Telangana makes field visits must for collectors

Hyderabad: The state government has mandated field visits and inspections for district collectors to monitor the delivery of government services effectively, following directives from Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari issued strict instructions to all district collectors on Friday to ensure compliance with these new guidelines.

Collectors are required to submit their monthly tour diaries to the Chief Secretary's office by the 5th of each month. These diaries must detail the locations visited, observations made, and actions taken during their field visits. The aim is to enhance accountability and track the progress of government services at the grassroots level. The orders stressed that field visits will be a crucial factor in evaluating the performance of collectors.

The Chief Secretary highlighted the government's focus on the effective implementation of various schemes and services in rural areas. Collectors were instructed to prioritise 10 key subjects during their field visits, including health, education, water supply and sanitation, agricultural support, public distribution system, housing schemes, roads and infrastructure, social welfare programmes, municipal areas, and women and child welfare.

During these visits and inspections, collectors are required to interact with local residents and beneficiaries, as well as government staff, to gather feedback on service delivery. The orders emphasised the importance of both scheduled and surprise inspections to ensure a comprehensive assessment of service delivery and address any issues promptly.

In a recent meeting at the Secretariat on July 2, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had directed secretary-level IAS officers to conduct weekly field trips to districts to monitor departmental performance outside of office settings. The Chief Minister also instructed that regular monthly meetings must be held between senior district officials to review ongoing projects and departmental progress.

Expressing concerns over insufficient field engagement by some collectors, the CM emphasised the importance of regular visits to hospitals, anganwadi centres, schools, and other government service departments to ensure effective governance.

The Chief Minister emphasised that field visits would serve as a parameter for evaluating the performance of collectors and district officers, adopting a policy that balances incentives and penalties. Regular inspections are expected to ensure effective service delivery and prompt resolution of any challenges, thereby enhancing the welfare of rural communities and fostering trust in the government system.

Further, district officers were urged to visit villages and towns independently to address similar issues, not solely accompanying collectors during their visits, to ensure comprehensive coverage and effective governance across the districts.