BANGALORE: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who had given a dressing down to top officials for the slow pace of developmental works at a meeting on Thursday, surprisingly denied making any harsh remarks during a video conference with the deputy commissioners of all districts a day later.
Referring to reports in various dailies about him expressing displeasure at the slow progress of various government schemes, he sought to convey to officials to not to worry about the previous day’s meeting. “The Media had presented an incorrect picture of the meeting. You officials need not lose sleep over the issue,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister exhorted officials to focus on issues such as speeding up drought relief works, tackling drinking water shortage, repairing national and state highways and rural sanitation.
He also instructed them to focus on the effective implementation of social security schemes, including pensions for the physically challenged, senior citizens, widows and the Bhagyalakshmi programme. The CM also instructed officials to ensure speedy construction of houses under the Aasare scheme. “You need not wait for MLAs and ministers to hand over the houses to beneficiaries,” he said. Referring to the shortage of doctors in rural areas, Gowda advised the district administration to seek help from medical colleges. “As many as 300 newly recruited doctors have left service within the last few months,” he said.
The CM also hinted at a separate legislation mandating young medical graduates to work in rural areas. He observed that there is a dearth of surveyors and tahsildars, vacant positions of which would be filled soon after proper training. He referred to the Bangalore Rural Deputy Commissioner’s submission that most state DCs would face contempt of court proceedings if solid waste management works are not taken on priority basis, while promising action.
The CM also promised the DCs of Yadgir, Chikballapur and Chamarajanagar to release funds for district offices.