BDA's Rs 18.21-cr largesse to several institutions

Generous donations by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to various private organisations in City have raised eyebrows.

The civic agency gave away as much as Rs 18.21 crore to several organisations between 2007 and 2014. Some benefited multiple times during this period. A question pertaining to this was raised by Ashwath Narayan (BJP) in the Legislative Council on Thursday. The MLC took objection that money was being given away to elite organisations such as Karnataka Lawn Tennis Association where a commoner could not even dream of stepping in. 

Among organisations that received donations, Suchitra Film Society was given Rs 51.26 lakh in 2011. In 2013 again, the organisation was given Rs 50,000. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike too received donations from time to time. In June 2011, Rs 5 lakh was given. In May 2012, Rakshana Vedike (T A Narayana Gowda faction) received Rs 10 lakh. Another Rs 10 lakh was again given in February 2013 and in October 2013, according to statistics provided by the BDA Commissioner.

The BDA has also given Rs 5 lakh for Karnataka Lawn Tennis Association, Rs 1 crore for Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy and Rs 10 lakh for Rajyotsava Samithi of Vatal Nagaraj. Former Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda has urged the government to ensure there is no duplication in the process of giving donations where some organisations claim money from multiple government departments.