BBMP gets Rs 3,000 cr, but focus is on mobilising funds

Bengaluru: The BBMP’s over dependence on the government for funding seems to have taken a hit as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kicked the ball back on the civic body’s court. 

While the government has earmarked Rs 3,000 crore to support capital infrastructure, much of the focus during the Friday’s state budget was on the BBMP’s efforts to mobilize funds through its internal resources. 

Siddaramaiah said the BBMP is taking many initiatives to consolidate tax and non-tax resources. “We are headed towards record tax collections of Rs 4,300 crore during 2023-24. This is Rs 1,000 crore more than the previous year,” he said. “Our tax collection is expected to reach Rs 6,000 crore in the year 2024-25 which will be achieved by preventing leakages in the tax collection system.” 

He also indicated the government’s plan to bring in a new advertisement policy and a premium floor area ratio (FAR) policy for Bengaluru.

“Starting this year, additional non-tax resources of Rs 2,000 crore will be mobilized by implementing these two policies,” Siddaramaiah said. 

Among the projects that were mentioned in the budget include: White-topping of 147-kms of road, a short tunnel road across Hebbal junction, construction of all-weather road by utilizing space available within the canal buffer zone, a 250-meter sky deck and 73-km long peripheral ring road (PRR). 

Officials said the allocation of Rs 3,000 crore -- which is as same as the BBMP received last year -- will be used both for clearing the old bills of projects approved by the government as well as new works.  

The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd, which is an off-shoot of BBMP, had sought Rs 600 crore in the state budget but the newly-formed entity has not received special grants.

Siddaramaiah proposed end-to-end waste management from households to the waste processing centres. “The BBMP is procuring 50 to 100 acres of lands at four places for processing of waste and creation of scientific landfill. This will solve the problem of landfills in the city for the next 30 years,” he said. No funds were however earmarked for this project which is eco-sensitive and runs against multiple court and tribunal orders.