Today's DH Reports that:
Palike had been chosen for the (Nagar Ratna) award under the individual category by the All India Institute of Local Self-Government, a premier autonomous research and training institute established in 1926, for its best practices in solid waste management and implementation of e-governance projects.
Solid waste management - Guess has improved a bit over the last 3-4 years. Does the e-Governance part relate to BBMPs recent WGPMS effort? Here and here?
I'm glad that BBMP is getting a pat on its back (guess hoping to nudge it to do more). I would not consider its efforts worthy of receiving an award from the hands of the President of India though!
Can't wait to see a list of individual actions considered by AIILSG and its selection team that tilted the scale in BBMPs favor.
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Wrote to AIILSG to see if
Wrote to AIILSG to see if they can share the actions that led to this award. Let us see what comes back!
If you want to ask, email dgaiilsg at gmail dot com.
credibility lacking
On "solid waste management", some new initiatives have been taken by the Commissioner, prodded largely by NGO's like Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative (Dr Meenakshi Bharat and others), CIVIC, etc. That they responded to the prodding is itself good enough, and worthy of praise. All the same, there's a long way to go to be worthy of awards.
Whatever, being awarded for "e-governance" initiatives, only shows the pathetic state other city corporations are probably in, looking at this, apart from the blogs linked by Ravi. On the one hand, Bangalore based companies are leading the world in formulating IT based solutions, and on the other, we have our government agencies who refuse to let them do it for them, even if it will lead to a paradigm shift for the better in the quality of governance. Or, should I say, because of it?
The comments against the DH article show clearly the lack of credibility amongst the public in the organisations instituting such awards.
It is a shame that BBMP has bagged this award
One can imagine how other Local governing bodies like Mumbai or Pune could be. It looks like these awards can be rotated among all similar bodies of our country year by year. Here is a sample comment to the DH report by Anand:-
Fraud exposed in BBMP
more here
avoided the State’s scrutiny system actually means that profit sharing would go up if another party in involved!
TOI Joins hand
Comedy of gross ignorance?
Source - DNA India
Bangalore civic body wins award, but it didn’t know for which category
"...Ironically, the BBMP was not aware why it received the award! An official release sent by the BBMP on July 6 said the BBMP bagged the award for solid waste management and ther best practices. However, the award was conferred for best financial management. ..."
"...Ironically, the cash-strapped BBMP, which has an outstanding loan of Rs2,923 crore, has been conferred with the award for best financial management. Sharadamma and Harish received the award, which includes a citation and certificate..."