Being the economic engine of Karnataka and known as the Silicon Valley of India, Bengaluru is at the centre of affairs in the State. With mega infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores underway and unmatched exposure, even at the global level, the Bengaluru Development Ministry in the Karnataka Cabinet has turned into one of the most coveted portfolios in the State. 

Expectedly, it has become contentious and is at the centre of political bickerings as the new cabinet is formed under Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. 

None happy 

This time around, Mr. Shivakumar, who earlier held charge of Bengaluru Development as the Deputy Chief Minister, senior Bengaluru Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy, and Krishna Byre Gowda, a relatively younger minister known for his technocratic approach, have been wrangling for the portfolio and none seem to be happy with the situation. 

While Mr. Reddy resigned as a minister over not getting Bengaluru Development Ministry, and later fell in line accepting the Water Resources portfolio, Mr. Shivakumar is learnt to have been keen on retaining it himself, but was nudged by the party high command to give to Mr. Byre Gowda. During the Ramalinga Reddy fiasco, he even said that the allocation of Bengaluru Development portfolio to Mr. Byre Gowda was the high command’s call. 

Mr. Shivakumar seems to have extracted some solace by not allotting Mr. Byre Gowda Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), two key planning authorities driving key infrastructure projects like Peripheral Ring Road, Hebbal short tunnel and Bidadi township. 

For two weeks, Mr. Byre Gowda did not take charge of the portfolio arguing he was awaiting clarity on the responsibilities. He was averse to taking charge without BDA and BMRDA, as it would slice up responsibility and accountability for the city’s governance and adversely impact his effectiveness as a minister. However, he eventually took charge on June 16, with BDA and BMRDA being retained by the Chief Minister. 

A dedicated law, an empowered minister 

Post the Information Technology (IT) boom in the 1990s, Bengaluru shot to global fame, but also became notorious for its traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure and governance gap, especially in the late 2000s. Out of this frustration, emerged demands for a dedicated law for Bengaluru’s governance as it was felt the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, was inadequate for the unique challenges of a city like Bengaluru. 

In the Government of Karnataka, there is only Urban Development Department. Despite being a separate ministry and a dedicated minister being appointed, Bengaluru Development remain under the UDD. 

The practice of appointing a Bengaluru Development Minister started in the 1990s, when Bengaluru shot to global fame with theIT boom and Karnataka government became conscious of projecting Bengaluru as a global investment destination.  Ananth Nag and V. Somanna held charge of the city during this period. 

However, it was discontinued in later years. Even when Bengaluru became a big focus of the government under S.M. Krishna, the city did not have a dedicated minister. Mr. Shivakumar held charge of the city as Urban Development Minister. 

The practice was revived midway through Siddaramaiah’s first tenure in 2015 when K. J. George became Bengaluru Development Minister. Except for two years under B. S. Yediyurappa from 2019 to 2021, the city has had a dedicated Bengaluru Development Minister from 2015. While under Basavaraj Bommai (2021-23), the chief minister held the charge of the city, G. Parameshwara and Mr. Shivakumar held charge as Bengaluru Development Ministers as Deputy Chief Ministers during this period.  

During the same time (2015-18), the then Congress government tried restructuring Bengaluru’s governance into multiple corporations, reversing the earlier expansion of expanding Bengaluru’s civic body in 2007. However, this reform did not pass through then. Eventually, the BJP government passed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020, which was also repealed and the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 was passed. 

Bengaluru Development not a unique case

Bengaluru Development is not the only ministry carved out of its parent department of Urban Development Department. Larger ministries have routinely been divided for either administrative convenience or to accommodate more ministerial aspirants. 

For instance, the State has had three ministers handling Education — broken up into Primary Education, Higher Education and Medical Education. Agriculture and allied services have also been divided into Agriculture, Horticulture and Agriculture Marketing. Even Sericulture and Sugar have separate ministers. 

Likewise, the Water Resources ministry has been split into Major and Medium Irrigation and Minor Irrigation, Industries Ministry into Large and Medium Scale Industries, Small Scale Industries and Information Technology and Biotechnology. Recently, the Social Welfare Ministry has also been split up as SC Welfare, ST Welfare and OBC Welfare, with three ministers from these respective communities holding charge. 

Slicing up of Bengaluru Development itself 

But what has happened now is splitting up the Bengaluru Development portfolio itself. The Chief Minister holding back charge of BDA and BMRDA, while giving charge of only Greater Bengaluru Authority, five city corporations, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to Mr. Byre Gowda, has not gone down well with many in the city. 

For instance, Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya launched a social media campaign on June 15 demanding “a fully empowered Bengaluru Development Minister”. “The ongoing turf war within the State Government has left the city without clear accountability at a time when Bengaluru faces mounting infrastructure and civic challenges,” he said. 

Arguing that it was not about who will be the Bengaluru Development Minister and that it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister, he said, “Bengaluru needs an empowered minister whom citizens can hold accountable. Splitting responsibilities between the Chief Minister and the Bengaluru Minister creates confusion and governance paralysis”. 

GBA’s purpose defeated?

GBA was hailed as a progressive step for the very fact that, for the first time, it brought all parastatals working in the city on one platform. Till then, these parastatals were working under various ministries, lacked coordination and were often at cross purposes. 

The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, while placing the Chief Minister as the Chairperson of the GBA, makes Bengaluru Development Minister its co-chair. In fact, this is the first time the Bengaluru Development Minister is recognised as part of a law. The Minister heads an executive committee which will help GBA in its day-to-day administration. 

However, with BDA and BMRDA under the Chief Minister, the question arises if the purpose of the GBA is itself compromised. 

BBMP out, GBA in: New era of urban governance in Bengaluru

For the city of Bengaluru, it’s out with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and in with the Greater Bengaluru Authority With the passing of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, the capital city of Karnataka has welcomed a new structure of governance which hopes to usher in greater coordination between multiple corporations and parastatals. | Video Credit: The Hindu