The Decca Chronicle 22.10.2010
More power, longer tenure for mayor?Oct. 21: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Governance Bill, to be introduced in the coming Assembly session, will pave the way for more executive powers for the mayor and will extend the mayor’s term in office. The state government has also come up with the proposal where a regular Bengalurean can apply for the post of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner following complaints that poor administration is hampering the overall development of the city.
“The proposed bill will allow the government to make radical changes in the administration to ensure a more people-friendly and accountable bureaucracy. As part of these reforms, government will keep the commissioner’s post open for the really talented,” said A. Ravindra, advisor to the Chief Minister on urban affairs. He was speaking at an interactive session organised by the FKCCI.
According to the proposal, a search committee will interview the applicants for the top civic post, who are required to have hands-on experience of various developmental issues and can be from both the public and private sector.
“According to the new bill, the mayor can have a 10-member advisory committee. But he will be made more accountable for all the developments. The Act will also legally recognise neighbourhood committees to ensure proper development planning at the micro level,” said Mr Ravindra. The bill also envisages an umbrella administrative body called the Metropolitan Planning Committee which will ensure that there is no duplication of work or unplanned developmental activity.
“In the present scenario, a number of civic bodies like BBMP, BDA, BESCOM, BWSSB, and BMTC take up a number of developmental work. There is no proper coordination at all and this creates many problems. To put an end to this problem, the bill will pave the way for the creation of an umbrella body,” Mr Ravindra said.
