The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill-2024, which the govt says aims to streamline and improve urban governance in Bengaluru by restructuring its administrative framework, has been passed by the legislative assembly and the council, paving the way for it to be placed before the governor for final consent. Here’s everything you need to know about the bill that proposes the establishment of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), mandates creation of multiple city corporations to replace BBMP, among other things:
Key changes proposed in Bill
GBA creation: A central governing body to ensure efficient coordination between different agencies. Headed by the CM and comprising key govt officials, mayors, and representatives of civic bodies.
While CM will be the GBA chairperson, Bengaluru development minister or any minister nominated by the CM will be its vice-chairperson. GBA will be responsible for major urban development projects, infrastructure planning, and financial oversight.
The govt can nominate up to 10% of councillors, selecting experts in municipal matters/social workers. They have no voting rights and will serve a five-year term, subject to govt discretion.
Multiple City Corporations
The bill proposes breaking down the BBMP into up to seven independent city corporations.
Each city corporation will have its own mayor, elected representatives, and administrative officers. The aim is to make governance more localised and responsive to individual area needs.
A city corporation will be formed if the area has at least 10 lakh people, a population density of 5,000 per sqkm, an annual local revenue of Rs 300 crore, and at least 50% non-agricultural employment. No final call on how many city corporations will be formed has been taken at this juncture.
Improved Coordination & Infra Focus?
The bill seeks to streamline decision-making across key agencies such as BDA, BWSSB and Bescom to reduce administrative delays and overlaps in governance.
It seeks to establish a climate action cell to implement sustainable urban planning; development of a geographical information system (GIS) for better resource management and lays emphasis on infrastructure projects like arterial roads, stormwater drains, and Metro expansion.
What This Could Mean For Citizens
More localised and responsive governance: With smaller city corporations, the govt aims at making governance more efficient and citizen-centric. Local issues can be addressed faster without bureaucratic bottlenecks. It proposes constituency, zonal, standing, ward, and area sabha committees to oversee governance.
Greater Citizen Participation: The empowerment of ward committees means residents will have a stronger voice in urban planning and governance, while increasing transparency in budget allocation and civic projects.
Better Infrastructure Planning and Execution: GBA will oversee major infrastructure projects, ensuring better planning and execution. Focus is on sustainable urban development to improve quality of life.
Improved Public Services: Coordination among different agencies will lead to better waste management, water supply, electricity distribution, and transportation services.
Multiple citizen groups and the opposition parties have been opposing the bill. BJP and JD(S), in fact, walked out from the assembly in protest against the bill.
What Citizen Groups Want: Citizen organisations want a strong mayor with a five-year tenure (not 30 months proposed in the bill) and a Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) as an independent body headed by the mayor, without the state govt’s interference. Citizen groups say the proposed GBA allows significant govt control. They also demand timely municipal elections, citing the nearly five-year delay in BBMP polls as a governance failure.
BJP Criticises: R Ashoka, leader of opposition in the assembly, criticised the bill, warning that it could ruin the city’s unity and identity. “The new legislation would be detrimental to development of the city, as multiple corporations with mayors will create confusion over revenue sharing between wealthier and less prosperous areas. It also violates the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which empowers local bodies. A region can be made a Union territory if a significant number of people speaking other languages reside there. What if one of these new corporations writes to the Union govt demanding such a status?” he asked.
DKS Defends: Insisting that decentralisation was essential for effective governance, DCM DK Shivakumar defended the bill. “This bill is not about fragmenting Bengaluru but about making it stronger,” he said, adding that the govt was open to incorporating valid amendments.
Review Panel: In fact, after initial criticism from opposition, the govt had earlier decided to place the bill before a legislature joint review committee. In Aug 2024, speaker UT Khader formed the committee, comprising elected representatives from the Congress, BJP and JD(S). It was led by Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad. The bill was presented and passed in the assembly and council after the committee submitted its report on the matter.