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Updated on: 06 January,2009 09:16 AM IST |
Chetan R |

Bengaluru Act will allow citizens to participate in urban governance

Bengaluru Act will allow citizens to participate in urban governance

Citizens will now have a say in the city administration. Bangalore will, for the first time, have citizen-centric governance.

According to a draft Act, citizens of particular wards will be the members of neighbourhood committees, which will be responsible for development of their respective wards. Citizens, along with the councilor for the area, will oversee the development in the area.

Urban development experts have prepared Bengaluru Act, a draft law to give city administration a boost. Sources said the draft would be submitted to the government shortly.

Mayoral election

One of the changes in the Bangalore Act will allow public to elect their mayor directly.u00a0 It also proposes to empower the mayor with a five-year term. While the mayoral elections is in line with the existing system in the US, the 'neighbourhood committees'u00a0 is in keeping with local administration in the UK.u00a0

"City administration will undergo a major change," said R Ashok, minister and district-in-charge. "It will facilitate better citizen's participation in urban governance."

The draft will entrust nodal agencies in all the 147 wards with the responsibility to update citizens on all decisions to ensure transparency.

Getting it right

Agenda for Bangalore Infrastructure Development (ABIDe),u00a0 a body set up by the BJP-led government to oversee Bangalore's infrastructure development,u00a0 is examining the draft of the Act. The taskforce has corporate heads, political leaders and NGO representatives as its members.

u00a0"We intend to enact it in the first quarter of this year," said A Ravindra, member ABIDe. "It will take another month to finalise the draft."