Tardy officials get a tongue-lashing from CM

Core welfare programmes like housing and distribution of ration cards to BPL families have not been implemented in the state due to non-cooperation from bureaucracy, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said today and warned officials of stringent action.

"The government is facing problems due to the prevalence of tardy administration which is not responsive to peoples' aspirations. This tendency will not be tolerated any more", he told top administration officials at a meeting here.

Admitting that serious lapses in distribution of BPL cards and making available foodgrains at subsidised prices to the poor, has shown the government in poor light, Kumaraswamy directed the deputy commissioners, CEOs of panchayats and others concerned to act immediately and ensure ration cards to eligible families.

In the third such meeting called 10 months after the new coalition government assumed office to tone up administration and drum up support of bureaucracy in implementing welfare programmes, Kumaraswamy, pointed out to the dismal performance in the housing sector.

He said despite earmarking budgetary allocation to honour the government's promise of building three lakh houses, it has not taken off.

"We are ready to provide any amount of resources", he said.

Stating that there are 24 lakh shelterless families in the state, Kumaraswamy said that "the government is ready to fund construction of about six lakh houses, but you are not ready to utilise funds. How long should the government wait?

"We are now in December end. Three more months remain during the 2006-07 fiscal year. Will we be in a position to utilise the entire budgetary allocation?, Kumaraswamy asked officials. He expressed dismay over the failure of officials in meeting the deadlines.

Recounting a flood of complaints he received during his `janata darshan' and visits to villages about denial of BPL cards to eligible families, Kumaraswamy asked officials to distribute cards without any delay and refused to extend the deadline any more to accomplish the task.

The chief minister lashed out at officials for their failure to implement the Bhagyadalaxmi Baaramma, a novel programme to provide Rs 10,000 insurance cover to girl chid born into BPL families.

Even as the government has set apart Rs 234 crore for the programme, the officials could not identify the beneficiaries as only 98,000 have been identified out of 1.25 lakh targeted, he said.

Kumaraswamy asked officials to change their mindset and complete the budgeted works in the coming three months and cautioned "otherwise, we will have to take certain hard decisions on you". "If you (officials) did not achieve at least 90 to 95 per cent of the target, an impression will gain in the minds of people that the administration has failed"