Transparency sees Bengaluru rise up the ranks

More information on websites, use of apps and social media to interact with citizens has seen Bengaluru jump up six spots in the Annual Survey of India’s City Systems-2015 by Janagrahaa, an NGO.

Bengaluru’s position has gone up from 18 (in 2014) to 12, but languishes behind Kolkata (which tops the rankings), Delhi, Patna and Bhopal.

The biggest improvement is in the Urban Capacities and Resources category, which includes financial management, number of civic workers as a proportion to the population and government institutions for financial planning. The ranking has jumped from 20 (2014) to 12.

Among the major constraints is staff shortage. The report notes that over 52 per cent of the sanctioned posts in the civic body is vacant – one of the highest in the country.

Similarly, in Transparency, Accountability and Participation, which includes the manner in which the authorities inform citizens as well as respond to complaints, the city has improved its score and maintains its position in the top 3.

“The city has done well in certain parameters, including ensuring availability of raw data of works. Sahaya app and taking grievances through social media has helped the score,” said Srikanth Viswanathan, coordinator-Advocacy and Reforms, Research and Insights at Janagrahaa.

There is a warning bell in the results. The city continues to languish at the bottom when it comes to democratic principles and the power of elected representatives. The inhibiting factors are the (more than five-month) delay in elections to the BBMP and the low turnout.

What this also means is that control over expenditure in the city is out of the hands of elected representatives. BBMP spends just 16 per cent of the funds earmarked for civic projects; the rest is allocated to BWSSB, BMRCL, BMTC and Bescom, which do not have an elected council.

“Even the term of the mayor is just one year, instead of five years in Bhubaneswar and Chennai. No one takes the city’s political leadership seriously,” said Srikanth Viswanathan, coordinator-Advocacy and Reforms, Research and Insights at Janagrahaa.