Governance

Gain in-depth understanding of civic administration, policy implementation and public policy. Find articles on the intricacies of urban governance, learn more about challenges and successes in local government operations, effectiveness of municipal bodies, and how it all affects the lives of citizens. Understand election processes and get critical information on choices and options. Be informed about active citizen engagement with governing authorities, and how residents can influence policy and hold them accountable.

This year, each property under BBMP has been given a new GIS-based PID number. PID will have ward number, new street ID and newly allotted property number.To find your PID number, please follow these steps:1) Go to the link bbmp.gov.in2) Click on the tab 'GIS based new PID'3) Go to the bottom of the page and click on 'To Know your New PID Click Here'4) Enter the application number you used for your 2008-2009 property tax payment or enter your old PID Number and click on 'Search'.5) Click on your name and then click 'Fetch'. You will get the details.…

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UPDATE: For Summary revisions of rolls open November 5th to December 4th 2012, click here. The Election commission of India has announced a special opportunity for the citizens of Bengaluru. You can enrol as a first-time voter or oncoming to reside in Assembly Constituency.If your name has been left out in the voter's list published in January, give the required information to the booth level officers when they visit your house, to enable them to include your name. Any kind of form filling is not required.You can get corrections done in your entry or the EPIC card issued to you.You…

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Karnataka Housing Board's National Games Village (NGV) is in a mess for almost 10 years now. KHB has not taken any step towards maintenance. NGV has rubbles, and garbage dump all around it. However, no cleaning has been taken up by the KHB despite collecting an external maintenance of Rs. 450 per house.The National games village has 14 blocks and over 2500 houses. The maintenance has been handed over to the residents, making them responsible for internal maintenance. External maintenance however still remains with KHB.A maintenance of Rs. 1500 is collected by every block of NGV out of which, Rs.…

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Lack of trash pickup points nearby has made 6th cross, 3rd block Koramangala near BDA complex a garbage dumping space for over 20 years now. Pourakarmikas say the garbage pickup truck comes about once a week to clear it. Devi, a pourakarmika says, "We have been dumping the garbage of the whole locality here. The BBMP truck comes and collects it whenever they want."    Garbage dump at BDA complex, Koramangala. Pic: Anisha Nair      The garbage menace has been bothering residents and shopkeepers alike. A tea stall owner outside the BDA complex, who did not want to be named, says,…

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Dear Friends,We are often remembered by some people. In fact, we are called ‘the real labourers’. Sometimes you invite us to the podiums, praise and even felicitate us. Time and again we have heard people say ‘pourakarmikas are the true doctors of this city, they keep the city clean and prevent diseases, that there should be a salary raise for pourakarmikas. That would be the just thing to do’. We don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the repeated statements. We are appealing to you through this letter, as sympathetic and conscious citizens, for your help.Hence, we have a…

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RWAs run by elected volunteers are subject to full fledged auditing to the last paisa. They are answerable to the house owners for every single expenditure incurred for the year. But BBMP that has budget outlays of hundreds of crores of rupees has done away with auditing for more than four decades now. Worse, BBMP has been reeling under fund crisis and scams. BBMP Councillors protest during the 2011 budget approval. File Pic: Navya P K Since the major report of February 2012, Indicted by CAG, strangled by state, Bengaluru Limps on, Citizen Matters did an exclusive inquiry into who…

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Karnataka Unit of Loksatta party organised a voters' registration campaign for the Bangalore Graduates' Constituency Elections (BGCE) on 12 April, 2012. Ashwin Mahesh is the Lok Satta candidate for the MLC seat.The event was called "Follow the Justice, Justice will follow" and was to help the citizens to register as a graduate voter. Activists and citizens along with Ashwin Mahesh and Justice Hegde. Pic: Abhishek Angad Around 100 citizens turned up for this event at the Shanti Nagar Bus-stand premises including Retired Justice Santosh Hegde and Ashwin Mahesh for the BGCE 2012. Both of them registered themselves with the Regional…

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Along the road in front of my apartment is a tree that has sprouted lovely, delicate pink blooms. Big deal, you say? Lots of trees around town are festooned with these pink flowers now - but this one is special. Fifteen years ago, this tree did not exist. When the BMP (as it was then) put in a road divider, it left a narrow strip of earth, less than half a metre wide, inside the divider, and planted some bougainvillea and assorted saplings within the strip, protected by metal fencing. The saplings have grown, and this small tree is blooming,…

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The pilot launch of the Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act 2011 (Sakala) in Jayanagar saw only 31 applications filed. The pilot was on between March 1st to March 31st at the Jayanagar Revenue office. Jayanagar Revenue Office where Sakala was piloted. Pic: Abhishek Angad The number 31, however contradicts the government figure of 72, 505 applications for the same period. The office covers four BBMP wards (168-171).An official on conditions of anonymity explained why the numbers were so low. "Here we have minimum three days to deliver services. People prefer availing Bangalore One services as their delivery model is…

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BBMP has started property tax payment collection for 2012-13. Application forms for tax payment are available at all offices for a fee of Rs 5. Garbage cess should be calculated and paid along with property tax.TAX RATES & REBATESNo revision in rates. No change in self-declared tax and building depreciation.Pay by 30th May 2012. After that, additional interest of 2% for every month of delay.Get a rebate of 5% by paying the full amount by 30th April. WHERE TO PAYAll BBMP offices and Bangalore One centers on all working days. Payment hours are from 9 am to 12.30 pm, and…

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