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Karnataka civic bodies to voluntarily disclose services offered by them

Monday, 07 September 2009 01:29 administrator
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The Hindu 07.09.2009

Karnataka civic bodies to voluntarily disclose services offered by them

S. Rajendran

An attempt at ensuring transparency and accountability

 

Rules being drafted under the RTI Act for the transparency scheme

Disclosures to be published in papers and online

BANGALORE: Municipalities in Karnataka, including the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), will periodically disclose the services being rendered by them from the next two months. This is to ensure transparency and accountability.

The Department of Urban Development has drafted rules under the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act to implement the novel transparency scheme, Public Disclosure Rules. These rules are now being vetted by the Law Department and the authorities have commenced a debate on the same with 218 municipalities. If need be, the rules will be modified before they are notified in two months.

Proper fund utilisation

The voluntary disclosure will also ensure that the funds allocated under various schemes are appropriately utilised and there is transparency in public spending and accountability on the part of the officials concerned. There is also a penal clause under the new rules wherein an official found violating the rules will have to face disciplinary action under the Karnataka Civil Service and Conduct Rules. Sources in the Secretariat told The Hindu that disclosures would be published in newspapers, municipality websites and on the notice boards of the municipal offices concerned periodically.

The Union government and the Union Ministry of Urban Development, in particular, directed Karnataka some time ago to enact a Public Disclosure Law since the State is one of the important beneficiaries of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). It is mandated under JNNURM that the municipalities should voluntarily disclose what they are doing which would ensure that they are people-friendly and funds are appropriately utilised. In all, 18 important services rendered by the municipalities have been listed for voluntary disclosure. For instance, the BBMP will disclose details relating to roadworks under way, tenders, contractors selected for execution of projects, funds earmarked for projects, development of parks and funds spent on their upkeep, drinking water supply projects, burial grounds and crematoria in Bangalore, etc.

Last Updated on Monday, 07 September 2009 01:31
 

Yeddyurappa for extending JNNURM to entire State

Tuesday, 01 September 2009 00:57 administrator
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The Hindu 01.09.2009

Yeddyurappa for extending JNNURM to entire State

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

All-in-one: The BMTC Traffic and Transit Management Centre at Jayanagar 4th Block, in Bangalore.

BANGALORE: A modern Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC), which not only houses a bus terminal but also provides various other facilities such as parking for vehicles besides shops, a food court, a bank and a hospital, was inaugurated at Jayanagar Fourth Block here on Monday.

The Jayanagar TTMC, which is the first to be inaugurated among 10 such centres planned in various areas of Bangalore is built by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission of the Union Government at a cost of Rs. 12.9 crore.

The three-floor building of the TTMC has space for parking 60 cars and 150 two-wheelers on the terrace. The ground floor houses a bus-terminal, drinking water facility, toilets, police outpost and KSRTC reservation counters. The first floor has a health centre, post office counter, BangaloreOne Centre, a cyber café, public telephone booth, bank, ATM and air booking counter. The second floor has a food court, departmental store, book store and a fancy store among other establishments.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who inaugurated the terminal, urged the JNNURM authorities to extend such facilities to the entire State. He promised to fulfil the dreams of people with respect to infrastructure development in Bangalore during his tenure. Referring to the ongoing development works in every ward of the BBMP, he appealed to people to bring to the notice of the government any instances of sub-standard works. “Do not tolerate substandard works,” he told people.

Transport Minister R. Ashok said construction of the remaining nine TTMCs being taken up in different areas of Bangalore in the first phase will be completed by July 2010. These TTMCs will come up at Shantinagar, Koramangala, ITPL, Kengeri, Vijayanagar, Banashankari, Yeshwanthpur, Domlur and Bannerghatta. Another 10 TTMCs would be built in the second phase in different areas, he noted.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 September 2009 01:09
 

Fund crunch hits city plan

Sunday, 30 August 2009 01:03 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 30.08.2009

Fund crunch hits city plan

August 30th, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Hyderabad
Aug. 29: City legislators on Saturday alleged that the state government’s promise of developing Greater Hyderabad on par with international cities such as Shanghai and Hong Kong has remained only on paper.

The CPIM Rajya Sabha member, Mr P. Madhu and MLAs, including Mr G. Kishan Reddy of BJP, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi of MIM, Mr Jayaprakash Narayana of Lok Satta, said the government is not releasing money to public utility departments such as the GHMC, HMDA, Water Board, Central Discom, QQSUDA, which are starved of funds.

At a meeting chaired by the municipal administration minister, Mr Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, the city MPs, MLCs and MLAs highlighted the problems facing the city, including water logging on roads, low-lying areas, contaminated drinking water supply, poor drainage system among others.
However, Mr Ramnarayana Reddy said a comprehensive plan for sewer and storm water drain network and drinking water lines, was being prepared for Greater Hyderabad.

The project requires Rs 10,000 crore and the government is submitting the detailed project report to JNNURM for funding, he told reporters after the meeting.

He said “issues such as purchase of airtech machines to clean drainage lines, housing for urban poor, laying of new roads, repairs to existing ones and widening of other roads, construction of 27 new flyovers and 21 foot over bridges, power supply, repairs to state and national highways passing through the city, garbage clearance, sanitation maintenance, giving loans to self help groups, water supply, and improvement of traffic, was discussed.”

 

 
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