The recently tabled Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Bill, 2024, has been evaluated as only marginally better than the existing Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Act, 2020, according to a study conducted by the Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy. This comparative analysis raises concerns about the effectiveness of the new bill in addressing the governance challenges of Bengaluru, a city grappling with rapid urbanisation and complex administrative demands.
The GBG Bill, 2024, which was introduced by the State government in the Assembly, was expected to bring significant improvements over the BBMP Act, 2020, which had previously drawn criticism for failing to adequately address the city’s governance issues. Notably, members of the ruling Congress had earlier criticised the BBMP Act, introduced by the BJP, labelling it a “missed opportunity” for reforming Bengaluru’s governance structure. However, the latest evaluation suggests that the GBG Bill, 2024, does not fully capitalise on the opportunity for reform either.
Janaagraha’s evaluation was based on four core principles of urban governance: urban planning and design, urban capacities and resources, empowered and legitimate political representation, and transparency, accountability, and participation. The GBG Bill, 2024, received a score of 3.35 out of 10, only slightly higher than the BBMP Act, 2020, which scored 3.23. In contrast, the draft of the GBG Bill, recommended by the Brand Bengaluru Committee, scored a more promising 6.5, indicating that several key reform opportunities have been overlooked in the final version of the bill. A significant concern highlighted in the evaluation is the absence of a comprehensive planning component in the GBG Bill, 2024, which received a score of zero in this area. This omission is particularly troubling when compared to the KMC Act, 1976, and the BBMP Act, 2020, both of which scored 1.33 in the same category.
Janaagraha identified ten critical missed opportunities in the GBG Bill, 2024, including the absence of provisions for a metropolitan Mayor, a Mayor-in-Council, an ombudsman, and the establishment of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) for integrated planning across the Bengaluru metropolitan area. The draft version of the bill had included seven of these features, but none made it into the final GBG Bill, 2024. The findings underscore the need for a more robust and comprehensive approach to urban governance in Bengaluru. As the city continues to grow, the effectiveness of its governance framework will be crucial in ensuring sustainable development and addressing the myriad challenges posed by rapid urbanisation. The GBG Bill, 2024, as it stands, may not be the transformative solution that Bengaluru urgently requires.
“Bengaluru is a significant contributor to the national economy. The city deserves a modern and innovative governance model to be able to continue on its robust path of growth. Bengalureans deserve a much better quality of life, on par with that of international cities. The expectation that the GBG Bill will usher in a progressive governance model, which could facilitate significant improvement in different aspects of people’s lives, has been betrayed with the tabling of a very limiting Bill. It is also disappointing to note that the government has chosen to ignore many of the desirable recommendations of the Brand Bengaluru Committee,” said Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO, Janaagraha.
