Amidst stiff opposition from the BJP and JD(S), the Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2015, for splitting the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the City’s civic body, into two or more corporations to ensure better governance.
The Legislative Council has taken up the Bill for discussion in the evening.
In the Assembly, Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra tabled the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill 2015 at a special one-day legislature session.
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Mr. Jayachandra said "The population of Bengaluru has gone beyond 80 lakhs. Therefore, it is difficult to supervise BBMP to implement the state or central schemes on a day-to-day basis."
"For the smooth administration of BBMP, the expert committee appointed by the state government had also recommended in its interim report for trifurcation of the civic body," he added.
As the House met, BJP demanded that the issue of crop damage due to unseasonal rains and hail storms be taken up first. He also charged that Ministers and officials are not visiting affected areas and surveys were not being conducted properly.
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Relief work was also tardy, he said.
Both BJP and JD(S) members objected to the introduction of the bill, stating that the subject was before the court and demanded ruling from the Speaker Kagodu Thimappa. Mr. Thimmappa said "the legislature is supreme" and the matter was not subjudice.
JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy objecting to introduction of the bill questioned the intention behind it.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the Bill and said the House has been convened for the specific purpose of discussing the bill and reminded BJP about how its leaders had advocated for dividing the BBMP while in power.
He said BBMP is not functioning properly with lots of irregularities during the last five years.
Highlights of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2015
* Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike ceases to exit with immediate effect
* The nomenclature “Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike” will be replaced by “Corporation of the City of Bangalore”
* BBMP will be reconstituted into “two or more” corporations.
* The Government will constitute an advisory committee consisting of not less than 15 and not more than 25 persons to assist the Administrator
* All assets and liabilities of the Corporation will be vested with Government till the corporations is reconstituted
* Administrator will discharge his functions in accordance with the Government’s directions
* No extra expenditure involved in the legislative measure
Quotes
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah : “The BJP manifesto 2013 had promised splitting of BBMP, just as Congress had. Now it is opposing the Bill only for political gain. Our party is not making this move for the fear of elections. Splitting of BBMP is to bring transparency in administration.”
Leader of the Opposition, Jagadish Shettar : “It is not necessary to divide the BBMP to provide better basic amenities. The session should have called to discuss damage done to crops owing to unseasonal rains.”
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, T.B. Jayachandra : “The brand image of Bengaluru is hit due to garbage crisis. It is necessary reconstitute the corporation to ensure better administration.”
BJP leader R. Ashok : “The BBMP split will increase wasteful expenditure.”
JD (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy : “Will you guarantee corruption-free governance after split?”
Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa : “The legislature is supreme and the matter is not subjudice. There is no connection between the bill and the issue before the court.”