Communication gap among the departments of the State government has been causing considerable delay in obtaining approval of the Union government for various projects, said Mr Mahima Patel, State Government’s Special Representative in New Delhi.

Talking to reporters in Bangalore on Tuesday after holding a meeting of top officials of the State, Mr Patel pointed out that many of the secretaries to the government were not even aware of the functions of the office of State’s Representative in New Delhi and moreover there is no coordination among the departments in following up projects with the Centre.

“Even the Chief Minister and the Ministers, who come in delegation to meet Union Ministers contact me only after reaching New Delhi and many a times I would be in Karnataka when they reach Delhi. It is difficult for me to follow up the issues before the Centre, unless a copy of each communication from different departments, secretaries, ministers of the State with the Union government related to various projects are sent to my office,” Mr Patel said.

He said that recently he had brought to the notice of the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy about these difficulties and requested him to take suitable step to overcome the problem.

Mr Patel, however, said that despite difficulties he had ensured that 40 of the 60 major projects, each involving more than Rs 10 crore and were pending with the Centre for a long period, have been cleared after he assumed the office.

Mr Patel also said that he would convene a meeting of Members of Parliament from the State soon to brief them about the issues related to State required to be raised in the Parliament. 

Power transfer is a promise
Bangalore, DHNS: The JD (S) should transfer power to the BJP to keep up its promise made at the time of formation of the coalition government, said Mr Mahima Patel, State Government’s Special Representative in New Delhi.

Talking to reporters in Bangalore on Monday, Mr Patel, however, made it clear that there is no doubt about transfer of power to the BJP as Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has already cleared the doubts in this regard.
Asked about several JD (S) ministers’ statement against transferring power, Mr Patel said given a chance everyone would like to remain in power but there is a need to keep up the promises made.

To a query, Mr Patel said heads of mutts should not bother about state’s politics or the transfer of power between the JD (S) and the BJP.

“Mutts and seers should preach people on dharma and guide the society and they should not bother about politics,” he added.