Naidu orders suspension of official at JB meet

By Our Special Correspondent

GHATKESAR, JAN. 2 On the opening day of the 14th Janmabhoomi, the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, saw for himself the contrast between the sluggishness of the officialdom and the enthusiasm of the self-help groups to reap the benefits of the interactive programme.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was to launch the programme in a village in Prakasam district, but bad weather made helicopter trip impossible. Instead, he drove to this mandal town in Ranga Reddy district, barely 30 km from Hyderabad for a two-hour interface with members of the self-help groups like DWCRA, CMEY, and officials associated with their implementation.

In the open house session, Mr. Naidu got firsthand account of how his pet programme was faring right from the beneficiaries. In the process, he had to coax and prod them to open up and answer frankly and freely.

Local officials, however, were less fortunate. They came in for severe grilling and the assembled gathering - a good chunk of them women, enjoyed every bit of it. They clapped enthusiastically whenever Mr. Naidu chided them for failing to do their duties properly.

Mr. Naidu, who was quite annoyed with functioning of the local literacy officers, was put off by the responses of Mr. P. Narayana Reddy, executive officer of the Ghatkesar gram panchayat so much he flared up: 'I am suspending you straightway. Why should the Government pay salaries to people like you?'.

The grilling brought to light that the erring official 'operated from Hyderabad', the property tax collection of the mandal was less than his own salary and a fraction of the staff (43 persons) salary bill of Rs 1.40 lakhs a month. It rankled in the Chief Minister's mind. When a DWCRA functionary articulated her group's achievements, he said people like the EO could learn from her.

He asked the villagers to be more enlightened and confront officials who did not do their job properly. 'Then only fear of God will be instilled. You are their paymasters'.

He also pulled up the leader of the farmers club, Mr. Padma Reddy, who confessed he did not know the average rainfall in his village and other basic facts.

Mr. Naidu was very happy when two of women's thrift groups explained how they pooled a lot of saving, took up income generating activities, practised small family norm, sent their kids to school. The activity spurred self-confidence and generated camaraderie among the villagers. "We have no child labour, Sir. We have no caste feelings. It is all one family. People are very prompt in repaying'.

An old woman, Lakshmi of the Ambedkar group, was so shy that the Chief Minister had to repeatedly ask her to come forward. Mr. Naidu made her sit next to him and talk.

His interaction with CMEY, Water Users Association and Farmers Club members was not as heartening. He asked them to do better, taking a leaf from their women counterparts.

The Minister for Home, Mr. T. Devender Goud, was also present.

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Section  : Southern States
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