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Government to go ahead, may split BBMP, form Greater Bengaluru Authority

The govt is planning to do away with the BBMP and form either three or five city corporation
BENGALURU: The government is planning to do away with the BBMP and form either three or five city corporation that will be brought under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), sources told DC.
While members of the select committee, headed by Mr S.R. Patil, are split over dividing the Palike, the restructuring committee, headed by Mr B.S. Patil, has suggested five city corporations. Highly placed sources said that the Supreme Court verdict granting eight weeks to hold the BBMP elections has come as a much needed breather for the state government, which will use the time to trifurcate or divide the palike into five parts by forming the GBA, which will be headed by the Chief Minister for a decade. All the civic agencies, like the BWSSB and BDA, will come under the Authority. Sources also said that the BBMP elections may not happen by August-end if the BBMP ceases to exist.
The Supreme Court order will then become redundant. But the government will be bound to hold the elections within six months of forming the Greater Bengaluru Authority. The government may pass the Bill, which should get the stamp of approval from the Governor, they said.
Is the state government fast-tracking the process of diving Bengaluru into multiple corporations and planning to bring them under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to put off the BBMP elections? Has the Supreme Court ruling giving eight weeks (till August 28) to complete the BBMP polls without altering delimitation and ward reservation come as blessing in disguise?
These are the questions haunting citizens and opposition parties, which are waiting for the BBMP polls. While the select committee of the Karnataka Legislative Council, headed by Mr S.R. Patil, Minister for Science and Technology, is yet to finalise its report, the restructuring committee headed by former chief secretary B.S. Patil has suggested dividing the city into five city corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The B.S. Patil committee has almost finalised the report and getting the Kannada version done.
The trifurcation committee is advocating five corporations with about 400 wards, instead of the present 198, for better integration. The Metropolitan Committee will be headed by the Chief Minister, under whom all the five corporations with mayor and commissioner will function. After about 10 years, the councils must have directly elected mayor with executive powers, the committee has suggested.
Population and finance:
Each corporation will have 16-24 lakh population with 70 to 90 wards. Each corporation will be demarcated spatially, strategically and practically with a vision for future growth. The area, population, tax collection and other parameters have been taken into consideration. It has been ensured that no corporation suffers financial disparity. The finance aspect would be governed by City Finance Commission, which will ensure proper devolution of funds for all wards.
Demarcation:
The founder of Bengaluru Kempegowda erected four towers to mark the boundaries of Bengaluru. The four corporations will have a Kempegowda tower each. The fifth one will be in Yelahanka, where Kempegowda ruled and left behind a legacy. The committee has stressed on a three-tier system. The Bangalore Development Authority will be integrated with the GBA and will continue with its planning function. Tackling garbage, planning, transport and mobility will be high on the agenda.
Role of corporators:
Corporators will have a bigger role and will be supported by ward committee members. The role of the corporator will be defined. The ward committee will have 20 members. Of them, 10 will be elected, while 10 others will be picked from different walks of life.
Committee:
Though the BDA will be integrated with the GBA, the area of administration remains unchanged. As and when areas get municipalised, urbanised villages will be brought under GBA for administration.
No to splitting:
Mr Ashwath Narayan, MLC and member of the Select committee of Karnataka Legislative Council, registered a strong protest against division of Bengaluru. He said it is a ploy to destabilise the BJP in the city. The government should focus on empowering the corporation with more financial power and decentralisation of power for effective management rather than beating around the bush, he said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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