Govts change, but not governance: Cong MLA

Different political parties come to power but the quality of governance does not change for better in the state. In this era of e-governance, still files keep physically moving from office to office. But, the goal, to serve people, is not achieved.

These were the candid observations made by the Congress member A S Patil (Nadahalli) in the Legislative Assembly on Monday. While participating in a discussion on the revised budget proposals, the second-time MLA said that a file pertaining to starting a drinking water scheme for 114 villages in his Devara Hipparagi constituency in Bijapur district constituency has been pending for last five years in various sections of the government.

“The file from the tahasildar’s office was sent to assistant commissioner’s office and then to deputy commissioner’s office and finally to the Vidhana Soudha. A section officer wrote some comments and sent the file back to tahasildar’s office. For the want of approval for using land, the file has not been cleared. Why do we follow file system even now when technology has improved so much? Can we not e-mail files and get work done quickly?”

He said that earlier the Congress was in the Opposition and now it is on the other side. Once in five years the ruling party is thrown out of power because people look for a better governance. But, the system remains same, he said.

Patil said that even now, people are found paying at least Rs 100 as bribe to get a copy of pahani from a tahasildar’s office. The chief minister will have to take bold decisions to fight corruption. Unless corruption is rooted out, no change can be brought in. 

“Let there be new thinking to improve delivery mechanism,” he observed. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was present in the House when Patil spoke.