Delay in naming district ministers hits administration

Appointment of district in-charge ministers has become another contentious issue between coalition partners, the Congress and the JD(S), in the state.

With senior ministers of both Congres and the JD(S) vying with each other to get the district of their choice, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has not been able to assign the responsibility to his Cabinet colleagues.

The chief minister expanded his Council of Ministers on June 6.

The absence of district in-charge ministers has affected administration at the district level, especially in the wake of heavy rains damaging private and public properties across many districts recently. District incharge ministers conduct review meetings and take on-the-spot decisions to resolve administrative issues.

Sources in the JD(S) said Higher Education Ministers G T Deve Gowda and Tourism Minister S R Mahesh, who are both from Mysuru district, are eager to be in charge of the district. Similarly, ministers from Mandya district, Minor Irrigation Minister C S Puttaraju and Transport Minister D C Thammanna are eying at the post. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, wants to be in-charge minister for both Bengaluru Urban and Tumakuru districts.

Kumaraswamy is yet to decide whether to be in charge of Ramanagar district that he represents as an MLA. Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also from the same district, is keen on becoming the incharge minister. Health Minister Shivananda Patil (Congress) and Horticulture Minister M C Managolli (JD-S), both of whom are from Vijayapura district, have expressed a desire to be in-charge minister. Ditto is the case with ministers Mines and Geology Minister Rajashekar Patil (Congress) and Cooperation Minister Bandeppa Kashempur (JD-S) from Bidar district.

Meanwhile, the government on Saturday appointed senior IAS officers as incharge secretaries of all the 30 districts in the state.