Mayor plans to present budget second time

  Before completing his term, Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy wants to set a precedence by presenting the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike budget for the second time.

He wants to present the budget for 2013-14 by March-end before election code of conduct could come into force. Palike officials, who have prepared a draft budget, plans to send it to the Taxation & Finance Committee for clearance.

This year’s budget is expected be a realistic one. While total projects would be worth Rs 5,000 crore, spillover works and administrative expenses may increase the budget outlay to about Rs 7,000 crore to Rs 8,000 crore.

Stating there is no restriction that a mayor should not present budget for the second time, Murthy said the government has given him a go ahead to present the annual budget.

Resignations planned

Meanwhile, several ward committee members plan to tender their resignation in the wake of the High Court seeking action against them if they fail to clear garbage in the City.Recently, the Karnataka High Court, while hearing a public interest litigation on garbage, fixed responsibilities on ward members too for garbage clearance in their wards.

Murthy said to discuss the situation arising out of panic among ward committee members, a special meeting with them is being contemplated.

Coffee table book

The Palike has come out with a coffee-table book detailing the historic legacy of the City. Titled Namma Bangalore, the 157-page tome contains rare pictures of the City road, monuments, parks and other public places.

Besides paying tribute to Kempegowda, the book has 1791 maps supposedly prepared by the British empire, which indicates that the City was then spread in an 196 hectare of area. The total population of Bangalore was 80,000.

Dates back to...

The book features some old temples, forts and the weapons of stone age, recovered in Bangalore.

It also draws a sharp contrast between Bendakaalooru of the yore and the present day Silicon Valley of India.

The Palike has brought out 500 copies by spending Rs 10 lakh. Presently the book is in Kannada. There are plans to bring out an English version.