After Poll Campaign, Yeddy Gets Cracking on Implementing Programs

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 31: After concluding a grueling state-wide campaign for the ruling BJP all over Karnataka for the taluk and zilla panchayat polls, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurapap got down to business and chaired a high-level official meeting to review the performance various schemes in the current fiscal year.

Indicating that he meant business, Yeddyurappa directed all the top bureaucrats to ensure that concerted steps were taken for implementing all the government programmes and utilise funds sanctioned in the State budget by the end of the current financial year in March.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Minister said barely 41 per cent the amount (Rs. 1292.35 crore) had been spent by October end out of the Rs. 3142.28 crore allocated for the welfare of scheduled castes in 2010-11.

"If this is case in the utilization of funds meant for the scheduled castes,” the chief minister said the implementation of other government programmes and budgetary allocations was anybody’s guess. ``This kind of slackness and lethargy will not be tolerated,” he said asking the officials to spare no efforts to ensure that the entire budgetary allocations were fully utilised.

He promised to convene of senior officials again in January to review the progress of expenditure of various departments. The meeting would provide useful tips for preparation of the State budget, he said.

Yeddyurappa said the government would not tolerate laxity on the part of the officials in implementing the schemes meant for the welfare of the poor families.  The Chief Minister has expressed dissatisfaction over ineffective delivery of food and civil supplies through the public distribution system (PDS) in the State and told the officials to take steps to correct the loopholes in the system.

Ministers R Ashok, V Somanna, Shobha Karandlaje, S Suresh Kumar, B N Bache Gowda, and Chief Secretary S V Ranganath were present.

State Planning Board officials made a presentation of a study on “Social Audit of Public Service Delivery in Karnataka” conducted by Public Affairs Centre (PAC), Bangalore, to the Chief Minister and other ministers at the meeting.

"PDS functioning unsatisfactory”

The study found that 81 per cent of the households reported that ration shops were not open on all working days while awareness on rates of different items, entitlements, consumer helpline number was very low (two to three per cent).

The study covered service delivery of public transport, food and civil supplies, pension schemes, veterinary health care, government high schools, primary health centres and district hospitals and Nemmadi Kendras.

Complete satisfaction with services ranged between 59 per cent and 91 per cent. Nemmadi Kendras, one-stop for many government services, bagged highest score while the pension scheme secured lowest score.

The study said 60 per cent of the consumers surveyed for a study on delivery of public services do not get the receipts for the purchases made at the ration shops.

Nearly 20,000 rations shops in the State have been entrusted with the responsibility of distributing foodgrains to 1.26 crore ration cardholders, including BPL cards.  The government spends more than Rs. 800 crore in a year in the form of subsidy to provide foodgrains to BPL families.

The study said 51 per cent of the respondents reported that the items purchased from the ration shop were not weighed properly and 87 per cent of the respondents reported that the ration shop always do not display the stock position and the price list.

"Corruption in PDS ramphant”

A substantial section of the respondents reported corruption in the PDS and 38 per cent of them were either dissatisfied or partially satisfied with the functioning of the department. A majority felt that (87%) the ration shops always do not display the stock position and the price list.

The average quantity of rice and wheat purchased per unit BPL cardholders works out to three kg and half kg of wheat against the entitlement of four kg of rice and one kg of wheat. Lack of awareness about their entitlements could be the problem, it said.

The average quantity of rice and wheat purchased by Anthyodaya Anna Yojana card holders worked out to 25 kg of rice and half kg of wheat as against the entitlement of 29 kg of rice and six kg of wheat. The study said non-awareness could be the problem. While noting the positive aspects, it said the distance to the ration shop is less than a km for 76 per cent of the households and 62 per cent of the households were satisfied with the overall quality of service.

The study revealed that bribes have been paid by 10 to 32 per cent of the people with the exception of bus service and Nemmadi Kendras. A highest proportion of bribes paid were reported in the pension scheme. “Access per-se is not a serious barrier in the seven public services,” it said.

Significantly, as many as 46 per cent of the respondents reported that the current bus fares “are very high” and 37 per cent of them said “busses are over-crowded.”  Greater frequency led many passengers (52%) to opt for private bus service.  However, one-third of the respondents were unaware of the bus timings, the study mentioned.