Major structural and administrative changes announced for BBMP

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has approved the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) Bill 2020, promising sweeping administrative and structural changes. Now, gram panchayats and town municipalities within one square km radius of BBMP will be added to the civic body. With that, the number of wards will increase from 198 to 243. Prior to tabling this Bill, the BBMP was governed by the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act 1976.

The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and members of various Standing Committees will get 30 months tenure instead of just a year.

Besides this, the number of divisions in the BBMP will be increased from eight to 15. Each of these zones will act as an independent civic body with one of the corporators named as president, besides a committee of legislators to guide in each of the Assembly segments. Zonal joint commissioners are allowed to function independently and take decisions.

The number of standing committees will also be reduced, while adding more members to each of such committees, to provide representation to all corporators.