Bengaluru lake rejuvenation, road upgradation: Highlights from BBMP Budget 2021-22

The budget has an outlay of over Rs 9200 crore and is the first to be presented since the BBMP Act, 2020 was passed.
BBMP Budget
BBMP Budget

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Saturday presented the budget for financial year 2021-22, with focus on decentralising the funds and accountability at zonal and ward-level. The budget, having an outlay of Rs 9,287.81 crore, was presented by BBMP Administrator Gaurav Gupta in the absence of an elected council.

The BBMP has allocated Rs 2000 crore for fifteen zones across the city. Welcoming the move, Srinivas Alavalli of Janaagraha, a Bengaluru-based non-profit working on urban governance issues, said, “Each zone has different needs, the decentralised budget allocation will help the officials to work on developmental works needed in the region. However, this will successfully work if the funds are further distributed at ward-level,” he said. 

Furthermore, the civic body is focussed on tackling the issues related to solid waste management in the city. Allocating Rs 1,622 crore, the officials announced the construction of 67 new toilets across the city. An online system will be put in place for citizens to give feedback, they added. In the budget for 2021-22, solid waste management has the highest allocation. 

The healthcare sector has been allocated an amount of Rs 337 crore. The funds are in addition to the grants that will be provided by the Karnataka government. The civic body said that in the coming days, it will be partnering with private medical colleges for the provision of specialist doctors at the BBMP-run hospitals; the Palike is aiming to provide multi-speciality care in hospitals and improving the facilities. 

With an eye on development of infrastructure in the city, the BBMP has assured that each ward will receive Rs 20 lakh for repair works of footpaths. Concurrently, the civic body is setting aside Rs 473 crore for the upgradation of roads on the main stretches under Mission 2022 for the city.

The Palike has allocated Rs 39 crore to the forest department and will also focus on undertaking rejuvenation work for 25 lakes in Bengaluru. The civic body has allocated Rs 31 crore for the rejuvenation of lakes while Rs 7 crore was spent in the previous year. 

Among the highlights, the civic body has introduced newer schemes for the welfare of citizens and also proposed setting up of an internal review cell that facilitates vigilance on works and maintenance of documents of BBMP.

The BBMP also aims at improving the maintenance of 1200 parks under its ambit and distribute the work on the basis of the ward and allocate the same through tendering process. 

Additionally, the civic body said it is prioritising the completion of works that are already in progress. In line with the development of the city as envisioned by the state government, the BBMP will focus on works related to extension of the suburban railway and traffic management of the city, along with the development of cultural centres like Experience Bengaluru Centre. 

The works related to tree parks in Kadugodi and Machohalli will be expedited, the officials said. Public services like providing khata (account), information/payment of property tax, birth/death certificates, business licence, maps of buildings, etc. will be simplified in online mode and a unified digital portal will be made available, they added. 

This budget is also the first to be presented since the BBMP Act, 2020 was passed. Under the BBMP Act, 2020, the mayoral term has been increased to 30 months from 18 months; the city will see two mayors who will get 30 months tenure each. In terms of revenue generation, the BBMP will now collect entertainment tax and levy fees for hoardings. 

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