While the corporation plans to spend Rs90 lakh to buy the tablet device, many of them don’t know what it is
The city corporation believes that corporators have to own an ‘iPad3’ to enable them set the city on the path to development. However, BBMP mayor R Shardamma is unaware of the BBMP’s plan.
The BBMP is going to spend `90 lakh to buy the ‘iPad3’ for 198 corporators, said BBMP deputy mayor S Harish and commissioner MK Shankarlinge Gowda.
Gowda added the date for distribution of the device would be decided after it is launched worldwide.
Harish said it is not new for the BBMP to give gifts to corporators. He pointed out that earlier, corporators used to get suitcases. He said this time, they are considering giving a laptop to each corporoator, but decided upon ‘iPad3’.
Stating that her family members use iPad2, Shardamma said the device would help the corporators.
When DNA tried to contact Chowdeswari corporator KV Yashoda, her husband Ravishankar, responded on her behalf. He praised the BBMP’s initiative. He said equipping corporators with the high-tech device would enable them get information about development works, both that are under way and the ones that are proposed.
Some, like Vijayan Menon, president of Citizens’ Action Forum, questioned the wisdom behind the BBMP’s decision, asking if the corporators are competent enough to use the device. Ravishankar said although his wife did not know how to operate a tablet device, she could become adept at using it if training was given.
Kathriguppe corporator D Venkatesha Murthy said: “What is iPad3? Is it a laptop?” Kempegowda corporator YN Ashwath said he had no idea what to do with the device if the BBMP gave him one.
Hoysalanagar corporator Savitha Ramesh said she was willing to learn how it works.
Harish said the BBMP would organise a crash-course to train corporators in this regard.
The BBMP commissioner said:“Let us assume that all corporators know how to use the iPad3.”
Wasting money
The decision has come drawn criticism for wasting tax-payers’ money. Former mayor PR Ramesh said the BBMP is wasting funds that should have been used for development works that need immediate attention.
However, the deputy mayor has a different point of view. “Has the BBMP stopped any development work stating that it has no funds? I think all the corporators deserve to have an iPad3 to have access to information about their respective wards,” he said.
The high-tech device is slated for a mid-July launch, said the manager of the Apple store, iImagine, on MG Road. It’s only then that corporators would be provided with the gadget, whether they want it or not. Take the case of BTM Layout corporator GNR Babu for example, who said he has an iPad2 and does not want an upgraded version from the BBMP.
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