The new districts in Telangana, as many as 21 of them, will be formed tomorrow. But, the big question is where will they function from.
A look at the accommodation makes an interesting reading.
Newly constructed guesthouses, residential schools, training institutes like ITIs, camp offices of Irrigation Department, guesthouses of Roads and Buildings Department and buildings of Singareni Collieries Company Limited will be handed over for the offices.
More interestingly, the closed private engineering and pharmacy colleges are proposed to be converted into Collectorates.
The One Town police station at Siddipet will accommodate the office of the Superintendent of Police of Siddipet.
What is shocking is that the government two days ago issued an ordinance upgrading the SP’s office to commissionerate at Siddipet.
Kavitha gives a miss to events
Member of Parliament K. Kavitha landed herself a grand Bathukamma fete for the third consecutive time this year. The popular MP, whose pet programme was allotted a budget of Rs. 10 crore in all districts last year, took a different turn this year.
She left her home ground to tour people world over to popularise the festival among Telangana diaspora. Her tour plan included the most sought after tourist destinations including Abu Dhabi, California, London, Sydney and Auckland. While she was well received by the festive communities in these world destinations, back home, she spent just a day or two amidst her hectic tour schedule to participate in Bathukamma festivities at her father and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s camp office.
Ms. Kavitha also gave a miss to two mega events organised by the government at L.B. Stadium and Tank Bund.
Will it mean citizen-friendly services?
With the number of districts more than doubled now, the question everyone is asking is whether all these brouhaha will help in bringing administration closer to the people or is it a political exercise meant to fetch dividends to the ruling party and keep citizens busy. Having offices within short distances is no guarantee that their services will be efficient or the personnel will suddenly become people- friendly. This is where the challenge lies to the government to provide citizen-friendly services and attitude from the officials concerned.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is talking of administrative reforms and citizens charters, these are being spoken for the last decade or so, will more offices, officers change the rules of the administration?
(N. RAHUL, NIKHILA HENRY &
V. GEETANATH )
