Giving a new twist to the controversy over Krishna District Collector Babu. A’s slyle of functioning, Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Thursday directed the officials to stop attending weekly video conference convened by the Collector.
Extending support to the heads of the government departments, the Minister has added fuel to the demand of a section of officials, which recently came out openly against the Collector’s style of functioning. They alleged excessive work pressure due to prolonged video conference.
Addressing the officials at the Zilla Parishad General Body meeting here, Mr. Umamaheswara Rao stated that no head of the department should waste his/her time by turning up at the weekly video conference convened by the Collector or the Joint Collector.
“The officers need to attend the Collector’s video conference only once in a month and one must be engaged in their routine job on the remaining days”, said Mr. Umamaheswara Rao. The Minister also assured the officials of discussing the issue with the Chief Minister this week. Ironically, the Minister’s guidelines came as surprise to the officials as Collector Babu. A was absent at the meeting as he had gone on personal leave.
Pedana MLA Kagita Venkata Rao and other officials who expressed their resentment over Collector’s working style were relieved to hear the guidelines from the Irrigation Minister. Confirming no change in his style of administration, Mr. Babu had made it mandatory for the officials to be present at the weekly video conference to review activities of various departments.