The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), on Saturday, published on its website a list of works taken up and property tax collected in every ward. The move, which will ensure more transparency and empower ward committees, has been welcomed by civic activists and residents’ welfare associations across the city.
“This is transparency that we dreamed of, and which we believe will help empower ward committees,” said Srinivas Alavilli of Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), which has been fighting for regular ward committee meetings. In the past, civic activists had demanded that the BBMP publish details of works taken up at the ward level along with property tax collected in each ward as ward committees were working in a vacuum without this information.
“There was complete opacity. Citizen members of ward committees did not have any information on works taken up in their ward,” Mr. Alavilli said.
BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said the move is historic as this is the first time in the BBMP that such details have been made public at the ward level.
The data published on the BBMP website includes ward-wise property tax collection for the fiscal years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, and works taken up from April 1, 2016 to January 31, 2019. BBMP has also published details of works taken up under mayoral grants, major roads, and other BBMP and governments projects as well, all ward-wise.
V. Ravichandar, former member, BBMP Restructuring Committee, said welcomed the move. “The ward-wise works data could be improved by adding details of works completed, pending and deadlines set. BBMP can also expose the GIS mapping of properties and colour code those who have paid the tax and those who have not. This will further empower ward committees to ensure better tax collection in their respective wards,” he said.