Bengaluru Citizen Dashboard to empower people with data on governance

By Ritika Srivatsan

Bengaluru Political Action Committee (B.PAC) a non-partisan group which aims to improve governance in the city, has launched the “Bengaluru Citizen Dashboard”. It is an online portal with information on ward governance, government services, elected representatives, public administration and civic amenities. The aim is to encourage data transparency, accountability in local governance and make critical data accessible to every citizen.

The website is user-friendly with clear text and colourful pages. An individual can choose to know more about the eight Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike zones by simply clicking on the relevant link. This leads to a page showcasing the various wards present under each zone. Once a ward is chosen, there is in-depth information about the corporator, member of parliament (MP) and the member of legislative assembly (MLA). There’s also various data regarding governance, such as:

• Emergency services
• Health
• Water and sewage
• Electricity
• Bills and postal
• Solid waste management
• Urban transport
• Self-help groups
• Indira canteens

Features

On the portal, one can perform numerous activities with the help of four features:

1. Pay: Using the pay option, you can pay water bills, electricity bills, income and BBMP property tax as well as traffic and parking violation fines.
2. Apply: Once the ‘apply’ button is clicked, it leads to a page where you can apply for passports, learning and driving licenses, khata and birth certificates as well as caste, income and OBC certificates.
3. Find or file: Any citizen facing issues can find relevant links, including helpline numbers, link to Sakala: Guarantee Services Act and BBMP Sahaya
4. Know about COVID: This page provides links to useful official sites which gives the latest information regarding the pandemic.

The other pages on the portal present an array of programs and special initiatives of B.PAC, including:

• PAC Civil Leadership Incubator Program (B.CLIP): Which emphasises on providing training and support to talented individuals who wish to transform the city by contesting in the municipal elections.
• ENGAGED: A program which engages elected representatives, government institutions and citizen groups to provide a platform for good governance.
• SAFE: An initiative which addresses the growing crime against women and children. B.PAC has constituted two groups tasked with identifying and implementing action plans that help in preventing violence and understanding the judicial redressal system.
• GREEN: Focuses on advancing environmental stability, socio-economic upliftment and climate resilience amongst others.
• ACCOUNTABLE: A program which promotes research and advocacy in civic areas which enables open data is accessible to all citizens.
• MOBILE: The goal is to promote the use of public transport and reduce traffic and the harsh effects of it.
• PROUD: An initiative to educate citizens about the history of the city and rekindle feelings of pride.

B.PAC gives us a glimpse of a futuristic Bengaluru, but also highlights the necessary steps that citizens must take to get there. Will you do your bit, dear Bengalurean? Empower yourself with critical data and make the authorities accountable by persisting with your demands for transparency, accountability, and better governance.