Congress MP P Chidambaram has welcomed Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s offer to fund the repair work of roads in Bengaluru. But lack of funds isn’t the problem; it is the execution of public work, the Rajya Sabha MP said amid an online face-off between Shaw and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over civic infrastructure in the IT hub.
“I noted with interest Mrs Kiran Mazumdar Shaw’s offer to fund the development of some roads in Bengaluru. A great offer! Congratulations! But the problem with our public works is not the lack of public money; the problem is in the execution of the public work,” said Chidambaram in an online post.
To solve this, he suggested a new system that pins accountability to a supervising company or industrialist like Shaw.
“Governments can tweak Mrs Shaw’s idea: Public money, tender, etc. can be followed to select the contractor. After selection, the contractor will be placed under the supervision of a willing company or industrialist like Mrs Shaw,” said Chidambaram.
The company or industrialist supervising the project will be accountable for its execution, he suggested; this included bearing any penalty or cost overruns.
“The contractor will execute the public work (say, road). HOWEVER, the supervising company or industrialist will be responsible for the quality and timely execution of the work. Any penalties or cost-overruns will be borne by the supervising company or industrialist,” said the Rajya Sabha MP.
Chennai or Bengaluru will be an appropriate place to experiment with the idea, he added.
Shaw, one of the key voices of India Inc, had been at loggerheads with the Karnataka government over her criticism of Bengaluru roads.
Her online post questioning the state authorities last week had drawn the ire of the top Congress leaders, with Shivakumar, who holds the charge of Bengaluru’s development, suggesting that she had “forgotten her roots“. He also alleged a “personal agenda” and said the government would give Shaw some roads to build if she wanted.
Shaw had denied the charge.
In a twist amid the face-off, Shaw met Shivakumar yesterday, reportedly to invite him to her nephew’s wedding. The discussion spanned Bengaluru’s growth, innovation, and the path ahead for Karnataka’s growth story, according to Shivakumar.