Speaker flays ZP CEOs for laxity in executing projects

Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on Saturday pulled up Zilla Panchayat chief executive officers (CEOs) for their laxity in executing the projects envisaged by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RD&PR) department.

Speaking at the concluding session of a two-day event organised by the department, Thimmappa said the CEOs need to visit the gram panchayats to ensure the projects announced by the government were being implemented properly.

“In one particular instance, in my own constituency, a taluk panchayat received the President’s award for constructing toilets in the village. When I visited the village, the material for constructing the toilets were all assembled, but not constructed. This is how it works today. I would suggest that the officials, including Vijay Bhaskar (RD&PR Principal Secretary), must step outside the Vidhan Soudha. Even the CEOs must visit the villages to implement the projects,” he said.

RD&PR minister H K Patil said over the years a lot of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in rural areas have been put to hardship due to bribery. Quoting a Transparency International report, Patil said as in 2008-09, Rs 65 crore was paid as bribe to the RD&PR department officials.

“As much as 67 per cent of the rural population has been asked to pay the bribe for getting their work done. This needs to change,” he said.   

Patil said the government is now contemplating a comprehensive development plan (CDP) for the villages, on the same lines as the CDP for major cities and towns.
The minister said that a concept paper on these topics was being prepared by an expert.