Finish projects on time: In 4th year, Siddaramaiah gets tough with officers

BENGALURU: Signalling his tolerance was at an end, Chief Minister Siddarmaiah sharply pulled up file pushing babus on Monday , warning that their lethargy would no longer be tolerated and projects announced must be completed on time.  

Addressing a meeting of Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Additional Secretaries at the Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister who pulled no punches in his criticism of the officers,  instructed them to be present at their desks by 10 am and make sure that projects were  not delayed.  

Giving them a strong rap on the knuckles, he regretted that it took most of them three months after the Cabinet had given its approval to projects announced in the budget to even issue a government order.  “ If this is the state of affairs at this level of governance, how do officers treat the common man's petitions?” he wondered.

“While the government releases money for all its programmes in instalments, instead of spending it in time, the officers wait till March end to use it and often the funds released lapse. Not spending allocated money  amounts to a criminal offence,” he sharply reminded the officers present, suggesting that they prepare a working plan as and when the government cleared projects to complete them on time.

Making it clear that their lethargic approach to work could not continue for long, the Chief Minister said  he expected all senior officers to  hold Janata Darshans regularly to meet people and solve their problems.

As for keeping files pending without reason, Mr Siddaramaiah said if taking bribes to clear a file amounted to corruption, keeping files pending was a  form of corruption too. “You must set a time limit to clear all pending files,” he instructed them.

He also took district in charge secretaries to task for  visiting districts only once in six months. “Even then, they stay in the Inspection Bungalow for half an hour, sign the register and leave,” he observed caustically while commenting on their performance.

In future, he said, he expected the secretaries to visit the districts every month and inspect hospitals, police stations and tahashildar offices to gain first hand knowledge about the ground realities. “The officers must camp in the districts at least two days during every visit,”  Mr Siddaramaiah added.