PRESS RELEASE

Citizens from different wards of Bengaluru were joined by those across the country to participate in Janaagraha’s #CityPolitics webinar, titled ‘MyCityMyBudget Phase 2 – Are Ward Committees using budget allocated to them’, on Saturday, January 22nd. The webinar discussed how Bengaluru’s ward committees have been utilising the budget allocated to them. Last August, BBMP set precedent by allotting Rs 60 lakh to each of its 198 ward committees. The decision was taken after over 9,000 citizens submitted inputs on how ward budgets need to be spent, in response to the #MyCityMyBudget (MCMB) campaign (jointly launched by BBMP and the NGO…

Bengaluru is a finalist in a nationwide competition to implement and scale kid-friendly neighbourhood design over the next two years. Pilot projects formulated and implemented by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and Bengaluru Smart City Ltd (BenSCL) aim to enhance access to transit, open spaces, maternity hospitals and anganwadis. There are ten winning cities in the Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge, a national initiative to shape neighbourhoods across India that support healthy early childhood development. The challenge was launched in November 2020 by the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in collaboration with the Bernard van…

Sexual harassment in public spaces is among the different types of violence that women face every day and is among the issues that need urgent attention today. For an equitable and sustainable future, it is imperative that India’s youth -- our greatest asset -- take cognizance of prevalent gender biases which limit our nation’s development. It is then important for the youth to sensitize themselves about their rights and responsibilities, harness their collective potential for the greater good of their personal and wider circles, and engage in conversations (that involves agreement or dissent) with respect for one another and the…

In September 2021, volunteers at Muse Foundation, a Mumbai-based youth organisation that works to build awareness around manual scavenging among other pressing social issues, received a response to an RTI query they filed with the Sewerage Department of Thane Municipal Corporation. The RTI had sought information on the ‘provisional list of manual scavengers published’ and a ‘list of self-declared manual scavengers and information on their rehabilitation.’ TMC claimed that the questions are ‘Not Applicable’. Additionally, responding to a request for the list of manual scavengers submitted to the District Level Survey Committee, they replied, ‘’The Thane Municipal Corporation’s Sewerage Department…

Domestic workers are found in all urban and semi-urban households in India, and are yet invisible. Many domestic workers/care workers toil long hours, and are seen hurrying to their places of work as early as 5 am, be it rain, shine or the cold winter! At their workplace - the employer’s home - they face caste discrimination, sexual assault, have no social security, leave, protection or rights like other workers. With the gendered notion of housework, it's considered natural that domestic workers - majority of them women - should slave, and their work, like all housework, is devalued. Thousands of…

BBMP Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, in a press release, said the revised voters' list for all 28 Assembly Constituencies within BBMP limits was published on November 8th. The list has been published at the Voter's Registration Office, office of the Assistant Electoral Officer and in the ward offices. Citizens can review their details and make any corrections if required. This is in the line up to the Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls - 2022. The voters' list is also available at the website of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka as well as the BBMP website. You can also find…

Translated by Sandhya Raju from the original Tamil Press Release by GCC Chennai District Election Officer and Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi jointly released the draft electoral poll list for Chennai, in the presence of the party representatives, earlier this week. The electoral list includes eligible voters from the 16 constituencies, as of January 1st, 2022. This list is available at 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 zonal offices for public view. The public has been requested to check the draft list for addition, modification or deletion. First-time voters whose names have still not been included or who…

இந்திய தேர்தல் ஆணையத்தின் உத்தரவின்படி, சென்னை மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ளடக்கிய 16 சட்டமன்ற தொகுதிகளுக்கான வரைவு வாக்காளர் பட்டியலை மாவட்ட தேர்தல் அலுவலர் / அரசு முதன்மை செயலாளர் / பெருநகர சென்னை மாநகராட்சி ஆணையாளர் திரு. ககன்தீப் சிங் பேடி, இ.ஆ.ப., அவர்கள் இன்று (01.11.2021) ரிப்பன் மாளிகை கூட்டரங்கில் அனைத்து கட்சி பிரமுகர்கள் முன்னிலையில் வெளியிட்டார். இந்திய தேர்தல் ஆணையத்தின் உத்தரவின்படி சென்னை மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ளடக்கிய 16 சட்டமன்றத் தொகுதிகளுக்கான வாக்காளர் பட்டியல் 01.01.2022- ஆம் தேதியினை தகுதி ஏற்படுத்தும் நாளாகக் கொண்டு 2022-ஆம் ஆண்டின் சிறப்பு சுருக்க முறை திருத்தம் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகிறது. இச்சுருக்க முறை திருத்தம் தொடர்பாக வரைவு வாக்காளர் பட்டியல் இன்று 01.11.2021 வெளியிடப்படுகிறது. மேற்படி வரைவு வாக்காளர் பட்டியல் பெருநகர சென்னை மாநகராட்சி மண்டல அலுவலகங்கள் 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 மற்றும் வாக்குச்சாவடி மையங்களிலும் பொதுமக்களின் பார்வைக்கு வைக்கப்படும்.…

Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC), a citizens' group, in collaboration with Karnataka government's Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), released a report on their 'Livelihood Cyclists Survey', on September 30. The report highlighted the needs and requirements of the cyclist while he/she is riding the cycle across the city, to understand their concerns regarding traffic on the roads, parking facility and other infrastructure. Cycling is one of the most sustainable modes of transport with zero dependence on fossil fuels, zero emissions, making it an affordable transport option. Bicycles have always had an important role in the informal sector, especially in…

City of 1000 Tanks intends to develop a Water Balance Model across the city by collecting rainwater, treating wastewater and runoff pollution with decentralized Nature-Based Solutions, and by recharging the underground aquifer to make Chennai water-rich. City of 1000 Tanks has an immediate, midterm and long-term vision for Chennai’s water security. Based on a unique Water Balance Model the project will harvest rainwater and treat wastewater and runoff pollution before recharging into the underground aquifer. This is achieved by people-friendly and culturally appropriate planning, made possible through aesthetically beautiful nature-based systems. The project will be rooted within the local context…