JOIN USChief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday acknowledged that many undeserving and dishonest government officials had received awards, thereby depriving the worthy ones.
“Many a time we know for a fact that several dishonest officials receive awards. We realise this only after the facts emerge. But by then, the awards would have already been distributed to even the undeserving,” he remarked during the presentation of Sarvottam Seva awards. The event was organised by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR).
Siddaramaiah, however, hastened to add, in an attempt to deflect attention from 11 government officials who received the awards on Sunday: “I am not saying this about you people. You have proved your worth with your services. I only hope that we do not choose any dishonest officials. We ought to take greater caution while nominating officials for State awards.”
The chief minister then warned government officers against shirking their duty to the public. They must work selflessly and not expect appreciation for their performance, he said.
Siddaramaiah said that dishonesty and delay in delivering the services were the two biggest challenges to administration. The trait of honesty must come from the “inner conscience” and should not be noted with recognition to particular individuals. If officials fail to work without honesty and efficiency, people will have no trust in the government and will not respect the officials either, he added.
Governor H R Bhardwaj, who was present on the occasion, recalled how the media would keep asking him for his opinion about the chief minister. “I tell them the chief minister is a seasoned politician. He was a finance minister and the deputy chief minister.”