The seven agencies that are responsible for Bangalore’s development together require no less than Rs. 80,000 crore in the next five years to match the city’s basic infrastructure needs, says Principal Secretary, Urban Development, P.N. Sreenivasachary.
However, these urban bodies including the BBMP, BWSSB and BDA, can generate no more than Rs. 30,000 crore in this time frame, which leave the city with a deficit of Rs. 50,000 crore, he said at an interactive meeting with the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) on Friday.
The State has presented its requirements to the 14th Finance Commission and requested for this deficit to be bridged, he added. “This is approximately what we need in order to meet basic infrastructure needs of drinking water, sanitation and transport. We are not even talking about aspiring to be world class,” Mr. Sreenivasachary said.
Several cities and towns across the State similarly lack infrastructure, he added. “Between 70 to 80 per cent of our towns have drinking water supply that is far less than the norm, with less than 100 litres per capita per day. And around 40 towns do not have any underground drainage of water at all.”
Road show R. Shivakumar, FKCCI president, said an investment meet would be organised in Coimbatore to attract investments to certain districts from neighbouring States. The “road show” will be held on January 20, he told reporters.
