From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Feb 18: The Second Karnataka Administrative Reform Commission headed by former chief secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar submitted its second and third reports to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru on Friday, February 18.
The Commission, in its second and third reports, has recommended constitution of a Task Force to cut wasteful expenses incurred by various departments of the State Government, Boards and Corporations etc.
It has suggested that Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 and Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Budget and Accounts) Rules 2006 may be amended to impose double property tax on illegal sites and buildings in rural areas as in urban areas.
The Commission was constituted by the State Government on January 7 last year and commenced its functioning from February 11 last year. It has submitted the first report to Government in July 2021, with a total of 856 recommendations for 3 departments - Revenue, Food and Civil Supplies and Transport.
This time, eight departments of Urban Development, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Energy, Social Welfare, Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare and Minority Welfare Departments were studied.
Initially, the Commission decided to review citizen centric services to make them more accessible to citizens, to improve the delivery of e-services and work processes and make the delivery of these services paperless, cashless and faceless.
The Commission visited Raichur, Bellary, Vijayanagar, Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapur, Davanagere, Udupi and Bangalore Urban districts. Focus group discussions were held with the staff and officials working at hobli, taluk, district and state levels. Draft recommendations were shared with Additional Chief Secretaries/Secretaries/Heads of relevant departments and their suggestions were obtained. Meetings were held with retired Chief Secretaries of Karnataka to obtain their suggestions.
The Commission has also received feedback from the users of popular services through telephone calls from call centre. The Centre for Open Data Research (CODR) and KPMG examined each service portal to evaluate whether it complied with the guidelines for citizen friendly websites devised by Govt of India.
The Commission consulted reputed organizations like IIM Bengaluru, ISEC, NLSIU, CODR, Azim Premji University, PAC Bangalore, Janaagraha and E-Gov Foundation.
Key recommendations – General
1. Constitution of Cut Waste Task Force to cut wasteful expenses incurred by various departments of the State Government, Boards, Corporations etc.
2. The Government of India has decided that no file in any of its Ministries shall move more than four levels. Similarly the State Government may decide that no file in Secretariat shall move more than three or four stages. At present, files are moving in 5-10 stages.
3. Act and Rules may be framed for transfer of Group-C and D Employees through Computerized Counselling in all Departments.
4. The State Government may utilize Post Offices in the state for delivery of State Government citizen services, since they are already delivering Govt of India services.
5. Common Service Centres (CSCs) set up by village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) may be utilised for door-to-door service delivery as ‘’Janasevakas’’.
6. Higher delegation of powers to the Deputy Commissioners to allot up to 4 hectares of Government land to other State Government departments free of cost with limit of land valued up to Rs 5 crore and to give exemption from conversion charges.
7. Merging Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) in Finance Department.
8. Payment of compensation for land acquisition must be made intime. If the payment is not made in time, additional compensation will have to be paid for the delayed period. Therefore this service should be notified as Sakala Service by the Revenue department and other departments doing land acquisition. Land acquisition compensation should be paid through Aadhaar based system to prevent frauds.
9. Format for review of Performance appraisal report for officers and staff as revised may be adopted.
10. SADHANE (System for Assessment of Delivery of Services and Achievements): Implement departmental performance management and evaluation system for evaluating performance of departments.
11. Constitute committees to analyse, improve and monitor multi-sectoral and sectoral indices to improve the state’s performance at the National level. Prepare and publish district and taluk wise ranking as per these indices.
12. In case of high value tenders, draft bid document may be published and objections invited through the e-Procurement website before inviting bids. The bid document can be finalised after disposing of the objections.
13. All departments are deploying staff on outsourced basis without ensuring due representation to scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. The government may issue government order that outsourcing agencies should provide suitable representation to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled tribes among the outsourced personnel provided by them to Government departments.
14. Redeployment of Group C posts in Tahsildar offices, village accountants, police constables etc. from offices with less workload to those with more workload.
Key recommendations for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department
1. Panchayat Raj Engineering Department (PRED) and Karnataka Rural Road Development Agency may be merged.
2. Karnataka State Biofuel Development Board may be transferred to Energy Department and thereafter merged with Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd under the administrative control of Energy Department.
3. Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 and Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Budget and Accounts) Rules 2006 may be amended to impose double property tax on illegal sites and buildings in rural areas as in urban areas.
4. PDOs of the Gram Panchayats and officers of ULBs may be notified as competent authority under the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act for registration of marriages. Gram Panchayats and ULBs may be authorized to receive and recommend applications for Social Security Pensions.
