Four months too early to assess, 'annual exam' enough for ministers: Siddu

Bangalore, Sep 17 (DHNS): State Congress chief G Parameshwara’s move to conduct an assessment of the Council of Ministers has not gone down well with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. On Monday, he openly differed with the State party chief by stating that quarterly assessment of performance of his ministers may not be necessary.

The differences came to fore at a meeting between the two leaders held at the chief minister's home office Krishna.

“Four months are too early to assess the performance. One year would have been okay,” he told reporters in the presence of Parameshwara.

The State party chief, on his part, said he has brought to the notice of the chief minister that the assessment is being done as per the party high command’s direction.

Parameshwara had announced recently that performance appraisal of all ministers and Congress legislators would be taken up periodically and the feedback sent to the party central leadership. Siddaramaiah was in Dalian, China, to participate in the World Economic Forum when Parameshwara made the announcement. The party sources said the KPCC president would take up the issue with the high command.

It is not the first time that the State party chief and the chief minister have had differences. Parameshwara was unhappy with the portfolio allocation to ministers.

Besides, the State party chief had written a letter to the chief minister on the need for incorporating promises made in the election manifesto in the revised State budget 2013-14.

Earlier in the day, while interacting with the media, Siddaramaiah had stated that he would hold talks with the State party president and that he had come to know about the assessment only through the media.

However, he hastened to add that Parameshwara had every right to take up the assessment.

“The cabinet may be mine, but the party is his. First comes the party, then the cabinet,” Siddaramaiah said.

KPSC scam

Replying to queries, Siddaramaiah said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) report on the Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam for 326 gazetted posts would be placed before the cabinet soon.

The report was submitted by the CID to the chief secretary and home secretary last week. The CID had found evidence against eight accused named in the FIR and sought permission to prosecute government officials before filing the charge sheet.

He said the government will take up reauctioning of 51 iron ore mining leases under category ‘C’ soon.

The existing licences were cancelled by the government last week to abide by a Supreme Court directive. He said there was no immediate proposal to withdraw the ban on export of iron ore.

On the government issuing dress code for its employees, Siddaramaiah said it was done at the request of the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association.

“It is only to instil some discipline. Nothing more should be read into it”.