From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Apr 26: With 160 out of the 176 taluks of Karnataka declared as drought-hit, the State Government has decided against transferring officials involved in the execution drought relief works in the next three months.

Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa, who spoke to reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday, said officials such as deputy commissioners, chief executive officers, assistant commissioners, tahsildars and panachayat development officers (PDOs) were involved in execution of several drought relief works in villages facing severe drought. 

Officials involved in the implementation of drought works and assigned the task of providing relief to villages facing severe drinking water would not be transferred during the next three months.

Disciplinary action would be taken against those officials seeking transfers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too had agreed to the decision, he said.

The State Government has fixed a three-month deadline for disposing of applications seeking lands under the Forest Rights Act, he said.

The Minister said rules have been simplified to grant forest lands which were being cultivated by villagers for several decades. 

Farmers/villagers have to submit documents to justify that they were cultivating on lands after 2005 with address documents such as Aadhar cards, voter identity card, ration card, he explained.

Applicants must also submit applications with statements of elderly persons vetted by Notary to determine that they were cultivating in forest lands for several decades. 

He said simplified rules have been issued in December 2016 but still officials have not been clearing pending files. He directed officials to clear all pending files in the next three months.