VIJAYAWADA: Calling for strict measures to crackdown on corruption, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed officials to display Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) toll-free number, 14400, at all government offices in the State. “Strict measures should be taken to prevent corruption in SROs (sub-registrar office), MROs (mandal revenue office), MPDO (mandal parishad development office), RDO (revenue division office) and district collectors offices. ACB toll-free number, 14400, should be displayed prominently at every government office and hospital,” he stressed on Monday.
The CM further instructed the authorities to maintain a report on the action taken for the calls received on the toll-free number. Jagan chaired a meeting to review resource mobilisation strategies and held discussions on the expected revenue to the State with officials of Excise, Revenue, Municipal Administration, Mines, and Forest departments and directed them to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in tax collection.
Urging officials to resolve taxpayers’ complaints and objections on a priority basis, Jagan advised the officials to use modern technology to restrict tax evasion and the use of fake bills. They informed him that the data analytics centre was being strengthened. Directing the officials to display a list of all services available at the registration offices in village secretariats, Jagan directed them to also mention the benefits of the services so people can avail them.
Officials to hold surprise checks on liquor shops
Responding, the officials told Jagan that registrations were underway at secretariats in 51 villages and arrangements were being made to extend the services to another 650 villages soon. They said they would make efforts to introduce them in all 2,000 village/ward secretariats by October 2, 2022.
The forest department officials informed the CM that permissions for the auction of red sanders logs would be obtained from the Centre soon, following which global tenders would be invited for 5,376 metric tonnes of the precious wood. Jagan told them to verify the stock every month and update the details.
Lauding the Mahila Police for playing a vital role in curbing production and sale of illegally distilled liquor in villages, the CM directed Excise officials to take steps to curb its production and sale across the State.
He directed officials to conduct surprise checks on at least one liquor shop every month and added that the inspections should be as stringent as those carried out by the I-T dept.“Political nexus, if any, should be exposed and not be spared from strict action,” Jagan asserted.Further, he instructed the mining department officials to increase the number of coal production operating areas and double the units to decrease dependency on imported coal.
He also reviewed the auction of AgriGold assets and directed the authorities to resolve the disputes at the earliest. As promised, the government has paid `905.57 crore to victims the chit fund scam.
Ministers K Narayana Swamy, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Dharmana Prasada Rao, Audimulapu Suresh, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma and other senior officials were present.