S.M. Krishna: Harbinger of reforms in all aspects of Karnataka’s administration

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, or SMK, was one of the most well-educated, suave, sophisticated, soft-spoken politicians of Karnataka, who has served as member of both Houses of Karnataka legislature and Indian Parliament. He was a harbinger of reforms in all aspects of Karnataka’s administration.

In 1999, when he took over the reins of power from the Janata Dal government led by J. H. Patel, Karnataka’s economy was in dire straits. With the Congress securing power under his leadership, Mr Krishna became the Chief Minister (1999-2004). He opened the door to a closer relationship with the World Bank, civil society organisations and industry experts for introducing reforms. He was instrumental in introducing a range of reforms in fiscal and public expenditure management, administration, private sector development, and poverty and human development monitoring.

S.M. Krishna (1932-2024) | A life in pictures

A picture of S.M. Krishna published in The Hindu on January 30, 1983. He was then part of the Congress-I from Mandya constitutency

Vetaran congress leader S M Krishna being greeted by his well wishers on his 83rd birthday at his residence.

Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Corporation (centre) arriving at Infosys Campus, Electronics City, with Narayana Murthy, Infosys (left) and Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr. S.M.Krishna.

SMK with Salman Khurshid

SM Krishna seen with Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar, after being released by forest brigand Veerappan who had abducted him in 2002.

SM Krishna with M.K. Karunanidhi, then Tamil Chief Minister seen with R. Gopal, the publisher of Tamil journal ‘Nakkheeran’.

The Karnataka matinee idol, Dr. Rajkumar, greets the audience and fans after receiving the ‘Karnataka Ratna’, the highest State award, from the Governor of Karnataka, Mr. Khurshed Alam Khan in Bangalore on November 14, 1992. The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. S. Bangarappa (right) and Assembly Speaker Mr. S.M. Krishna (ext. left) are also seen.

SM Krishna addressing a press conference as Chief Minister of Karnataka in Vidhana Soudha in January 2002.

SM Krishna, Mallikarjun Kharge and other ministers look at the map of the proposed Devanahalli International Airport in Bengaluru.

Former Chief Ministers S.M. Krishna, S. Bangarappa, N Dharam Singh and Mallikarjuna Kharge Opposition Leader in Legislative Assembly during Bharat Nirman Rally at MBA ground in Davangere on March 23, 2009.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minster SM Krishna greeting the crowd during a public meeting in Kolar in 2004.

S.M. Krishna inspecting the work progress at Vikasa Soudha in Bengaluru in 2004.

S.M. Krishna and vetaran tennis Player Vijay Amritraj at an event in KSLTA in Bengaluru.

S.M. Krishna, addressing the gathering at the 125th year celebration of ‘The Hindu’ at the Ambedkar Bhavan in Bangalore, on November 08, 2003. Also seen are (from left) Azim Premji, chairman, Wipro, N.Murali, the Joint Managing Director, ‘The Hindu’, N. Ram, the Editor-in-Chief, ‘The Hindu’, Jagadish Shettar, the opposition leader in the Karnataka Assembly and U.R.Ananthamurthy, noted writer.

Pandit Jasraj, is being felicitated by S.M. Krishna, alongwith the violinist, L. Subramaniam, in Bangalore, on January 20, 2004.

Chief Minister S.M. Krishna and PWD Minister Dharam Singh inspecting the progress of work at Vidhana Soudha South Block in Bengaluru on August 4, 2003.

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar being awarded by Chief Minister S.M. Krishna at a inaugural function of Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Shakti Sangha in Bengaluru in August 2003.

President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Vibhushan to former union minister S.M. Krishna during Padma Awards 2023 ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi.

Former Prime minister H D Devegowda consoling former chief minister S M Krishna and his family members, at his residence in Bengaluru after his son-in-law V.G. Sidartha went missing in Mangaluru.

Then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls on SM Krishna during his tenure as External Affairs Minister in New Delhi on May 8, 2012.

President Barack Obama, left, stands with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna speaks during a U.S. India strategic dialogue reception at the Department of State in Washington on June 3, 2010.

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During his tenure, the attendance punching system was introduced in major government offices, including Vidhana Soudha. The D. M. Nanjundappa Committee was formed to address regional imbalances. He believed that Karnataka could prosper and progress only when both urban and rural areas were given equal importance.

