₹20,000 crore boost for Bengaluru as five civic bodies present maiden budgets

Bengaluru, : In a major development for urban governance, the newly formed civic bodies under the Greater Bengaluru Authority have presented their maiden budgets for the financial year 2026–27, with a combined outlay of over ₹20,000 crore aimed at accelerating the city’s infrastructure and welfare initiatives.

Following the restructuring of the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, five separate corporations—East, West, North, South, and Central—have come into existence. The budgets presented over Friday and Saturday mark the first financial blueprint for these new entities.

On Friday, the East corporation presented a budget of ₹3,889 crore, while the Central corporation announced ₹3,426 crore. On Saturday, the remaining three—North, West, and South—unveiled their budgets, taking the total combined allocation to ₹20,213 crore.

The North corporation, with a budget of ₹4,341 crore, has allocated nearly 61 percent of funds towards public development works. Key provisions include ₹301 crore for solid waste management, ₹62 crore for park development, ₹10 crore for forest-related activities, and ₹11 crore for Indira Canteens. Additional allocations include ₹8 crore for lake maintenance, ₹5 crore for removal of dangerous trees, and ₹8.86 crore for mosquito control measures.

The West corporation has presented the highest budget among the five at ₹4,732 crore. Around 60 percent of the funds have been earmarked for infrastructure development. Notable allocations include ₹322 crore for waste management, ₹242 crore for health, education, and welfare programmes, and ₹334 crore in subsidies for economically weaker sections. Plans also include development of 100 Miyawaki forests, maintenance of 496 parks, and ₹30 crore for 49 lakes. A ₹71 crore housing project and smart school initiatives in five wards have also been proposed.

The South corporation has announced a budget of ₹3,825 crore, with 43 percent allocated for development works. It has introduced several welfare-oriented schemes, including free laptops for students with a ₹5 crore allocation and ₹11.92 crore for e-vending support to street vendors. The corporation has also proposed ₹88.25 crore under the Amrut Mahotsav scheme for 1BHK housing, along with plans for electric two-wheelers for civic workers and a dog shelter facility with a capacity of 500 animals.

In addition, ₹50 crore has been earmarked for improving pedestrian infrastructure and constructing skywalks, while initiatives such as zero-waste wards and “waste-to-wealth” programmes are also being prioritised.

Overall, the budgets reflect a strong push towards infrastructure development, waste management, and social welfare. However, the effectiveness of these allocations will depend on timely implementation, which remains a key challenge for Bengaluru’s evolving civic framework.