Akhilesh to take stock of UP government programmes September

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will tour the state September to inspect various development and welfare projects launched by his government, an official said Wednesday.

While the official maintained that the visit was aimed at stock taking of government programmes, sources said the inspections were part of the ruling party's attempts to regain lost ground.

After the drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls which saw its tally fall from 22 seats to 4, the ruling Samajwadi Party leadership has nudged the chief minister to be more active and reach out to the masses by visiting districts and pulling up lax bureaucrats.

Keeping in view the programme of the chief minister, chief secretary Alok Ranjan Wednesday issued the necessary directions to principal secretaries, secretaries, nodal officials, divisional commissioners and district magistrates to make due arrangements for the CM's visit.

Officials have also been asked to submit a detailed report to the chief secretary's office and the programme implementation department on problems and suggestions.

The nodal officials have to ensure that the lacunae found in the June 2014 inspection have been addressed, detailed reports on the same verified and pending action completed by August 31 ahead of the inspection by the chief minister.

On many occasions, the state SP leadership and national president Mulayam Singh Yadav have blamed the officials for the poor performance of the party at the hustings.

Vijay Bahadur Pathak, state spokesman of the BJP, ridiculed the announcement and said the chief minister was better advised to ensure implementation of the directives he issued during the surprise inspection of districts.

"This is nothing but just another attempt by the state government to hoodwink the people by shallow talk and hollow promises," he told IANS.

- Indo-Asian News Service

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