Deccan Chronicle 30.06.2010
City council gets panel on tax, 7 win unopposed
June 29: The election to the much awaited BBMP taxation and finance committee was held on Tuesday with seven members being elected unanimously to the committee. Four members from the BJP, two from the Congress and one from JD(S) were elected for the finance committee. This will enable the tabling of the BBMP budget and utilisation of funds for holistic development of Bengaluru, said mayor S.K Nataraj.
The elected members are — P. N. Sadashiva, M.G. Jayarathna, N. Veeranna and G. Manjunath Raju, all from the BJP. Shakila Muniraju and Chandrashekar K. from the Congress and T.A. Gayathri from JD(S).
Proposals for the remaining 11 standing committees will be placed before the ongoing session and sent to the Governor for clearance. Once the Governor gives his nod, elections to all the remaining committees will be held in a month. The number of members in each committee will be enhanced to 12 after the Governor’s approval, said Mr Nataraj.
The BBMP budget will be presented in the next 20 days. Irked by the absence of the BBMP legal head and retired district court judge S.G. Hosur to answer a query by senior corporator B.R. Nanjundappa, the mayor directed Mr Hosur to tender his resignation if he was not interested. During the council meet, the mayor announced the constitution of committees to offer solutions to serious issues raised by some corporators.
Councillors demanded a special session to discuss the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) and compensation package issues. BBMP commissioner Bharat Lal Meena said he had already written to the zonal heads to take up road widening under the BDA’s Comprehensive Development Plan.
Corporator Doddanna raised the Sakrama issue and Opposition leader in the council N. Nagaraj demanded a discussion on it. In his reply, Mr Meena said the issue was being discussed in the Assembly following the recommendations of a cabinet sub-committee. He said the BBMP had no powers to bring in an amendment.
