CM asks officials to visit districts

LUCKNOW: Stung by all round criticism, chief minister Mayawati on Wednesday came out with a new recipe to refurbish the image of her government. She directed the officials to visit districts at least twice a month and scrutinize the implementation of ongoing welfare schemes at grassroots and listen to the problems of the people.
Maya said, “Such visits should be undertaken after a thorough homework and with a specific purpose to oversee the working of the government machinery at the delivery-end and redress the grievances of people on the spot.” During their visits, the officials should not only make spot-inspection of development schemes, but also hold interactive sessions with the beneficiaries and people in general, she said.
The method devised, apparently showed the political exigency on the part of the government to improve its working in the face of criticism from the opposition parties. The CM’s instruction came quickly after a top level meeting held jointly by cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh and chief secretary Anoop Mishra to review the development situation in the state.
In the wake of the summer season, chief minister said top priority should be accorded to ensure drinking water facilities in all villages and urban areas and additional hand pumps be installed, wherever necessary. In this connection, she said, Bundelkhand should be given special attention, since it is in grip of acute water scarcity. Apart from this, the chief minister said that water should be made available for irrigation purpose, as this was the time, when farmers were sowing the seeds to prepare the nursery for Kharif crop plantation.
She also said that adequate stock of fertilisers should be kept ready for distribution among farmers, as this would be needed by them urgently immediately at the time of tilling their farms. The drainage and sewer system, which had been dug up and under construction, should be completed before the rainy season, she said, adding that repair of all tube wells and installation of new ones should also be done immediately.
Regarding the problems of employees, she said that their problems should be attended without any delay and government orders issued for regularisation of work charge employees should be implemented immediately. She said departmental secretaries should hold review meetings periodically in this regard. For improving the medicare facilities, she said that regular monitoring of hospitals should be done by senior officials to ensure proper patient care, particularly for the poor.Emphasising the need for accelerating the Saryu and Sharda projects, she said that the matter should be taken up with the Centre.