Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 3: Chief minister (CM) B S Yediyurappa, has instructed officials at all levels from different departments not to avail any leave for a period of three months. This, he said, is needed to ably handle acute drought situation prevailing in this state.

He said that the state is facing drought because of shortage of pre-monsoon and monsoon rainfall. He therefore asked officials involved with drought relief work against availing of leave for three months. He also said that the officials cannot desist from work on the pretext of Saturday, Sunday etc.

He had convened a meeting of regional commissioners, deputy commissioners, chief executive officers of zilla panchayats and secretaries of various departments at the conference hall of Vidhan Soudha on Friday August 2. Addressing the participants, he told the officials that drought relief would be the first priority of everyone and no one can escape from work and come up with excuses. He said that he has told government officials right from the chief executive officers and district in-charge secretaries to the zilla and taluk level officials, to work on a war footing.

In the meantime, the government has, through an order, cut down the number of casual leaves in a year to 10 days from the previous 15. The order mentions that this reduction has come into effect from June 13. If the balance of casual leave in the accounts of officers and employees is over ten as on that day, the same would be brought down to ten. If the balance is less than ten, the current balance of leave would be continued, the order said.

The government, which had granted holiday on fourth Saturdays of every month to its staff, had not cut down the casual leave of the employees although it had indicated its intention to do so.