Overview

• Current Situation: The Government of Karnataka is considering reorganising Bengaluru’s local governance by replacing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Act, 2020.
• Basis: Based on the Expert Committee on BBMP Restructuring’s report from June 2015.
• Objective: To enhance residents’ quality of life by improving infrastructure and services and ensuring public service accountability.
• Concerns: Residents fear this may delay the city government elections further and could be exploited for political gains.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Governance Structure

• Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA): Overarching local planning and coordination at the metropolitan level.
• Municipal Corporations (MCs): Five decentralised and autonomous local governments with full empowerment through devolution of power and resources.
• Ward Governance: Empowered ward governance structure with decision-making authority, funds, and community participation.

2. Planning and Development

• Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC): Visioning and strategic planning for social and economic development and urbanisation of villages.

3. Resource Management

• Greater Bengaluru Finance Commission (GBFC): Ensures equitable distribution of resources across all tiers and MCs.

4. Accountability

• Greater Bengaluru Services Ombudsman (GBSO): Addresses citizens’ grievances expeditiously and ensures accountability.

5. Leadership

• Mayor’s Term: A five-year term for each of the five MCs. The method of appointment (directly elected or Mayor in Council) needs careful consideration.
• GBA Leadership: Initially headed by the Chief Minister, transitioning to a directly elected Metropolitan Mayor within ten years. Includes mayors of constituent MCs, MLAs, ZP representatives, parastatals, and domain experts.

6. Human Resources

• Innovative Options: Competitive and adequate human resources with options like lateral entry for sectoral professionals and domain experts.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

1. Political Dynamics

• Governance Crisis: Different political parties ruling different MCs and/or the state could lead to conflicts.
• Solutions: Full empowerment of MCs, clear rules and procedures, and mature political leadership.

2. Election Delays

• History: Frequent delays in BBMP elections, non-operational MPC, flawed delimitation, and reservation exercises.
• Confidence Building: Stakeholder confidence through transparency, public feedback, and collaboration.

3. Legislative Safeguards

• SEC Responsibility: Delimitation of wards and assigning reservations.
• Election Timeline: Commitment to a reasonable timeframe (e.g., six months) for elections.
• Metropolitan Mayor: Clear design for election and adherence to the ten-year transition timeline.
• Constructive Input: Openness to feedback from citizens and the Opposition.

Conclusion

• Approach: Genuine reform and decentralisation as per the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.
• Potential: Reorganised Greater Bengaluru governance framework could serve as a model for other metro cities in India.