Wide-range reforms

During his regime, Karnataka provided a legislative framework for reform by passing laws and levied user charges in health and irrigation sectors. Karnataka was the first State to pass the Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Management (FRBM) Act in 2002.

In view of the many problems in the power sector, the Karnataka Electricity Reform Act was enacted in 1999. The Karnataka Electricity Board was dissolved and the KPTCL was incorporated under the Companies Act in June, 2002.

Karnataka has institutionalised the annual cycle of Medium-Term Fiscal Plan (MTFP). The Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 1999, and the Karnataka Industries (Facilitation) Act, 2002, which was amended in 2015, that mandated a single-point government-industry interface and set time limits for government clearances, were among the notable laws passed during his tenure.

The Krishna government constituted expert committees on Panchayat Raj (1999), Administrative Reforms Commission (2001), Tax Reforms Commission (2000), and Revenue Reforms Commission (2002) to make the administration efficient, effective, transparent, responsive, and accountable. Task Forces were constituted in almost all sectors, which included eminent personalities drawn from professional, private, and civil society organisations to meticulously study and make recommendations for the promotion of all-round development of Karnataka.

E-governance in delivery of public services had been introduced in all cities and towns during his time, citizen charters were widely displayed in government offices, and systems of online complaints and public hearing to address grievances in service delivery were introduced. E-governance projects such as Bhoomi, Khajane, Kaveri, and Mahithi (in Bengaluru they are known as BangaloreOne centres) service centres were executed.

Competing with then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in attracting investment, the Krishna government opened the doors for PPPs in the infrastructure sector — construction of roads, airports, power plants, disposal of waste, health and education, and collection of bills of essential services.

In 2003, the World Bank held its Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE) in Bengaluru, which was the first time the event was organised outside Washington.

Special place for Bengaluru

It is argued that S.M. Krishna’s endorsement of reforms and his willingness to allow autonomy to agency heads, along with strong support from the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF), encouraged agency heads to show interest in implementing reforms. The BATF was not only a model followed by other Indian cities, but the concept was also presented to other donor countries by the World Bank. The Krishna regime used the BATF to ward off criticism about projects and policies by leveraging the intellectual reputation of the members.

The Bengaluru City Corporation introduced a popular and optional self-assessment scheme (SAS) for payment of property tax that not only reduced corruption by eliminating red tape, but also raised revenue significantly during his tenure. 

Work on the international airport in Bengaluru, the development of Outer Ring Road around the city, and most of the flyovers, underpasses, over-bridges and grade separators were initiated during Krishna’s tenure. He has a special place for the garden city of Bengaluru in his heart.

His commitment to implement reforms contributed to improving the State’s fiscal situation remarkably in 2005–06. The average collection rate of all taxes was up from 97% of budget estimates in 2001 to 106% in 2006. In 2006, the State Government had pulled out of the bank loan. Additional revenue was utilised for construction of roads, flyovers, ring roads, housing layouts, housing complexes, without burdening the State exchequer.

CM at the wrong time?

Mr Krishna became chief minister, perhaps, at the wrong time in some sense. The administration faced many difficulties during 2001–02 as the government was busy in resolving the dispute over sharing of the Cauvery river water with Tamil Nadu. The kidnapping of Kannada matinee idol Dr Rajkumar and release after 109 days in captivity, and also the murder of former minister H. Nagappa and the consequent public outcry dominated the government’s time and energies. Vagaries of monsoon caused farmers’ suicides. Mr Krishna was really hamstrung and was not in a position to fully implement his vision.

“Had he donned the mantle of the State Government’s leadership perhaps a decade earlier, or may be later, I am sure he would have fared much better. But then the real Krishna may not have come to the fore. For, it is only when a person faces adversities and tough challenges, that the true mettle is known,” said veteran journalist Gabriel Vaz, who closely watched Krishna’s tenure at the helm.

Despite these difficulties, many believe that Karnataka took a significant leap forward in terms of a wide range of reforms.

Many strongly believed Mr Krishna ‘miscalculated’ the mood of the voters while deciding to go for Assembly polls six months before the expiry of the term, to coincide with the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2004 Assembly polls, an apparently ‘dissatisfied’ urban constituency and ‘neglected’ rural electorate ousted the Congress and chief minister S. M. Krishna.