Date:22/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/22/stories/2007052206230400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Officials told to change attitude

Staff Reporter

Otherwise I will have to take appropriate action, warns Kumaraswamy

CONSULTATION: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (second from left) Health Minister R. Ashok (left), Public Works Minister H.D. Revanna and Jayanthi, Director, Technical Education Board, at a function to lay the foundation stone of the silver jubilee a nnexe of Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's diatribe against officials who are dragging their feet in implementing schemes announced by the Government continued on Monday with him venting his ire against officials of the Finance Department for rejecting proposals forwarded by the Education Department.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone of the new block at Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic here, Mr. Kumaraswamy did not mince words in asking the officials to "change their attitude" and warned that if it did not happen soon, he would have to "take appropriate action".

World Bank funds

The officials had not put the huge funding received from World Bank for various schemes to good use and, as a consequence, a great amount of money had flowed into "private coffers", while the schemes suffered. Now the onus was on him to rectify matters and ensure that the people did not suffer, Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

The Government wanted to make education affordable and accessible to poor students who were talented and, to this end, the Government had announced plans to open seven new engineering colleges, 11 polytechnics, 300 pre-university colleges, 119 first grade colleges and 1,000 high schools, the Chief Minister said. All infrastructure, teaching and non-teaching staff and other requirements would be in place soon and recruitment would begin shortly, he said.

Not sparing the officials in the Education Department, Mr. Kumaraswamy said some of the departmental decisions, particularly in the matter of teachers' transfers, were causing a lot of heartburn to them, and they were unable to discharge their duties properly. Urging the officials to look at "ground realities", he asked them to avoid transferring couples to different places and splitting families. Both teachers and students suffered as a result, he said.

Making it clear that there was no shortage of funds to implement schemes, Mr. Kumaraswamy said for the SJ Polytechnic Silver Jubilee Annexe, the Public Works Department had allotted Rs. 13.5 crore. Several new courses would be started, for which the budget was Rs. 45 crore.

Officials must stop carping that he was being critical of them once too often. "Turn out good work and I will surely appreciate it," he declared.

Public Works Minister H.D. Revanna suggested to Mr. Kumaraswamy that this time the entire requirement of teachers should be filled in one go, either by the department itself or through the Karnataka Public Service Commission. He also wanted the Government to start eight new courses from the present academic year.

Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, who presided over the function, said five lakh students came out of technical institutes and colleges each year, and the challenge was to provide job opportunities to them. The Government had organised job fairs and was also promoting Special Economic Zones to create more employment opportunities, he said.