JNNURM and Karnataka

"How much can you milk a single cow," questioned BBMP Commissioner Dr S Subramanya when asked about the status of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) projects in Bangalore. The Centre is not releasing funds for projects taken up under JNNURM on time. The State will not release its share unless the Centre’s share is released. The only option left is to utilise the funds available with the Palike. For how long can works can be undertaken depending on the Palike funds alone, he posed a question during an interview . Deccan Herald, under its series - ‘Work in Progress?’ -had highlighted the status of certain important projects taken up under JNNURM. Tardy progress on upgradation of roads and sidewalks in M G Road area, slow pace in construction of Malleshwaram underpass, an inordinate delay in completing the flyover at Bapujinagar, nil progress in taking up the proposed underpasses at RV Teachers College Circle and Tagore Circle, incomplete upgradation of sidewalks and roads in Koramangala area were featured in the series. Reacting to the reports, Dr Subramanya said that the Palike is struggling hard to complete the work on hand. “The Centre should have released Rs 108 crore, 45 days ago. JNNURM officers have assured the Palike that funds will be released soon. We are waiting,” he said. Funds release Asked whether the absence of the elected body affected release of funds from the Centre, Dr Subramanya said, “Absence of elected body is not the reason for the delay in release of funds. As per the memorandum of understanding between the Palike and the Centre, the Palike has to implement a few mandatory reforms such as formation of ward sabhas and introduction of capital value system to collect property tax. The state cabinet had approved these reforms and sent a report to the Centre. We are expecting release of funds.” However, according to the Commissioner, delay in the release of funds will not affect the ongoing work. The Malleshwaram underpass will be completed by the end of December this year. Sampige Road will be opened for the vehicles by the end of October. Similarly, work on upgradation of sidewalks, roads and construction of the flyover is on, he assured. Less revenue The Commissioner said that compared to other corporations in the country, the BBMP receives less revenue annually. Pune City Corporation gets around Rs 2,348 crore per year, Surat City Corporation Rs 2,089 crore, Mumbai city corporation Rs 2,008 and Hyderabad City Corporation gets Rs 1,980 crore. However the annual revenue of BBMP - including property tax - is only 1,085 crore, he rued. “Since the state government withdrew Octroi, the Palike has lost its major source of income. In Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Octroi still exists. We have to manage with the amount we have. We have been making efforts to do our best.” Dr Subramanya said the peripheral regions of Bangalore city have been brought under one head, in order to develop them on a par with the old BMP areas. According to a study by the Palike, a sum of about Rs 36,308 crore is required to develop these new areas. “However that is not possible within six months,” he added. Elected body The commissioner is of the opinion that presence of an elected body is necessary for the smooth functioning of the Palike. “Absence of elected body has affected development works to a large extent. If there is an elected body, we get essential feedback from the public. It generates democratic opinion. We need representatives who can give us their views. Mutual control over matters is the necessary,” he said. Andhra The Gainer BBMP Commissioner Dr S Subramanya has said ‘over projection’ of inconveniences to the public in Bangalore city reported in the media has helped other capital cities lure investors. Though Hyderabad is no way close to Bangalore in terms of urban infrastructure, the Andhra Pradesh government has been luring investors with negative campaigning about Bangalore city. Many a time, stories carried in the media are used to substantiate their claim, he said. There are many good things about Bangalore; no other city in South India has a park like Lalbagh or Cubbon Park in the central area. “We should project such positive features to attract investors,” he added. Gag Order BBMP Commissioner S Subramanya has directed his subordinates not to talk to presspersons about matters concerning the Palike. Dr Subramanya told Deccan Herald that for any information or clarification media persons should contact either him or the public relations officer. “No other officer has been authorised to give information about the Palike”, he said. A senior engineer of the Palike said that at a recent meeting, the commissioner told his subordinates not to give out any information to presspersons. This decision was taken as a section of media had created problems for a few officers by misquoting them, he said.

Local bodies not able to raise funds The Union Government is finding it hard to disburse the money allocated for cities selected under the JNNURM, P.K. Mohanty, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, said here on Friday. “We are struggling to find projects to sanction as the local bodies are not able to raise the matching funds. We have Rs. 2,000 crore allotted for JNNURM but we have been able to sanction projects worth Rs. 500 crore only,” he said The States have been asked to advance their timelines and fulfil their reform conditions as soon as possible. “Most of the States have said that they would complete the reform process by the sixth or seventh year,” he said. A major criticism faced by the mission is the burden it places on local bodies to raise crores of rupees as matching grants pushing them into debt. Non-government organisations complain that communities and elected representatives have been kept out of the planning process. At the open discussion that followed Mr. Mohanty’s speech, the audience raised questions about the reforms that have to be compulsorily fulfilled for States to receive the Central grants. Some of the controversial reforms include repealing the Land Ceiling Act, allowing change of land use and reducing stamp duty to 5 per cent. The event was a national seminar on JNNURM organised by the Civic Bangalore and Indian Habitat Forum.