Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday reacted to Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s offer to help improve Bengaluru’s infrastructure. The Congress said that the city’s main problem is not the money but the execution of plans.
“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,” Chidambaram posted on his X account.
He further suggested that the government could tweak Mazumdar-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,” he added.
The Congress aid that the quality of roads will be the responsibility of a supervising company or an industrialist, under whom the contractor is placed.
“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,” the Congress leader said.
He also added that Chennai or Bengaluru will be an appropriate place to experiment with the idea.
Notably, Mazumdar-Shaw has been at loggerheads with the ruling Congress government in Karnataka over her criticism of Bengaluru roads.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had accused the Biocon founder of running a “personal agenda” by criticising the state government. However, on Tuesday, Shivakumar met the entrepreneur after an online public feud.
However, on Tuesday, Shivakumar met Mazumdar-Shaw.
Last week, the Biocon Chairperson drew attention to Bengaluru's civic issues by sharing an experience of a business visitor at her Biocon Park office in the city. Responding to Mazumdar-Shaw, Karnataka industries minister MB Patil said that the social media post by her was not in "good taste".
Taking to X, the businesswoman wrote, "I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said, ‘Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the government want to support investment? I have just come from China and can’t understand why India can’t get its act together, especially when the winds are favourable?’" I her post, Shaw also tagged several Karnataka ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Patil, and Priyank Kharge.
