"Forget mega infrastructure projects, there is no money even for ward-level works,"
said an East Bangalore corporator. There are just five months left in the financial year, and the Palike has not made good on any of its promises. The funds that the Palike has in its kitty would only suffice to meet salary expenses and regular administration requirements, pointed out a senior opposition member in the BBMP council. "Routine expenses will take up nearly Rs500 crore," he said.
Serious problem - Main source of BBMP revenue: Property tax. Out of projected 1600crore only 800crore was realized. 500 crore for salaries and 300 crore left. So project budget is only 300 crores!!! and 500 crores gives us mud pits for roads, uncleared garbage, street dogs unlimited etc!!! What a bloody mess!
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300 crores can still get you
300 crores can still get you outcome driven projects like Bus Priority instead of mindless tagore circle type one off monstrosities. In fact I recommend BMTC take up the civil works for bus priority instead of BBMP. BMTC can get the 3.5 meter wide bus lane completely concretized & smooth like Hema Malini's cheeks. Then, get BBMP to sign an agreement they will not touch the priority lane with a barge pole.
how do you fit in Big Bazaar?
But, where will BMTC fit in 'Big Bazaar' into the 'priority lane'? Doesn't look possible, and therefore, it's a no go situation.
And, I thought 'Piggy Chops' was the flavour of the season - may be for oldies like you, it's still HM :))).
Cash cow waiting to be milked.
No, not HM or PC but if BBMP wants funds - one cash cow waiting to be milked is that of parking violations and parking fees. A few minutes walk in any neighborhood in Bangalore will show at least 10 violations to a trained eye. Even charging the `measly' Rs. 100 they charge per violation will bring in a 1000.
Ramesh
BBMP wants funds - one cash
BBMP wants funds - one cash cow waiting to be milked is that of parking violations and parking fees
No, parking violations is collected by BTP & given to the govt. Not to BBMP. Enforcement of traffic violation is not a BBMP subject area. Moreover violation is not a service being rendered but a punishment. If you make punishment a revenue source they will try to encourage more violations so revenue can be increased.
But paid parking definitely can be direct revenue to BBMP as it is a service. They anyway get a percentage of the revenue generated by the association handling the parking and furthermore the maintenance of the street is paid for from the association corpus not from the cut BBMP portion.
Functions
Real estate, Sanitation, Water, Power, Garbage, Roads are the basic infrastructure needed for a city to run.
Of the above, water, sanitation & power are provisioned & maintained by BWSSB & BESCOM who collect charges for the same. BWSSB undercharges for water but thats a different topic.
Real estate is provisioned by BDA but beyond one time sale continous betterment charges are collected by BBMP.
Roads are provisioned by BBMP but no revenue collection for them. Roads include all paraphernalia and furniture, street lights, sidewalks, drains etc. This is no mean item and probably need a separate authority by itself who can do it professionally. THe road tax incidentally goes to the RTO which gives it not to the BBMP but to Govt.
Garbage is collected(supposedly) by the BBMP but the true cost is not passed on.
500 crores for road & garbage maintenance both of which are in pathetic shape?
Garbage & Tar Managing Council ?
First of all, IDS, had a draft sitting for sometime to look at BBMP budget numbers, sorry for almost duplicate post on BBMP budget. Can do number crunching there, and light cribbing here if that works.
Your analysis above is bang on:
And of above list, BBMP collects charges/fees for Garbage (solid waste). I will add mobility to the list, which is managed by BMTC/BMRC etc. So essentially, BBMP may well be renamed to Garbage and Tar Managing Council of Bangalore.
BBMP is also broke because
BBMP is also broke because of idiots like this who believe violations and the power they wield are their birthright and can use it the way they want.
BBMP broke - we are screwed.
I came accross this article in the Deccan Herald today -
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/149979/palike-broke-says-commissioner.html
I suppose this is not the first time they have claimed they are broke. Unfortunately, this time I suppose I am suffering directly from the consequences. The road outside my house, 15th cross, Malleswaram has been dug up on both sides for the last two months - first by BWSSB to put in storm water drains and then by BBMP to put in some pipes for cables. Anyway, it seems like they are progressing extremely slowly - they dug up the driveway and left it unusable for a week - claiming that they would fix it `tomorrow' which never seems to come. It was only fixed temporarily - by putting the old stones back - because I chased them down and made them do it. For the last week there has been absolutely no progress - perhaps because the labourers/contracters are not being paid.
Meanwhile the slight rain of a few days ago caused a healthy tree to fall - thanks to the fact that they had dug up all around it and the roots were exposed.