District in-charge Minister Eshwar Khandre today said that the officials who were corrupt or who were creating problems for people would be strictly dealt with. He was speaking at the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting here.
His statement came after Bidar South MLA Ashok Kheny alleged that extra-constitutional authorities were instructing officials to take up works. He alleged that Chandra Singh, a relative of former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, was summoning officers to his house and giving orders. Officials were also inviting Mr. Singh to government programmes, he complained. Mr. Khandre said he would instruct Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari and Zilla Panchayat CEO Pavan Kumar Malpati to make an inquiry and make sure there were no such complaints in future.
Allegation against police
Mallikarjun Khuba, MLA, alleged that police officers were extorting money in his name. He also alleged that police were neglecting routine work such as crime detection and law and order control, but “wasting time on raiding liquor dens.” He said there were several vacancies in police stations and they had to be filled soon. SP Prakash Nikam said around 250 policemen would be posted to the district in two weeks.
Rainfall scarcity
Bidar district was suffering from slight rainfall scarcity, officials said at the KDP meeting. There was no rain from August 14 to 28. The overall scarcity in August was 57 per cent, though rainfall was above average in June and July. Around 15-20 % of soya crop was affected, Joint Director of Agriculture K. Ziaullah said.
Minister Eshwar Khandre asked officers not to wait for allocations, but to plan for the whole year, as per norms. Green gram harvest had been as per expectation, the Minister was informed.
Concern for farmers
Mr. Ashok Kheny suggested that distribution of free rubber gum boots to farmers could avoid snake bites. He pointed out that a large number of farmers were dying of snake bite as they had no protective footwear. “The government is providing benefits to many sections of the society; why can't it give shoes to farmers so that they stay safe?”, he questioned. Mr. Eshwar Khandre said he would follow up the issue with the State government if the ZP were to pass a resolution recommending this.
Delay in crop loss compensation
Mr. Eshwar Khandre asked bank officials not to delay disbursement of crop loss compensation to farmers even after the government had released it. Umakant Nagamarapalli, District Central Cooperative Bank chairman, said all money deposited by the government was distributed to farmers in five days.
Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari said banks were sitting on government money needlessly. “If this continues, I will be forced to seek permission of the State government to demand interest on such amount,” he said.
Mr. Khandre said that the performance of commercial banks was worse than that of cooperative banks.
