The State joint legislature committee on backward classes and minorities welfare took officials to task today for laxity in delivery of services to beneficiaries. As many as 12 members of the committee were here to review progress of schemes in Bidar, Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts.
Committee member Somanna Bevinamarad, member, pointed out that 271 applications under the Ganga Kalyan scheme were pending since 2009-10. Some farmers are waiting for a subsidised borewell and power connection for seven years. In several cases, borewells have been sunk, but no power supply has been provided, he read out from a report submitted to the committee. Farmers from minority and backward class communities visit government offices several times, only to be turned away by officials. Officials remain insensitive to the problems of poor farmers, he rued.
When Karnataka minority development corporation officials did not give him a convincing reply, he alleged that the officials were drawing money by fudging documents in the name of fictitious beneficiaries.
J.R. Lobo, committee chairman, said serious action would be taken against Gescom and minority development corporation officers if there was a delay of three months in electrification of borewells. M.S. Vaidya, member, said he would recommend the suspension of officers. Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer Pawan Kumar Malpati said he would conduct an inquiry into the issue and submit a report to the committee in a week’s time.
Earlier, officers failed to provide no information on development schemes of minorities and disbursal of funds under various schemes. While officials from Yadgir and Kalaburagi provided enough details, Bidar officers had little details. This angered the chairman and some members who reprimanded the officials.
Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari’s comment that he would meet the committee members in Bengaluru with the details further upset the members. They demanded an apology from Mr. Tewari and he rendered it.
