BBMP officials struggle to keep up with D.K. Shivakumar’s orders

The officials of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are reportedly exhausted from the continuous orders issued by Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar. His directives to the BBMP Commissioner have led to multiple delays and rescheduling of key events, particularly concerning the presentation of the city's budget.

BBMP has been making elaborate preparations for the presentation of its 2025-26 budget. This year’s budget is expected to see a significant increase in allocation, largely due to substantial revenue collected from property taxes and the e-Khata system. With higher revenue, officials anticipate that substantial funds will be earmarked for various development projects.

However, despite these preparations, the budget presentation has been rescheduled three times at the behest of D.K. Shivakumar. Since the BBMP elections have not been held for the past five years, the budget continues to be managed by bureaucrats instead of elected representatives. For the last four years, officials have been solely responsible for drafting and presenting the budget, and this year is no different.

The repeated postponements have added to the challenges faced by BBMP officials, who are already burdened with executing large-scale urban development projects. The unpredictability in scheduling raises concerns about the administration's efficiency and the autonomy of BBMP in handling its financial planning.