Bengaluru residents win: 22 pc citizen inputs accepted by BBMP for 2017-18 budget

For all the woes affecting Bengaluru residents from traffic to inadequate street lighting, a half-yearly analysis of the BBMP budget suggests that the Palike is at least listening to the people.

A study by Janaagraha, a city-based non-profit advocating citizen engagement in governance has found that 22% (12,468 Citizen Budget inputs) of the 57,197 inputs given to BBMP by citizens themselves, have found a place in 2017-18 budget.

All these inputs will be utilised in work related to upgrading the basic public infrastructure.

A third (34%) of these works are for streetlights, 27% for roads and 21% are for roadside drains, while the remaining are for other civic infrastructure like parks and public toilets.

More importantly, the study has found that of the Rs 177 crore paid towards current year bills in the first half of the fiscal (April to Sept), Rs 31 crore relate to 2,125 Citizen Budget inputs. 

Close to a quarter (25%) of the money (Rs 255 crore out of Rs 1206 crore) raised for works in the first half of the current fiscal, also relates to citizen demands.

For the same period, Rs 55 crores out of Rs 923 crore have been raised through tenders relating to Citizen Budget inputs. 

Totally, 12,468 Citizen Budget inputs amounting to Rs 515 crore or 8.5% of the Capital works budget have been considered by the BBMP under different grants and budget line items for implementation this year, concluded Janaagraha.

These findings were released by Janaagraha at the launch of MyCityMyBudget event at the BBMP headquarters.

N Manjunatha Prasad, BBMP Commissioner said, “Very great initiative by the BBMP and IChangeMyCity. Ultimately the citizen voices and their wish-list have to find a place in the BBMP budget. And we have made a small beginning and we would like to take it forward so that this year with the formation of ward committees, a major chunk of the BBMP budget of 18-19 will come from the citizens. And we would like to provide this platform for citizens to submit their budget inputs.”

Citizens can provide Budget inputs on civic areas that the BBMP should be focussing on and can access the Budget Input forms at ward offices, Indira Canteens and online at www.ichangemycity.com.