‘Poor governance' irks Siddaramaiah

He lambasts officials and district in-charge Minister S.A. Ramdas at KDP meeting

MYSORE-27-06-2011: Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and other elected representatives and officials participating in the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting held in Mysore on Monday. . PHOTO:M.A.SRIRAM ( TO GO WITH MYRKKNS1.27) MYSORE-27-06-2011: Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and other elected representatives and officials participating in the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting held in Mysore on Monday. . PHOTO:M.A.SRIRAM ( TO GO WITH MYRKKNS1.27) - MYSORE-27-06-2011: Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and other elected representatives and officials participating in the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting held in Mysore on Monday. . PHOTO:M.A.SRIRAM ( TO GO WITH MYRKKNS1.27)

The quarterly review meeting of the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) held on Monday presented an opportunity for the Congress to lambast the district administration for “poor governance”.

The review meeting, which is mandated to be held every quarter, was being held after more than a year and this drew the wrath of Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, even before the actual review of works could commence.

Mr. Siddaramaiah reprimanded Minister for Medical Education S.A. Ramdas, who is also in-charge of the district, and Mysore Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satyavathi for lapses and dereliction of duty. “You have failed to discharge your duties,” he said, asking the CEO if she was even aware of the rules and the Act governing the KDP meetings.

Timely meetings

To Mr. Ramdas — who chaired the KDP review meeting — Mr. Siddaramaiah said the meeting was supposed to be held once in three months and yet the administration failed to convene it even once during the whole of last year. “How can you monitor administration and governance if the KDP meetings are not held?” he questioned.

Admitting to the lapse, Mr. Ramdas promised to convene the meetings regularly, going as far as announcing that the next meetings would be held in September and December.

The issue did not end with the announcement of dates. When the actual review of works started, Mr. Siddaramaiah and Congress MLAs fired volleys and punched holes in the presentations made by officials.

Funds delayed

Mr. Siddaramaiah rebuked officials for blocking funds meant for development works sanctioned under the local MLA Constituency Development Fund. He pointed out that funds for such works had not been released since 2008-09.

Mr. Ramdas admitted to the delay in release of funds and promised a separate meeting on July 11 to discuss the issue.

When Joint Director of Agriculture Krishnaiah began a presentation, Mr. Siddaramaiah intervened to point out that the district was lagging in ragi production and sought the reasons for the slide.