GBAs bid to attract CSR funds for city parks, lakes finds few takers

BENGALURU : The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA)s ambitious plan to attract Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding for the upkeep of city parks and the development of lakes has failed to gain momentum. Despite having a full-time CSR Manager drawing a salary of Rs 1 lakh per month, the civic body has managed to secure sponsorships for only about 10 out of 1,280 parks across the city. The initiative was launched to encourage corporate houses to adopt public spaces as part of their CSR commitments. GBA officials said several presentations and meetings were held with CSR heads from major companies to showcase the areas that required funding support. But despite initial interest, few followed through. The CSR cells job is to reach out to companies through emails, social media and one-on-one meetings to mobilise funds for parks and lakes. We made detailed presentations explaining the areas where they could partner with us. While many appreciated the idea, none of the major corporates have come forward with tangible commitments, said a senior GBA official. The civic body had also rolled out initiatives such as the Park Conservation Policy (CIPC-2024) and Namma Bengaluru Namma Koduge (My Bengaluru, My Contribution) to appeal to corporate social initiatives. These programmes invited companies to adopt parks, medians and traffic junctions for maintenance and beautification. However, officials said the response has been disappointing. Bengaluru has about 1,280 parks across five civic zones, ranging from small neighbourhood parks to sprawling green spaces covering several acres. Maintaining a medium-sized park costs over Rs 2 lakh a month, while large parks can require over Rs 30 lakh monthly. For a city like Bengaluru, known globally for its corporate presence, its unfortunate that only ten parks have been adopted so far, the official said, adding that the few contributions received were voluntary and not the result of GBAs outreach efforts. Some companies have donated benches and dustbins, but officials said there has been no significant financial contribution for park or lake development. Corporates are actively funding causes like healthcare, education and traffic management. But parks and lakes dont seem to be a priority, the official added. With little progress and no sustained corporate response, the CSR consultant engaged by GBA has now resigned. We have decided not to pursue CSR funding any further, the official said. Special Commissioner Preethi Gehlot confirmed that corporate interest in civic infrastructure remains low. If companies adopt even a few parks, it would ease a significant financial burden on the corporation. Due to an ongoing case in the High Court related to lake development, CSR funds cannot be used for core works, but they can support other developmental activities, she said. Officials said they are now exploring alternative funding and partnership models to ensure the citys green spaces are maintained without relying solely on CSR support.