The general opinion is that staff in government offices do not respond to people’s problems and that files move at a snail’s pace. However, the government offices in Mandya are quite different. They are pro-people’s problems. For, the deputy commissioner himself goes to people’s doorsteps.

The staff of government offices visits people in their homes, lends a patient ear to their problems and also informs them about the various government schemes meant for them. Deputy Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad has, till date, conducted four village stay programme, two villages each in Malavalli and Maddur taluks.

On the other hand, the Information Department which had till now restricted itself only to its work of passing press notes to media offices, now takes up the 'grama seve' programmes frequently. Several youth organisations have also voluntarily involved themselves in this programme. So far, the department has taken up grama seve programme in eight villages, under the leadership of S Shankarappa, district assistant information officer.

Be it the DC's village stay programmes or the Information Department's grama seve programmes, the picture in the villages is quite similar. Villagers rush to submit their memorandum to the officials concerned with the hope that their problems will soon be solved.

The list of problems villagers generally face runs like this - improper power supply, eligible families not getting the BPL cards, the old, widows and the physically challenged not getting the pension that’s due to them, application for the sanction of anganwadi centres and fair price shops...

Talking about the objective behind the launch of his village stay programmes, Mr Manjunath Prasad said, “Most government staff, including the village accountant, were not functioning properly. They were also not showing any interest in passing on the benefits of government schemes to the needy.”

“According to available statistics, about 42,641 old, 24,375 physically challenged and 58,205 widows are drawing the pension allotted to their categories. But, I have serious doubts about the figures,” he says.

In an effort to clean up the system, the DC has launched a massive drive, wherein right from December 1, government staff attached to various departments have been going to villages, visiting every household, enquiring about their problems, taking down details and receiving applications.

“Based on these applications and the details mentioned therein, the Revenue Department will take action. We go by the rules laid down by the government to identify the beneficiary,” he said.

According to Mr Shankarappa, who is part of the grama seve programme, many people in Soligara Koppalu and Tattekere village in Nagamangala taluk were not even aware of the various government schemes meant for their benefit.

“The Information Department is now a mediator between the government departments and the public. We collect applications, pass them on to the departments concerned and even follow them up,” explained Mr Shankarappa.
At least now, will the people of Mandya district see an end to their problems? Let’s wait and watch.