In a record of sorts, five out of the 10 districts in Telangana will have women IAS officers as Collectors.
Women bureaucrats - Neethu Kumari Prasad (Karimnagar), G.D. Priyadarshini (Adilabad), T.K. Sreedevi (Mahabubnagar), V. Karuna (Warangal) and K.Nirmala (Hyderabad) respectively will steer the administration in these districts.
This is the first time in the country ever when a State has women District Collectors in half of its districts.
Proud moment
Happy with the recognition, many of the Collectors who will be assuming charge in their new assignments said it was indeed a proud moment as women were handpicked to steer the administration in key Telangana districts.
Ms. Karuna posted as Warangal Collector told The Hindu that they would do their best but one should not see it really from a gender perspective.
Similarly, Ms. Sridevi said women were known to be sincere and meticulous and apart from working for priorities set by the government, she would focus on water needs of the parched district.
Welfare schemes
For Ms Nirmala, who mostly worked in rural areas, said she would work for effective implementation of welfare programmes for the benefit of poor in the State Capital.
Coming close on the heels of Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao’s record four-day stay in Warangal evaluating the implementation of government’s flagship welfare programmes, the reshuffle apparently sent a message that Mr.Rao reposed faith in women administrators to translate his vision into reality. Highly placed sources said that considerable exercise and thought went into the postings and transfers even though several IAS officers were keen to head the districts at a time when people’s aspirations were high in the newly formed State with many challenges. But Integrity and honesty were given the premium in deciding District Collector postings, they added.
It is also interpreted as a decision to rein in political interference in the districts.
Women are known to be sincere and meticulous and apart from working for priorities set by the government, I will focus on water needs of the parched district,
T.K. Sreedevi,Mahabubnagar District Collector
