Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s severe censuring of officials of some departments is a subtle indication that the ministers concerned would be expelled or demoted from the Cabinet during the expansion. On Thursday, during an interaction with officials on knowledge and skill development mission, the Chief Minister made them debate on it. Mr Naidu said though the education department has sufficient funds and manpower, it had failed to increase the literacy rate and get NAAC ratings. He said he would review the activities of the Educa-tion department as it had become more problematic than demonetisation.
The officials said the Chief Minister was expressing his anger indirectly over them instead of the minister concerned. The CM's attitude towards departments like Education, Labour and Employment, Housing, IPR, Social Welfare, BC Welfare and Agriculture is being discussed at CMO and Secretariat. There is a discussion among officials that the CM has zeroed in on some Cabinet ministers, due to which he is castigating them indirectly during review meetings.
Due to this, some ministers are avoiding the review meetings citing excuses, putting the officials in the line of fire. A senior IAS official said Mr Naidu is ignoring ministers K. Atchennaidu, Ravella Kishore Babu, Kimidi Mrunalini, Palle Raghunath Reddy and a few others.
