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Teams led by CM, deputies to rev up government work

Members to meet once a week to review the progress
Last Updated 08 August 2012, 18:06 IST

 Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has formed three teams, one headed by himself and the other two by his deputies - K S Eshwarappa and R Ashoka. 

 The formation of three teams are seen as a move towards providing effective administration in the State, besides keeping Eshwarappa and Ashoka in good humour.Each of these teams, which also have top officials as members, has been given responsibility of certain key departments.  They will meet once a week and review the progress in the implementation of government programmes. The chief minister will do a overall review once in a fortnight, Shettar said at a Meet the Press programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore. Unlike his predecessors, D V Sadananda Gowda and B S Yeddyurappa, Shettar has indicated that he will take everyone into confidence in running the administration. The two former chief ministers had courted trouble by taking unilateral decisions, especially by not taking the rival factions in the party into confidence. The chief minister took the decision to share the responsibilities after a meeting with Eshwarappa and Ashoka.  “I have only 10 months left in office. I have to score more in this short term. It is like a 20:20 cricket match. Taking singles won’t do. I have to go for boundaries and sixes. I am hopeful that I will be able to provide effective administration during my tenure,” he said. Drought relief Notwithstanding the Union government’s cold response to its pleas for drought relief funds in the past, the State government has submitted two separate memorandums to the Centre, seeking a total of Rs 11,489 crore for drought related works. The memorandums were formally submitted to the Centre on Tuesday. Shettar said the State had sought Rs 7,672 crore and Rs 3,817 crore for taking up short term and long term drought relief works, respectively, from the Centre. The State has also urged the Centre to waive of loans that the State’s farmers have taken from various nationalised banks, he said. On the delay in the appointment of the Lokayukta, he said the government would initiate the process soon and appoint the Lokayukta at the earliest. The government has not delayed the appointment. The delay was because of court cases, he added. Asked about some legislators planning to go on foreign tours despite the State reeling under a drought, he said he would talk to them and take a final decision. ‘No back-seat driving’ The Chief Minister asserted on Wednesday that he had been functioning independently and none was doing the back-seat driving of his government. “I am functioning independently as chief minister and will continue to do so. Nobody is doing back-seat driving,” he said in reply to a query on whether he was controlled by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.  He was also reacting to Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s jibe that Shettar was under Yeddyurappa’s control.  Asked about Yeddyurappa’s recent criticism of the government in the Assembly, he said all members in the House had a right to speak. The farmers in the State were in distress. There was nothing wrong about it, he said. On Yeddyurappa’s claim that the government took the decision to waive of farm loans based on his suggestion, Shettar said: “I cannot go on reacting to each and every statement. My government will accept all good suggestions and try to implement them in the interest of the people.” The chief minister said the BJP high command would decide as to under whose leadership the party should face the next Assembly elections.  He said he would complete the full 10 months of his tenure and ruled out the possibility of early elections.Shettar refused to comment on party leader L K Advani’s comments in his blog.

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(Published 08 August 2012, 18:06 IST)

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