Yawning gaps in budget allocations and spending, skewed priorities and the government’s inability to meet requirements of key departments were some of the glaring inadequacies brought to light by the Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSC) in their reports tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.
In what is being termed as a path-breaking exercise taken up for the first time in the legislative history of the State, legislators, cutting across party lines not only found loopholes in their close scrutiny of a plethora of documents but came up with innovative suggestions and recommendations for the effective functioning of government machinery and benefit delivery system.
The method adopted in compiling the reports of highlighting the problem areas and backing them up with suggestions came as a refreshing change in these DRSC reports in comparison with the drab demands for grants that used to be routinely tabled in the Assembly till last year.
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For instance, the DRSC on Agriculture had the courage to recommend streamlining of the procedure of appointment of “Adarsha Rythus” by delegating the powers to District Collectors to remove them if they failed to perform. The scheme was often criticised by the Opposition as much abused and one that aimed at benefitting the ruling party.