The Karnataka Government is yet to keep its promise of shifting to Belagavi State-level offices that deal with subjects related to northern Karnataka, to ensure effective and decentralised administration, even as another session of the legislature session is set to begin in the border district from Monday.
In August this year, the Basavaraj Bommai-led Government issued orders to shift seven directorates to northern Karnataka districts. The shifting of offices to the northern districts is in various stages of progress. They are mostly offices of the departments of Irrigation, Public works, Textile, and Horticulture, and some boards and corporations.
The only State-level office that has shifted to the Suvarna Soudha is that of the Information Commissioner, that was set up last year. Another Information Commissioner has taken charge in Kalaburagi. The Commissionerate of Sugar has been shifted to Belagavi city, but is yet to be housed at the Suvarna Soudha.
The regional office of the Karnataka Niravari Nigam Ltd., housed in Dharwad, was to be shifted to the Suvarna Soudha, as per an order issued on June 30 this year. But that has not happened till now.
“The State Government has given general direction to the Irrigation Department to shift office of the managing directors of the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam to Bagalkot. But it is yet to issue specific circulars, or movement orders,” said an Irrigation Department officer. The Textile Directorate was listed among the offices to be shifted to northern Karnataka, in the general circular issued by the Government in August. But there has been no follow-up on that either, sources in the Textile Department said.
Leaders vs. officers
“The main reason is the reluctance of officers to be posted to districts outside Bengaluru, which is deplorable,” said Satish Jarkiholi, Congress MLA and former Minister. He asked the Government to ensure that all officers posted to Belagavi take charge immediately.
Officers, however, say there are other reasons. “The bigger problem is the desire of the political class to have all officers in Bengaluru,” said a senior officer in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR). “Ministers and legislators want all secretaries, commissioners, and directors to be at their beck and call in Bengaluru,” he said. He added that officers posted here will have to work with officers in Bengaluru in real time. “In fact, the shifting of offices is only a symbolic step towards decentralisation. Real decentralisation would mean giving decision-making powers to district and regional offices. And there are other problems such as cadre planning for officers at various levels. These will need a complete overhaul of the DPAR rules. A mere Government Order for shifting of offices will not suffice,” the officer said.
Doublespeak
Activists accuse the Government of doublespeak. “On the one hand, the Government promises that State-level offices would be shifted to Belagavi and other northern districts. But on the other hand, it tries to snatch away the Regional Commissionerate, which is an important office that can supervise all other departments in the region,” said Ashok Chandaragi, convener of Kannada organisations in Belagavi. “We have written to the Chief Minister asking him to clarify these things in the winter session.”
Inconvenience to locals
The State Government has shifted 23 district-level offices to the Suvarna Soudha. Officers say this was mainly to save the rent these offices were paying to private building owners. However, by doing this, the Government has put the additional burden on the common man from Belagavi who has to travel to the Suvarna Soudha on the outskirts of the city for routine work. “We are repenting requesting the Government to shift offices to the Suvarna Soudha,” said RTI activist Bheemappa Gadad.
