State Govt. to constitute advisory group to boost Bengaluru’ infrastructure

In an aim to boost the tech city’ infrastructure, the State government will constitute an advisory committee in line with the elite task force that was first formed by the erstwhile Chief Minister S.M. Krishna in 1999.

Bengaluru

In an aim to boost the tech city’ infrastructure, the State government will constitute an advisory committee in line with the elite task force that was first formed by the erstwhile Chief Minister S.M. Krishna in 1999.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar after holding a review meeting on Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) developmental activities on Monday (June 5), told reporters at Vidhana Soudha: “I have decided to form an advisory group that existed when Mr. Krishna was the CM. Individuals like N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder, Infosys contributed immensely through investments and generating employment accelerating the growth. The committee will have people alike Murthy.”

Mr. Shivakumar further said in about four days, he would hold consultations with individuals who he thinks fit to be part of this elite group. He stressed that the group will work under the theme of Vision Bengaluru. 

It may be recalled that in 1999, Mr. Krisha formed the Bengaluru Agenda Task Force (BATF) headed by Nandan Nilekani, Former CEO, Infosys. In 2010, then CM B.S. Yediyurappa formed a similar team Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure and Development (ABIDe). However, the team never convened a single meeting, and it ceased to exist when Mr. Yediyurappa stepped down.

But when Mr. Yediyurappa returned as CM again in 2019, he did not reconstitute the committee, while previous CM Basavaraj Bommai also did not set up the committee. 

Srinivas Alavilli, citizen activist talking to The Hindu said Mr. Shivakumar’s Monday initiative to discuss city governance with MLAs and MPs is much appreciated. Instead of forming an ad hoc committee, the Metropolitan Planning Committee should be convened, he said.