Civic

Note: This website will soon be migrated to a new system.  If you face any issues, do mail us. You can also reach us through Twitter or Facebook! Bengaluru This Week Get our free weekly newsletter. Name Email Bengaluru This Week archives. Bengaluru's Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy is contesting the assembly election this time from Shanthinagar. Murthy has been a corporator thrice, and had been the city's Mayor till April this year.Murthy gave this interview to Citizen Matters at a hotel in Domlur last week, where he was holding a meeting with BJP activists on his campaign strategy. Murthy was quick…

The last time the Janata Dal (Secular) came to power in Karnataka was in February 2006, when the JD(S) withdrew its support to the Dharam Singh government to join hands with the BJP. While the two political heavyweights, H D Kumaraswamy and B S Yeddyurappa, agreed on the 20-20 formula to occupy the Chief Minister's post, things didn't go as planned. Note: This website will soon be migrated to a new system.  If you face any issues, do mail us. You can also reach us through Twitter or Facebook! Bengaluru This Week Get our free weekly newsletter. Name Email Bengaluru This…

The Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC), has come out with a comparison of the manifestos of major parties in the state, specifically with reference to Bangalore city. The comparison in tabular format also comprises it own recommendation on the issues. The parties under consideration include the Janata Dal -Secular (JD-(S), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress (INC), Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) and Loksatta party.   The various points in the manifestos have been categorised under broad issues like ‘Governance', ‘Infrastructure', ‘Waste Management', ‘Law & Order', ‘Economy', ‘Health & Housing', ‘Education' and ‘Miscellaneous'. Governance For better governance, the JD(S) is proposing an…

After many attempts to reach him, Citizen Matters finally caught up with Deputy Chief Minister and Padmanabhnagar MLA R Ashoka on a Padyatra in Shastri Nagar in Yediyur ward. Surrounded by a horde of screaming supporters and amidst shaking hands, waving at his supporters Ashoka answered the questions put to him. R Ashoka campaigning in his constituency. Pic: Sriram V Here are the excerpts:  What are the problems facing your constituency?The constituency before I became MLA had severe drainage issues. There were no playgrounds here and even those that were there were not in a good state. The constituency also has…

Note: This website will soon be migrated to a new system.  If you face any issues, do mail us. You can also reach us through Twitter or Facebook! Bengaluru This Week Get our free weekly newsletter. Name Email Bengaluru This Week archives. Shobha Karandlaje, Yeshwanthpur MLA and former BJP minister, is busy with her election campaign. She is the KJP candidate for Rajaji Nagar constituency this time, and is up for some serious competition against BJP minister S Suresh Kumar.She had handled three portfolios - Rural Development, Energy and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs - in the ministry earlier. She…

It is the last day to file nominations and also the day when a bomb went off outside the BJP office in Malleshwaram. Just after filing his nomination, Jayanagar MLA B N Vijaykumar sat down with Citizen Matters to give us his take on the constituency, its problems, his achievement and what he plans to do if elected again. Jayanagar MLA B N Vijay Kumar with supporters after filing his nomination. Pic: Sriram V What were the main problems of the constituency? Note: This website will soon be migrated to a new system.  If you face any issues, do mail us.…

As per the last census, Bangalore had a growth of over 48%. Across Indian cities, the growth has been rapid. It is the kind of growth that would have tested the best of political and managerial talent in an extremely empowered city - mayor kind of system that we see globally. Given that we do not have proper city governance system, no visionary leaders and lack of urban governance skills, we have a perfect storm developing across our cities. Do we stay with business as usual?Each of us has our own view of the problem in the city. It could…

It's hot - and I don't mean the weather. Election fever is spreading, with parties and politicians busy working out strategies that would help them retain (or get to) power.Politicians in power who drive through signals in official cars with red lights whirling on top and pilot cars ordering all traffic to make way for the VIP, have become suddenly supplicants, appearing with folded hands in roadside hoardings, telling us how keen they are to 'serve' us.Look at the party election manifestoes of last elections, and you will see that they all make near-identical promises in seeking votes - capturing…

“Politics is bad; it is horrible. Politicians are scoundrels. So what should we do apart from talking? Just because the air is polluted doesn't mean you stop breathing. Hope, organisation, honest effort and action will take us to a better tomorrow.” This is what Dr. Priya Dharshini S V, who is contesting from Rajarajeshwari Nagar under JD(U) banner says in her Facebook post. A doctor-turned-lawyer, ex-IAS officer, mother of two, Dr Priya practises at Karnataka High Court, Supreme Court and International courts. Priya Dharshini, Rajajeshwari Nagar candidate. Pic: Priya4MLA, Facebook page. Meet the new breed of electoral contestants: urban, highly…

'The Sustainable City' is a year-long series of events starting 20 April, 2013. The event initiated by Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS), Bangalore  in collaboration with TiE CleanTech SIG (The Indus Entrepreneurs Cleantech Special Interest Group) is an effort to build knowledge and awareness in the context of sustainable urbanisation Pic courtesy: IIHS IIHS intervenes to address the deficit of practice and policy at the administrative level of urban governance and thus the need to make sustainability a necessity at policy levels.  From being accepted as a standard, education in India is now largely debated, discussed and is undergoing…