Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 8: Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, said that there have been complaints that without paying bribes work does not progress in government offices. "There have also been a plethora of complaints about middlemen playing havoc in government offices. We should take these complaints in all seriousness and address this problem with earnestness," he said.

He was giving instructions to district-in-charge secretaries at the progress review meeting organized with their participation at Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday June 7. He issued them stern instructions to work towards driving away middlemen from government offices and create an environment in which the people can directly approach the officials and get their work done.

He told the officers that those who had the experience of having worked as district deputy commissioners and chief executive officers of zilla panchayats had been appointed as district-in-charge secretaries as they practically know the problems at the grass root level and how to tackle them. He asked them to visit district headquarters, visit the offices personally and understand the problems in their functioning in person rather than sitting here and managing affairs from the state capital.

"There are complaints about undue delay in disposal of files in district level offices. Several land apportionment cases are lying unattended for several years. It is said that i in some places, survey is done in only those cases where the land owners spend money. At lower level, clerical staff exploit farmers. Problems are prominent in distribution of certificates in social welfare department, extension of facilities under 'Krishi Bhagya' scheme in department of a agriculture, and in distribution of compensation in revenue department," he noted. He wanted the district in-charge ministers to pay attention to these problems and solve them.

When some officials were found to be fumbling in providing information sought for, the chief minister got angry and criticized them for lack of seriousness and preparations. He also instructed the chief secretary to keep tab on the functioning of district in-charge secretaries and whether they are periodically visiting their districts.