IAS officials to monitor govt programmes: Botsa

VISAKHAPATNAM: Education minister Botsa Satyanarayana has said nine IAS officers of his department would make field visits twice a month to monitor the implementation of government programmes.

Talking to the media in Vizianagaram on Monday, he defended the suspension of four education officials including the DEO of Parvathipuram Manyam district by principal secretary Praveen Prakash. The PS found negligence on the part of the monitoring officials, he said.

“What is the harm in a suspension? Textbooks were to be delivered in August last year. Till now they were not given -- and the academic year is coming to an end. What was there for the students to read and study,’’ he said.

The minister said action would be taken against the errant after the completion of the inquiry initiated by the department. Efforts were being taken to supply the textbooks in June itself from the next academic year. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was making efforts to improve the quality of education so that the students of government schools would gain a lot in terms of their studies. The Class X examinations were conducted successfully and the results would be declared soon, he said.

Irrigation minister Ambati Rambabu, after a review of the irrigation projects in the region, told the media that the Thotapalli, Tarakarama and Teerthasagar projects would be completed by 2024. A primary level review was conducted at the district level and a meeting would be held at the chief minister’s level later, he said.

“We are making sincere efforts to complete all the irrigation projects. These are important to arrest the migration of farmers to other states and change the face of this backward district,’’ the minister said.

Minister said the agencies have been identified for taking up the projects and necessary funds were also sanctioned.

Referring to TD leader Chandrababu Naidu, the minister said rules have to be followed by all. “The Opposition leader has freedom to hold a public meeting anywhere but not in narrow lanes endangering the lives of the people.” Deputy speaker Veerabhadra Swamy and local MLC and MLAs were present at the press briefing.