Karnataka - Bangalore

Support for Greater Bangalore among taluk panchayat members

Staff Reporter

`It will help in giving a push to development works'

BANGALORE: Several representatives of the local bodies have supported the idea of Greater Bangalore that is likely to benefit 111 villages around the city.

Members of the taluk panchayats are viewing greater Bangalore as a panacea to the ills plaguing the outlying areas of Bangalore.

The taluk panchayats have been asked to record their objections, if any, and bring them to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Urban, before November 30.

According to Krishnappa, a member of the Bangalore South Taluk Panchayat, several villages that are as close as 15 km to Bangalore have not witnessed development due to lack of funding. The formation of Greater Bangalore would help in getting sufficient funds for taking up development works as well as to raise revenue.

The notification bringing 111 villages under Greater Bangalore has affected many gram panchayats, and in some cases the whole constituency of a member of the taluk panchayat has been notified.

Those members whose constituencies have been partially notified do not yet know about their future.

It is learnt that while the original draft included more villages, the present notification left out many that were identified in the initial phase, leading to confusion among the members.

"Since all of us have been elected recently, we are not sure if we would be getting the full five-year term or the membership would end soon after the formation of Greater Bangalore," said another member.

Merger

It is learnt that the Bangalore South and Bangalore East taluk panchayats would be merged after the formation of Greater Bangalore. The Bangalore East Taluk Panchayat would be left with only five gram panchayats, which has necessitated the merger.

In fact, the Bangalore East Taluk Panchayat was carved out of the Bangalore South Taluk Panchayat a few years ago.

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