Palike has diverted Central funds: DV Sadananda Gowda
He regretted that although it could earn revenue of thousands of crores from advertisements, the BBMP had done little about it.
Bengaluru: Coming down hard on the BBMP budget, Union Minister and former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda claimed on Thursday that the civic agency had diverted the Central grants given to it for specific projects last year.
“Although the Centre released Rs 200 crore to develop stormwater drains, build parking complexes and develop roads and flyovers in the city through the 13th finance commission, the BBMP did not make use of the funds for these projects, but spent them elsewhere,” he charged in a statement.
Hitting out at the civic agency for failing miserably at tax collection, Mr Gowda noted that it had managed to collect merely Rs 1,600 crore as against its target of Rs 2,600 crore.
He regretted that although it could earn revenue of thousands of crores from advertisements, the BBMP had done little about it. “While the area in a 5km radius around the international airport has earned Rs 200 crore in advertisements, the city spread over 800 sq.kms has managed to earn just Rs 32 crore in advertisements,” he deplored, advising the BBMP to stick to its promises and not merely lure the people by making false assurances of providing them 50 bicycles and 40 tailoring machines free of cost.