Latest news with #74thConstitutionalAmendment
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ready to assist states in certifying municipal accounts: CAG
File photo: Comptroller and Auditor General Sanjay Murthy NEW DELHI: To increase transparency and attract private investment in urban infrastructure, Comptroller and Auditor General Sanjay Murthy on Saturday said the federal auditor is ready to assist states in certifying their municipal accounts. Such certifications add credibility and value, encouraging private players to invest in urban projects, he added. The CAG will soon highlight best practices and models that municipalities can adopt, and if they adopt them, there will not be any financial audit observations, Murthy said. However, he said such an assurance would only be possible if municipal accounts are properly maintained and revenue sources clearly tracked. Transparent and reliable financial systems are essential to attracting serious bidders and funding for urban projects, Murthy said at an online event organised by think-tank Janaagraha to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which granted constitutional status to urban local bodies. The announcement to certify accounts of municipalities comes ahead of the Centre's anticipated roll-out of the Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund, aimed at supporting large-scale projects through public-private partnerships. The housing and urban affairs ministry is finalising the framework for this, first announced in the Budget. On greater opportunities for municipal bodies with the Centre offering the Urban Challenge Fund, he said, 'We have a greater role to play in ensuring the transparency of accounts that urban local bodies do.' 'Therefore, we have envisaged or embarking on a initiative to ensure that any state govt which wants the assistance of the CAG in certification of their accounts, we will be open to work with the them to ensure that we provide this service to them to ensure the larger goal of getting investments in the urban local bodies based on certification done by the CAG, which adds greater value,' he said. Murthy also highlighted persistent challenges faced by even large municipal bodies, such as the lack of robust project reports, a key requirement for private funding. To address this, he said the CAG is planning to showcase successful models and best practices for municipalities to adopt. 'Reinventing the wheel wastes time,' he said. 'If municipalities implement proven models, we can assure them that there will be no audit objections,' the CAG said.
New Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Activists criticise GBA, warn of BBMP power erosion
BENGALURU: Kathyayini Chamraj, Executive Trustee of CIVIC, criticised the successive governments for delaying the BBMP elections, alleging that the delay was intended to undermine the Palike administration. She claimed the garbage, engineers, and real estate mafia had ruined BBMP. He was addressing a panel discussion involving civic activists, organised to discuss the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and its impact on local governance in Bengaluru on Saturday. CIVIC also stated it would challenge the GBA in court. 'In the GBA, all para-statals come under its ambit. All schemes are prepared by the government. Where is the autonomy of the local body? What authority will the elected body have if everything is controlled by the GBA?' Chamraj questioned. She said that MLA Rizwan Arshad, who chaired the joint legislature panel that introduced the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, was misleading the public. Arshad had claimed that the 74th Constitutional Amendment does not provide for control over agencies like Bescom, but the GBA bill covers them all. 'Autonomy of the local body has been reduced to just fixing potholes. Earlier, there was a ward committee, but it also has now been reduced to an advisory body whose recommendations are ineffective,' she said. Retired bureaucrat T R Raghunandan, who delivered the keynote address, warned that frequent delimitation and the creation of new municipalities under the GBA would disrupt reservation rotations for Scheduled Castes, Tribes, OBCs, and women, favouring elite candidates. 'The government's aim is to prevent the rotation of reservations,' he said, adding that the government's actions violated the equity mandates of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. He also observed that frequent delimitation creates new electoral cycles, diluting the representation of marginalised sections. He said cities like Manila and Brussels have decentralised municipalities with clear roles, a model that Bengaluru should adopt.
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bengaluru citizen activists, experts come down heavily on GBG Act
Citizen activists and experts have voiced strong opposition to the newly enforced Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act 2024, calling it a direct threat to the constitutional mandate for decentralised urban local governance. They argued that the GBGA, which came into effect on May 15 this year, centralises power under the State government and sidelines the principles of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. At a seminar hosted by CIVIC (Citizen Voluntary Initiative for the City) on Saturday, former IAS officer and decentralisation advocate T.R. Raghunandan condemned the Act for placing authority in the hands of the Chief Minister, instead of enabling elected urban local bodies to function independently. 'This Act flies in the face of the Nagarapalika framework, which explicitly advocates for local self-government,' he said. Echoing his concerns, Kathyayini Chamaraj, civic activist, emphasised that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had already been stripped of substantial powers and that the GBG Act further reduces local officials to an advisory role, weakening accountability and grassroots governance. Satyajit Arikutharam, former Chief Technical Advisor at DULT, warned that opaque infrastructure decisions—such as a car-only underground tunnel—highlight the risk of elite-centric planning under the new regime. 'Future generations will bear the financial burden of projects that serve a privileged few,' he said. While Mr. Raghunandan advocated for the division of Bengaluru into smaller administrative units to aid decentralisation, Ms. Chamaraj warned this could lead to financial inequality between zones. 'Prosperous areas like Mahadevapura would retain their revenues, leaving others underfunded,' she cautioned. CIVIC plans to legally challenge the Act to restore democratic and accountable governance to the city.
