Civil Society Forum releases people's manifesto

A number of civil society organisations, under the banner of Civil Society Forum, on Friday released a people’s manifesto for the upcoming BBMP polls.

The manifesto highlights a number of issues ranging from the contentious splitting of the BBMP to ensuring proper waste management in the City. “The BBMP should be restructured and not split,” the manifesto reads. Other recommendations on this issue talks about a three-tier structure on the lines of Panchayat Raj bodies comprising Greater Bengaluru Authority, zonal councils and ward committees, to name a few.

With more than 60,000 children in the State suffering from the malnourishment, the manifesto further states that there is a need to strengthen all services of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme under the Department of Women and Child Development.  Anita, a member of Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA) said: “We need to make our wards more child-friendly and corporators should ensure that this goal is achieved.”

Representatives of various political parties discussed a number of points mentioned in the manifesto. One of the points raised during the discussion was provision to invoke ‘Right to Recall’ for non-performing corporators. Veteran freedom fighter H Doreswamy acted as the moderator of the discussion.

As many as 19 organisations such as Citizens Voluntary Initiative for the City (Civic), Center for Amenities, Rehabilitation and Education (CARE) and 17 others, under the umbrella of the Civil Society Forum, have played their part in drafting the manifesto.