamurthy, a first-time legislator from Jayanagar, are unhappy with the government’s “skewed” funds allocation.
“How will the government create a Brand Bengaluru by allocating funds only to Congress MLAs?” he asked. “There are 16 BJP MLAs in Bengaluru.”
According to Ramamurthy, since he is a first-time MLA, he had requested funds from both Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Housing Minister Khan.
“Infrastructure in Jayanagar is crumbling but I have not received any funds,” he said. He also sought a special grant of Rs 100 crore for redeveloping the Jayanagar Shopping Complex, he added.
MLAs getting Rs 40 crore each
Byrathi Suresh, Hebbal
A C Srinivas, Pulakeshinagar
K J George, Sarvagnanagar
N A Haris, Shantinagar
Rizwan Arshad, Shivajinagar
Zameer Ahmed Khan, Chamarajpet
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Gandhinagar
Priya Krishna, Govindajaranagar
M Krishnappa, Vijayangar
Ramalinga Reddy, BTM Layout
Krishna Byregowda, Byatarayanapura
S T Somashekar, Yeshwanthpur
(B Shivanna, Anekal, will get Rs 5 cr)
Prominent works dropped
Elevated corridor from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle: Rs 213 cr
Flyover work, to be deposited with Metro: Rs 46 cr
Link road to Shivaram Karanth layout: Rs 70 cr
Bridge across drains near Ferns Habitat and Doddanakundi: Rs 14 cr
Uniform and safety equipment to pourakarmikas: Rs 15 cr
Street signage: Rs 5 cr