The Hindu              31.01.2014

BDA donates Rs. 18 crore

Expressing concern over the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) doling out over Rs. 18 crore in donations to various organisations since January 2007, Member of Legislative Council Ashwath Narayana on Thursday urged the government to check duplication of donations.

Speaking during the Question Hour in the Legislative Council, he said many of the organisations get donations from Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Kannada and Culture Department for the same event. Mr. Narayana said while farmers were made to run from pillar to post to get compensation for their land acquired by the BDA, the authority gave away donations even to private entities indiscriminately. He wondered how the BDA could do so with public money.

Responding to the issue on behalf of the Chief Minister, Leader of the House S.R. Patil said the government would devise a mechanism to check duplication. He said there was no bar on making donations or issuing advertisements under the BDA Act. The authority has been making the donations based on directions from the government, Mr. Patil said.

Leader of the Opposition D.V. Sadananda Gowda said he had ordered that all applications seeking donations be rooted through the Chief Minister’s office when he was holding the office.