BENGALURU: With just around 10 months left for the Assembly elections and the clock ticking away, the BJP government is dashing to the finish line. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday called for a meeting of deputy commissioners of all districts and told them in no uncertain terms that they have to let go of their sarkari mindset and have to perform.
Insiders said this is Bommai's own "booster dose" to top bureaucrats as he was reviewing the progress of works announced in the state budget. He asked the DCs to work efficiently and in a time-bound manner, and to avoid the dreaded "nale banni (come tomorrow)" at government offices.
The government will support any initiative they take up to help the poor, Bommai said, adding, “Such projects will give you a sense of satisfaction and will change the perception of the people towards the government,” he said.
CM reminds DCs of last year in office
"I need your cooperation to realise my idea of building a new Karnataka," the CM added. Bommai reminded them, "Don’t forget this is the last year of the five-year term of the government and the budget implementation is a responsibility that you have to ensure."
He said the district administration plays a crucial role in developing the state. "If the DC and DC's office are proactive, it would make the administration proactive automatically," he said.
The DCs should respond to the woes of the people immediately. "Times have changed. People will question your work if you are lax," he warned. He advised them to prevent irregularities in relief works. "Corruption will not be tolerated. A slow attitude and red tapism will damage the image of the state," he said.
DCs should visit offices of tahsildars and additional deputy commissioners at least once a week and ensure that applications or petitions are not pending.
They should monitor the stocks of sowing seeds and fertilisers ahead of the sowing season, he said. On the issue of burial grounds, he said the DCs should ensure that land is granted for the purpose in every village. He advised the officers to increase COVID testing. Genome sequencing is not needed in every case, he said.