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
New municipalities under Greater Bengaluru Authority to disrupt reservation rotations, undermine equity: Former IAS T R Raghunandan
Retired IAS officer T R Raghunandan Saturday warned that frequent delimitation and formation of new municipalities under the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will disrupt reservation rotations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and women candidates. 'Their (government's) aim is to prevent rotation of reservation from proceeding logically,' he said, claiming that such tactics violate the 74th Constitutional Amendment's equity mandates. He made the remark while speaking at a seminar organised by CIVIC Bangalore on the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act (GBGA). Raghunandan also urged Bengaluru to adopt the 'Manila and Brussels model', stating that decentralised municipalities with clear roles foster accountability. He, thereafter, argued that frequent delimitation creates new electoral cycles, allowing political actors to dilute the representation of marginalised groups. Raghunandan further noted that GBGA's devolution of 18 subjects is 'vague and ineffective', pointing out the lack of specific tasks for representatives. 'That means nothing,' he said, criticising the 'PowerPoint knowledge' approach that renders corporations symbolic. He stressed the need for precise role delineation to counter bureaucratic resistance and ensure functional governance. Raghunandan also flagged centralised control, with the GBA's state-appointed officials and initiatives like Smart City Private Limited bypassing elected bodies, creating 'elected monarchies'. Calling devolution a 'political battle,' Raghunandan urged engagement with ex-corporators to counter elite dominance. 'Karnataka's Panchayat Raj empowered marginalised groups through clear roles, but urban governance lags. The GBA needs to be challenged by ex-corporators' engagement to fight elite dominance. Devolution is a political battle requiring accountability to ensure Bengaluru's corporations serve all communities equitably,' he said. Kathyayini Chamaraj, Executive Trustee, CIVIC Bangalore, argued that the recently passed GBGA undermines the 74th Constitutional Amendment by centralising control under the state-led Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), headed by the chief minister. She then contended, 'The state, not BBMP, failed by delaying elections for years, weakening local self-governance and depriving citizens of responsive urban governance.' 'Splitting BBMP into seven corporations hinders equitable resource distribution, ignoring Delhi's re-merger lesson. The state's failure to activate the Metropolitan Planning Committee caused Bengaluru's 'ruined' growth, violating the 74th Amendment's mandate for vibrant local self-governance,' Chamaraj said.
Hans India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Greater Bengaluru Authority Comes into Force from May 15; CM to Head the New Administrative Body
Bengaluru: In a major administrative overhaul, Bengaluru is set to enter a new phase of governance with the implementation of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, effective from May 15. The existing Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will now function under the new Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), bringing an end to its earlier identity. As per the provisions of the newly enacted Karnataka Act No. 36 of 2025, the State Government has officially notified the enforcement of all clauses and sub-clauses of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act starting Thursday. The Chief Minister of Karnataka will serve as the Chairperson of the Authority, while the Deputy Chief Minister will assume the role of Vice Chairperson. Senior IAS officer Tushar Girinath, currently the BBMP Chief Commissioner, will take charge as the Chief Executive Officer of the new Authority. This transition follows the elevation of BBMP's administrative structure in recent years. After the formation of BBMP in 2007, its commissioner was designated as Chief Commissioner—a move now culminating in a more centralised metropolitan governance model under GBA. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill was passed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on March 13, 2025, and forwarded to the Governor for assent on March 17. However, the bill encountered resistance from civil society groups and political parties. The Bengaluru Town Hall Forum and several BJP leaders had petitioned the Governor, arguing that the bill violated the 74th Constitutional Amendment and could lead to complications similar to those witnessed during the restructuring of the Delhi Municipal Corporation. Responding to these concerns, the Governor initially returned the bill on March 25, seeking clarification on several key provisions. The State Government subsequently addressed the Governor's concerns, following which the Governor granted assent on April 24, 2025. Officials familiar with the development say the new authority aims to streamline governance, enhance accountability, and address Bengaluru's complex urban challenges more effectively, including infrastructure development, traffic management, waste disposal, and urban planning.
