Deccan Chronicle 11.11.2009

Sister project: US team will visit to build bonds

Bengaluru, Nov. 10: A team of 40 dignitaries from San Francisco will pay a visit to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) during the end of this month to exchange best practices as part of a sister city project between the two cities.

“Since the two cities have similar practices in the fields of sanitation, health, education, solid waste management and human resources, ideas could be shared and implemented.

It is natural that the two cities come together and form an effective alliance for mutual benefits as well as cultural bonding. The areas of cooperation might extend to application of modern technology, research, bio-technology, health care, trade, sports and education,” BBMP commissioner Bharat Lal Meena told Deccan Chronicle. The team, due to come to Bengaluru on November 27 or 28, will have detailed meetings with the heads of departments such as water supply, sanitary, IT and other areas. In the last three months, two video conferences between the two teams have been held. The memorandum is likely to be finalised during the visit, said Mr Meena.The draft memorandum had been signed between San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and the then-BBMP administrator Dilip Rau in October 20. The Union ministry of urban development has issued guidelines for “twinning of cities” after evaluating the proposal and giving a green signal for a relationship between Bengaluru and San Francisco.

Some of the benefits expected from the relationship include business propositions, economic and social benefits, collaboration and transfer of cutting-edge technology, transfer of cross-cultural understanding and exchange of language development as proposed in the draft.