VIJAYAWADA: Directing the higher officials to issue memos to those officials who have failed to meet the target set for them in visiting village and ward secretariats, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy asked officials to own up the secretariats and be accountable.
Reviewing the functioning of village secretariats during the Spandana redressal programme, Jagan said village and ward secretariats are the brainchild of the YSRC government and their functioning should be monitored properly. “If the officials do not inspect the secretariats as mandated, we would be responsible for their ineffective functioning,’’ he said. Jagan reminded that collectors were asked to inspect at least two secretariats in a week while joint collectors, municipal commissioners, ITDA POs and sub-collectors have to inspect four secretariats in a week.
“Of the 1,098 inspections necessitated in a week, only 733 inspections were made, which comes to just 66.75 per cent. Collectors inspected 83 secretariats of their targeted 78 with a percentage of 106 while joint collectors (village and ward secretariats) achieved a target of 107 per cent. However, the JCs (revenue, housing), municipal commissioners, ITDA POs and sub-collectors could not achieve the targets and their performance is bad,’’ Jagan said and added that he had instructed officials to issue memos to such officers.
“Officials should keep in mind whether we are doing justice to our job? How can we know the problems at the ground level if we do not visit village secretariats? How can we know whether beneficiaries are getting ration cards, pensions or other benefits? Are we doing justice to our job by not visiting the secretariats? This is not acceptable,’’ the Chief Minister said in a serious tone.
By the next Spandana review, officials should reach 100 per cent targets, the Chief Minister said and added, “You are my eyes and ears and you must go for inspections at the ground level. If you fail, it is my failure too. The most important thing is that we work together as a team as you are my hands, eyes and ears.’’
Further, the Chief Minister said that giving memos to the officials has made him sad as it was like giving a memo to himself on his performance.The Chief Minister instructed the authorities to check whether the list for social audit of DBT schemes is being displayed or not and distribution of ration card, pension card, housing and implementation of Aarogyasri schemes. He said that all the eligible beneficiaries should avail government schemes within the stipulated time.
All the registers and records, including the welfare schemes and services should be self-examined, monitored and reviewed by visiting the Village and Ward Secretariats on a regular basis.The Chief Minister said that two per cent of village and ward secretariat staff in the State do not have attendance count, which needs to be corrected.