Bengaluru's mega budget promises helipads for city

Keeping in tune with its penchant for inflated budgets, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike presented yet another mega budget on Wednesday, with an outlay of ₹9,322 crore. Construction of helipads in each of its eight zones at a cost of ₹5 crore — to facilitate air ambulance services — is the novel offer for Bengaluru in the election year.

While a major chunk of the funds is earmarked for maintenance and development work (₹5,125 crore), garbage disposal and solid waste management (with ₹1,066 crore) stood second (₹633 crore was set aside for SWM in 2016-17 and ₹899 crore was earmarked in 2017-18). Glaringly, the budget has no mention of lake rejuvenation.

The ‘election effect’ is evident in the welfare schemes. BBMP Tax and Finance Standing Committee chairperson M Mahadev, who presented the budget, announced programmes for civic workers, SCs/ STs, transgenders and deprived families. He announced Janaoushadha centres offering medicines at lower prices in Indira Canteens and BBMP hospitals.He announced construction of multistoreyed houses for slum-dwellers.