5. Organizations such as BDA, Urban Development Authorities, KHB and KIADB are issuing khatas for the sites allotted by them in the limits of Gram Panchayats, depriving the Gram Panchayats of property tax. Gram panchayats may collect property tax and maintain Khatas for the sites allotted by the above said organisations in GP limits.
6. Recommendations related to payment of electricity bills and dues of Gram Panchayats. There are outstanding dues of Rs. 3993 crore for ESCOMs by the Gram Panchayats. This may increase to Rs 8500 cr. by 2025. Recommendations have been made for resolving this issue.
Key recommendations for Urban Development Department
1. By issuing suitable rules under Section 76F of the KTCP Act for compounding offences, B-khata sites can be converted into A-Khatas by paying land conversion fees and fines and compounding fees to the concerned Planning Authority.
2. BDA and BMRDA may be merged by amending BDA and BMRDA Acts, BMRDA office may be shifted to the BDA office.
3. Building plans up to 2400 sq.ft. may be given online approval immediately on the basis of self-declaration and certification and payment of fees through online applications.
4. Coordination committees may be constituted under the chairmanship of Zonal Commissioners in BBMP and City Commissioners in other Corporations.
5. The KMC Act and the KM Act may be amended to open B-Khatas in ULBs on the lines of B-Khata in BBMP and 11-B khatas of Gram Panchayats.
6. The various taxes and penalties prescribed under the provisions of KMC Act 1976 and the KM Act 1964 may be revised in line with the increase in inflation index. Ex: Some rates are charged from Rs. 5.
7. Metropolitan Planning Committees may be constituted as per the provisions of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act in all the cities having current population of more than 10 lakhs in their metropolitan areas like Hubli-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Belagavi etc.
8. To reduce the work pressure on the Chief Commissioner, some of the powers of the Chief Commissioners of the BBMP, such as the approval of budgetary works up to Rs. 2 crores, transfer of Group-C employees within the zone etc., may be delegated to the Zonal Commissioners.
9. Similarly, the powers of BDA Commissioner such as certain powers with respect to land acquisition may be delegated to the Deputy Commissioner, certain sites related powers to the Secretary, leave encashment and medical bill reimbursement, payment of utility bills etc.
Key recommendations for Energy Department
10. Under the Ganga Kalyana Scheme, the actual cost of energisation to the borewells is estimated to be around Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs.3.50 lakh. It is reported that only Rs 50,000 is paid by the Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare. Action may be initiated to reimburse the actual cost of energisation or the amount may be increased.
11. About 75% to 80% of new connections are for loads less than 5 KW. The power to sanction such connections may be delegated to the concerned Section officers by Escoms.
12. A large number of installations are covered by CEI. In addition to providing 18 Sakala services it must regularly inspect electrical installations. It may not be possible for the department with its present staff or even with additional staff to handle the inspection functions effectively. Hence Chartered Electrical Safety Engineers may be authorised as per the guidelines of Central Electricity Authority.
Key recommendations for Social Welfare, Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare and Minority Welfare Departments
1. As per the provisions of Forest Rights Act, 2006 usage rights have been confirmed on eligible persons belonging to ST, SC, OBC and others. Hakkupatras (Rights certificate) are also issued to them. These rights should be entered in Other Rights column of the RTC. Moreover, these farmers have not been declared as eligible for incentives like crop compensation, seeds & manure subsidy, bank loan etc. A Government order may be issued jointly by Agriculture, Horticulture and Sericulture Departments directing implementing officers to consider them eligible for all such incentives given by the State Government to farmers.
2. There are about 103 hostel having admission strength less than 50% of the sanctioned strength. These hostels may be merged and inmates may be shifted to 93 nearest hostels. The closed 103 hostels may be shifted to needy locations.
3. In view of shortage of staff, Taluk Social Welfare office and Taluk Tribal Welfare office may work together in a single office. Similarly Taluk level Backward Classes and Minority Welfare offices may be ordered to work together in a single office.
Key recommendations for Home Department
1. It is a common observation that citizens feel shy to come to police stations. The department provides more than 32 citizen-centric services. Citizen services help desks may be established in all police stations. A provision may be made in the Police Manual to institutionalise it.
2. The percentage of female representation in non-gazetted police staff in Karnataka is 8.3% (in 2020). The state has mandated 25% reservation for women in the recruitment of constables etc. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India on 12.05.2015, has advised State Governments to reserve 33% vacancies for women to increase the representation of women in the police forces. The State Government may approve 33% horizontal reservation for women in recruitment of constables and non-gazetted staff.