Puducherry: Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi said that she does not need any permission to hold video conferences with officials of the administration while replying to Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy’s comments that the Lt Governor is not supposed to call officials for video conferencing without the knowledge of the ministers and Chief Minister.
“May someone please tell Hon’ble CM, Puducherry that LG Puducherry does not need any permission to hold video conferences,” said Bedi in a WhatsApp message here.
The Chief Minister had said that the Lt Governor is calling officials for video conferencing without the knowledge of the ministers concerned or the Chief Minister and the Lt Governor did not have the right to act independently.
“LG decides which is the best technological tool to use to connect with regions, officers and also people for their grievances or for any other seminar conferences,” she added.
Hitting back to the comments of the Chief Minister that the Lt Governor is delaying files with equal power, Ms Bedi said that the Lt Governor is not pending any files, and a delay occurs only when the Chief Minister’s secretariat delays in letting the concerned officers meet the Lt Governor for clarification in files.
“LG neither delays files nor avoids signing papers. We (my secretary and myself) examine all files received without delay. We occasionally call the secretary of the department concerned for clarifications if needed, to cut delays and to ensure we record a well-considered decision. Delay if any occurs when the CM’s secretariat delays in letting the officer come to the LG’s office for discussions. My secretary gets urgent matters cleared from me even when I am on a tour,” said Bedi.
She said even after the Lt Governor cleared the files, a large number of files is pending in the secretariat and the Lt Governor’s reminders were met with unsatisfactory or ‘not worth disclosing’ responses.
“Many reminders have not been responded or there has been an unsatisfactory response. On the contrary, some responses are not worth disclosing,” she said.
It is this which has weakened the speed of implementation of correction in administration.
The focus needs to be shifted back to what we together can do for the good of Puducherry added the Lt Governor.
