Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill tabled in Karnataka Assembly
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday introduced in the Assembly the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill that contains a provision to create up to 10 municipalities to run the city.
Shivakumar, the Bengaluru City Development minister, introduced the Bill amid protests by the Opposition BJP whose lawmakers feared that the proposed law would make things worse for the state capital.
According to Shivakumar, the BBMP Restructuring Committee had proposed a London-like governance model for Bengaluru. "I didn't agree. We're not able to change the current system. So, we're attempting to modify what's there," he said.
"Because of haphazard growth, we're unable to control Bengaluru. Lots of people are coming from outside. Judges, politicians engineers who come here...they don't return to their villages. When I was urban development minister, the city's population was 70 lakh. Now, it is 1.4 crore. There are 1.4 crore vehicles! We have lots of problems," Shivakumar said, assuring BJP lawmakers that their voices will be heard.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said the Congress government is tabling the Bill without consulting his lawmakers. He asked Shivakumar not to go ahead with the Bill until after a meeting he has convened with all Bengaluru MLAs on July 27.
"Bengaluru is already hell. Garbage isn't being cleared. There's no development. Not a rupee has been given in the past year. Discuss this (Bill) with all MLAs first," Ashoka said. He also warned Shivakumar against 'breaking' the city. "This is a city built by Kempegowda. If you break the city, you'll incur his curse. Can't you administer a city of one crore people? Isn't the CM handling a state of seven crore people? Will you divide the state then?" he argued.
Senior BJP lawmaker S Suresh Kumar recalled his start as a Bengaluru councillor in 1983. "In 1996, the number of wards was increased from 80 to 100. Then it became 198 wards. When we were in government, we created 243 wards. Now, we're looking at Greater Bengaluru," he said. He urged Shivakumar to form a committee comprising Bengaluru MLAs to study the Bill.