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A lot of people around the city, in diff neighbourhoods, are tagging @BBMP_MAYOR, @BBMPCOMM to say, "we don't have even a motorable road", or "our road is full of potholes". Unfortunately, for the foreseeable future, that's how it's going to be. You're not going to get a road.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM Occasionally, by a combination of luck, persistence, other interests, etc. a few people here and there will get a road. But most won't. And in that time even more homes will be built on streets that won't have roads. We're firmly on catch-up mode, and the lag is about a decade.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM It costs money to lay roads. And since the number of roads that need fixing is huge, with the current funds at its disposal, BBMP can't lay all the roads for a very long time. It's harsh but plain - no money, no road. So, if we want more roads, we have to create more money first.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM If money is 'shifted' to roads, then the gap will show up elsewhere. We'll need more pipes, maybe. Or water taps, or health facilities. Or buses. And notice that we already have 'not enough' of those too. Net-net, same story. Not enough 'local' money to meet all the local needs.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM Without decentralisation of public funds, there is ZERO chance of fixing our localities. A small section of the population will pay for this privately in their areas, but public infra will not be anywhere near good. We can either get used to it, or start looking for the money.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM How much money will we need? By my estimate, about 20 rupees per square foot to create decent infrastructure and services, and 2 rupees per square foot after that to maintain it. You know how big your house or office is, so do the math :-) It's a big number !!
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM There is a way out. This money exists. After all, we pay a lot of tax. The mismatch is - we pay tax to one entity and expect services from a different one. Most of our taxes are with the Centre and the States, who skimp on sharing this with local bodies. We need to change that.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM Out the taxes that you pay to the state and centre, about Rs.6000 per year (and per person) needs to be given to your local municipality or panchayat. That is very affordable to the state and Central governments, even though it's a massive number for the local body.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM But the fix is not just technical or financial. It's political and social. Decentralisation will shift power to local councillors and to the citizens, and therefore it's not a simple thing to convince political parties to do this. No one gives away their power voluntarily.
@BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM If people support decentralisation at the time of voting, and demand that from candidates, there's a chance some of this will happen. Otherwise, there's always Twitter and Facebook and Instagram, on which you can tag the mayor and the commissioner - to no avail. Thathastu.
