Disclose CSR spending, stop using Bengaluru for PR: Shivakumar to industrialists, Nara Lokesh

Under fire for Bengaluru’s infrastructure woes, Karnataka deputy CM and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar on October 15 hit back at critics and urged companies to disclose details of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending. He also accused some of 'using Bengaluru's name for publicity'.

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Responding to Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw's recent social media post on the city's poor infrastructure, Shivakumar said: "Let all companies disclose what they are doing with their CSR funds. I'm not questioning anyone but if they want to threaten us with tweets, it's up to them. They are working against the city and the state. Bengaluru helped them grow ... They must remember where they started."

Also, read: ‘Why are roads so bad?’: Biocon founder Kiran Majumdar Shaw shares foreign visitor’s blunt critique of Bengaluru infra

CSR policy on the anvil

The deputy CM also announced plans to introduce a comprehensive CSR policy. "We will soon come up with a policy making it mandatory for companies to declare their CSR spending and publish details on their websites. I'm not against them; I'm only asking for transparency," he said, adding that "Bengaluru and Karnataka have always stood for progress and positive governance".

‘Bengaluru made them what they are’

In a sharp response, he added, "Tweeting against Bengaluru is like hurting your own home. For 25 years, Bengaluru has supported them. If they want to harm the city that helped them succeed, it’s their choice.”

Shivakumar said the government was doing its best to address civic challenges and explained the rationale behind creating five new corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). "We carved out Mahadevapura and KR Pura as separate corporations because we wanted the revenue from these IT hubs to be used locally. One corporation with 50 wards collects Rs 1,600 crore in taxes, while the entire Bengaluru collects Rs 6,000 crore. We want that money to benefit the same region,” he said.

Also, read: After Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw criticises city’s infra, DK Shivakumar says, 'Instead of tearing Bengaluru down, let’s build it up'

‘This is not China; we follow due process’

Drawing a comparison with China, Shivakumar said, "This is not China, where you can take up development without worrying about opposition. Ours is a democracy with due process and limitations. People will not easily part with land for road widening. We must work within those boundaries."

‘No match for Bengaluru’

In a veiled dig at Andhra IT Minister Nara Lokesh, who had praised his state after Google chose Visakhapatnam over Bengaluru for Google's $10 bn Vizag data centre, Shivakumar said, "Some people take Bengaluru's name just to market themselves. There is no match for Bengaluru in infrastructure, human resources, or innovation. Around 25 lakh IT professionals and two lakh foreigners work here. Bengaluru contributes nearly 40 percent of the country’s IT revenue - it’s unmatched."

‘Investors still flock to the city’

Foreign dignitaries continue to reach out to Karnataka for investment opportunities, Shivakumar said. "Every week, global leaders contact us to set up offices here. Earlier, companies worked out of rented spaces, but now they are buying their own campuses. That's the strength of Bengaluru," he said.

Defending the government's record on infrastructure, Shivakumar said road repair works were underway and revenue from the new IT hub corporation would be used entirely for local development. "We are aware of the problems and are working systematically to fix them," he added.

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