BANGALORE: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shobha Karandlaje on Monday claimed that there was a great deal of improvement in the quality of rural roads following execution of works through tendering process.
Karandlaje blamed sloppy execution of roads earlier on the piece-works undertaken.
"We have done away with the piece-work system and introduced tendering process despite stiff opposition from most of the members," she told reporters here.
Considering the success in the case of roads, the tendering process would be made applicable to drinking water projects, she added. Asked whether the new system would not delay the execution of drinking water projects, Karandlaje replied in the negative adding "short-term" tender process would be followed.
During this summer, drinking water was being supplied through tankers to only 65 villages all over the state. "The government is serious about finding a permanent solution to the drinking water problem in these villages," she added.
The Minister said that the process of recruitment of 5600 development officers for gram panchayats had been entrusted to the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
The appointments will be made to about two-third posts this year.
The directions have been issued for gram as well as taluk panchayat level officers to compulsorily stay in their respective head quarter for at least four days a week, she said.
She said the reservation for the posts of presidents and vice-presidents of taluk panchayats in eight districts had been completed.
These districts are: Bangalore Urban, Chikballapur, Dakshina Kannada, Gadag, Gulbarga, Kolar, Koppal and Raichur. In case of the rest of districts, the reservation process will be completed in twothree days, she said.