Date:17/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/17/stories/2007041712080100.htm

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VS assails lethargy of employees

Staff Reporter

Talks are being held with representatives of staff associations

The Chief Minister says Government is taking steps to address the issue.

Kayamkulam: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here on Monday that his Government was taking steps to do away with the lethargy that characterised Government employees across the State.

Inaugurating a Mini-Civil Station at Kayamkulam, Mr. Achuthanandan said associations of Government employees themselves had complained that "not even 30 per cent of Kerala's Government employees worked properly."

"This is not because they do not have enough salaries or perks. There are many offices where the employees are not in their chair. We are taking steps to change this situation. We have already held one round of talks with employees' association representatives and will hold more talks," he said.

Pointing out that the Kayamkulam Mini-Civil Station would bring 15 different offices under a single roof, the Chief Minister said this would, however, not mean that things would start moving smoothly immediately for the public.

"The speed and enthusiasm that the employees show in their work will depend on how the Collector, other officials and the general public handle these employees," he said.

The Chief Minister said his Government would ensure that the 16 new taluks that had been proposed in the State by the LDF Government in 2000 would be realised during this tenure. The new taluks would involve Kayamkulam as well, he added.

The Kayamkulam Mini-Civil Station, built at a cost of Rs.3.82 crore, was a project that took wings nearly two decades back. It took the tenure of three legislators, one of them who served as a Minister as well, to help the project reach completion, Kayamkulam MLA C.K. Sadasivan said.

Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran, the former Minister M.M. Hassan, Alappuzha district panchayat president R. Nazar and Kayamkulam municipal chairman K.A. Kalam, among others, were present.