Want good governance in Bengaluru? DK Shivakumar says, pay taxes, declare assets, hide nothing

NEW DELHI: Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has urged Bengaluru residents to cooperate with civic authorities by declaring their assets, paying taxes on time and being transparent, saying this was the way to ensure “good governance” in the city. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) would act only as a monitoring body, while major civic works would continue to be handled by the five newly created city corporations. “All the problems of Bengaluru city cannot be solved in one day. I know it takes time. Our citizens should also cooperate. They should declare their assets. They should not hide anything. They should pay taxes regularly, and they will get good governance,” he said. The five corporations — Bengaluru Central, North, South, East and West — formally came into effect on 2 September. They will function under the umbrella of the GBA, which has 75 members and is chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Shivakumar had announced the formation earlier this week, describing it as a step towards enhancing urban administration and implementing citizen-friendly services.He also addressed a separate issue, saying he had met farmers, legislators and councillors from the Krishna Water Basin area to discuss land acquisition for the Upper Krishna Project. Shivakumar stressed that the government was committed to completing the project at the earliest, adding: “We aim to obtain the consent of farmers and complete the land acquisition process.”