Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party slams city budget without citizens’ participation

Bengaluru: Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) described the city budget as a hollow exercise as it is being prepared without meaningful citizen participation.

"Any financial plan that fails to incorporate inputs from residents at the area sabha and ward levels fails to reflect the real needs and priorities of Bengaluru," said Srikanth Narasimhan, founder of BNP.

The current budget, the party said, has been designed by a small group of officials with little to no genuine consultation with the public. While there have been claims of public consultations, these efforts have been largely perfunctory, it said.

"Decisions for Bengaluru should come from its citizens, not just its officials. Participatory governance is not optional; it is the only way to build a responsive and accountable city administration."