BBMP budget: Rs 1,580 cr allotted to Brand Bengaluru concept
Bengaluru: The Bengaluru civic agency on Thursday presented a budget of Rs 12,369.46 crore and of which Rs 1,580 crore was allotted to the eight-fold Brand Bengaluru concept.
The eight categories of Brand Bengaluru concept involve 'Sugama Sanchara Bengaluru' (Easy mobility Bengaluru), Clean Bengaluru, Green Bengaluru, Healthy Bengaluru, Education Bengaluru, Tech Bengaluru, Vibrant Bengaluru and Water Security Bengaluru.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is expecting a total receipts of Rs 12,371.63 crore comprising its opening balance of Rs 8,294.04 crore and central and state grants of Rs 4,077.59 crore.
To improve its property tax collection, the BBMP said it has scanned all the 20 lakh properties in the city and will issue e-Khata (legal document) to the property owners.
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''The 'Namma Swathu' system through 'e-Aasthi' rollout will be implemented in all the wards under the BBMP, enabling the public to access property records online anytime and anywhere, creating a transparent and citizen-friendly system,'' the civic agency said in its budget.
The transactions in the Sub-Registrar offices will be based on the e-Khata with tight integration of 'Namma Swathu' with the KAVERI-2 portal in order to prevent any fraudulent manual transactions.
The transactions in Sub-Registrar offices will electronically flow to the 'Namma Swathu' system of BBMP and the process of mutation will automatically start electronically.
The civic agency said Aadhaar seeding in BBMP property records will be done through a campaign on a voluntary basis.
The owners who opt for Aadhaar seeding will get multiple benefits such as added security of their properties from any fraudulent transactions, secure and automated mutations when the Aadhaar-based transactions are done at Sub-Registrar offices.
BlockChain technology shall be implemented and rolled out ward wise with respect to property records of the BBMP as and when the digitisation of it is completed in a ward. This will prevent unauthorised manipulation of property records by anyone, the civic agency said.
The BBMP said it will roll out the 'Guidance Value based property tax system' from April 1, 2024.
A new advertisement policy and infotech based transparent online system for the creation and issuance of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) has also been promised.
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'Homebound' makes it to Oscar shortlist for best international feature
Mumbai (PTI): Neeraj Ghaywan's much acclaimed "Homebound" is among the 15 films shortlisted in the best international feature category at the Oscars, moving a step close to the final five nominations and maybe a win.
The movie, inspired by a true story that became the basis of a news article during the pandemic, has been creating a global buzz since its debut in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival this May.
Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese is a fan and has come onboard as an executive producer ahead of the award season.
Produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, "Homebound" is Ghaywan's second movie after "Masaan".
"Homebound" will compete for an Oscar nomination alongside Argentina's “Belén”, Brazil's “The Secret Agent”, French drama "It Was Just an Accident”, Germany's "Sound of Falling” and Iraq's "The President's Cake".
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The other movies in the shortlist include Japan's “Kokuho”, Jordan's “All That’s Left of You”, Norway's “Sentimental Value”, Palestine's “Palestine 36”, South Korean hit “No Other Choice”, Spain's “Sirat”, "Late Shift" from Switzerland, “Left-Handed Girl”from Taiwan and Tunisian drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced in a release on Tuesday.
The award for best foreign film, now re-categorised as best international feature, has so far eluded India.
Only three Indian films have received nominations in the category -- Mehmood Khan’s “Mother India”, Mira Nair’s “Salaam Bombay” and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s “Lagaan”. Deepa Mehta’s “Water”, starring John Abraham and Lisa Ray, also received a nomination but it was submitted from Canada.
Gujarati film "Chhello Show" in 2023 was the last film to get shortlisted.
Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya was the first Indian to get an Oscar, bagging the coveted prize in 1983 for the film "Gandhi". Other than her, A R Rahman, Resul Pukootty and M M Keeravani have also won individual Oscars.
Team "Homebound" celebrated the shortlist news with posts on social media.
"We made the shortlist... Way to go team Homebound'!" Johar shared in Instagram Stories.
In a post, the producer said it was difficult for him to articulate how "proud and elated" he was with the news.
"All of us @dharmamovies are privileged to have this proud and important film in our filmography... thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true... from Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special special film! Upwards and onwards...."
Ghaywan also shared the news on X.
"#Homebound has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards! We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary love and support we've received from around the world," he wrote on X with a special poster of the film.
Jethwa, who plays one of the two friends in the story opposite Ishaan Khatter, said the moment feels "surreal and incredibly humbling".
"To see 'Homebound' being shortlisted and progressing towards the Oscars is something I could have only dreamed of. I am deeply grateful for the love and support the film has received from audiences around the world," he said as he acknowledged Johar, Ghaywan and co-star Khatter and the rest of the team.
Khatter also shared the news on his Instagram stories and wrote, "Oscar ab dur nahi".
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"Homebound" is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer's The New York Times article “Taking Amrit Home”, also titled "A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway".
The film portrays the childhood friendship between a Muslim and Dalit who chase a police job that promises them the dignity they have long been denied due to their surnames.
The Academy on Tuesday also announced shortlists in 11 other categories, including the newly added casting Oscars, animated shorts, cinematography, documentary feature, documentary short, original score and song, sound and visual effects categories.
Nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Twenty-four categories will be awarded at the 98th Oscars. Each category has five nominees, except for best picture, which has 10.
The 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
