Track all civic spending online

02 December,2009 08:10 AM IST |   |  Chetan R

Civic body plans to fully computerise accounting system and give you online access to all payment, contractor and project details in a month


Civic body plans to fully computerise accounting system and give youu00a0 online access to all payment, contractor and project details in a month

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) plans to completely computerise its finance wing in a month to help every Bangalorean monitor online how his municipal tax money is being spent.

It will also allow you to pay taxes online.

Right Click: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike office. Soon, the civic body will also let you pay your municipal taxes online.


Transparency talk

"Our initiative is part of our attempts to improve our transparency by introducing e-governance. We expect the technology to enhance our services," explained M Maheshwar Rao, special commissioner, BBMP.u00a0

M Srinivas, a city development expert and former project director with the Hubli-Dhawad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), said, a similar initiative by the HDMC had been extremely successful. "The new system will help the BBMP maintain its accounts more efficiently and also help check corruption, red tapism and other irregularities because the payments will all be made online," said Srinivas.u00a0

Ledger system out

Officials of the BBMP said they expect the new system to become fully functional by January.

With full computerisation, the old way of doing things will be shown the door soon after. "We will do away with the ledger system of maintaining accounts in another two months," said an official of the BBMP.

Not all convinced

M Ramchandrappa, former mayor, BBMP, said merely computerising a system would not root out corruption.

"Officials have been talking about bringing about such changes for years. I have my doubts the system will be implemented at all. Even if it is, bringing down corruption isn't possible as the very officials suggesting such solutions indulge in corrupt practices."u00a0u00a0u00a0

More on the initiative
An advanced MIS (Management Information System) to handle accounts of the BBMP finance department.
Will allow citizens access to information on funding structure, payment mode and progress of various projects.
Every BBMP project will have a unique code that will allow citizens to access information on contractors, similar work undertaken in other parts of the city, money spent on the project along with date, details and mode of payment.

Also read: BBMP presses media button
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BBMP computerized accounting system online access plans Bangalore news