JOIN USBuilding grand structures will not take the government anywhere, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa told Bengaluru Urban zilla panchayat officials, as he exhorted them to focus on development.
He said the state government’s sanctioning of money for development is going towards building giant structures and to pay staff salaries. “Constructing grand buildings will not take us anywhere,” the chief minister said as he held the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting of Bengaluru ZP.
“Instead, focus your attention on actual citizen-centric development works. If you all continue to work like this, how are we going to address the problems?” he asked.
Bengaluru Urban ZP CEO Shivaramegowda shared details of the fund utilisation for development work. “Out of the Rs 578.58 crore, about Rs 317 crore was used for salaries of the employees followed by Rs 257 for maintenance, purchase and conveyance,” he said.
This riled the Chief Minister, who told the officials that holding meetings inside big buildings does not help anyone. “How much tax have you been able to collect in the last one year? Work towards the collection of taxes by providing amenities to the citizens,” he said.
He said the Covid situation has laid a severe economic stress on the state and asked officials to spend government funds towards welfare programmes like creating health infrastructure, schools and supplying potable water.
Suspension of officials
Yediyurappa was livid at the absence of officials at the KDP review meeting he held in the district after several years. He sought details from officials from Slum Development Board and Dr Ambedkar Development Corporation, only to find them absent at the meeting. The chief minister, already angered by the poor performance of the officials, ordered the immediate suspension of officials from both departments.