Suggestions from all stakeholders to be taken for Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill: DCM

Bengaluru, July 24: Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that suggestions and opinions of all stakeholders of the city would be taken before finalising the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill.

Speaking after tabling the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2024 in the Legislative Assembly, he said, “Bengaluru belongs to everyone. We will factor in opinions and suggestions of all leaders and stakeholders before finalising the Bill.” Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, BJP MLAs Ashwathnarayan and Suresh Kumar opposed tabling the Bill.

“I may be born in a village but I have living in Bengaluru since the age of 5. I may be representing another constituency but I care for Bengaluru. The officials had recommended London model of governance, but I did not agree. We can’t change the model of governance completely, hence we are looking at incremental changes,” he told the House.

“I am not foolish to take a decision on the Bill solely without taking Opposition leaders into confidence. It was discussed in the Cabinet meeting and it was felt that the Opposition leaders have to buy into the changes. I am tabling this Bill for discussion and I don’t expect you to approve it as is. Bengaluru has been growing rapidly and it requires changes, let’s discuss what is needed and what is not,” he said.

“The state capital is not limited to the people of the city but to the whole state. All opinions need to be taken into account. We will go with consensus,” he said, to which Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said he would like to discuss this in the meeting scheduled for July 27 to discuss Bengaluru’s issues.

Replying to the DCM, Ashoka said, “Not just Bengaluru, Kanakapura also belongs to everyone.” To which, the DCM jokingly said, referring to Ashok’s big defeat, “Kanakapura belongs to you too, the people voted for you too in the last election!”

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