Flying Squads Will Tour Villages To Assess Progress Under Palle Velugu Programs: CM

Hyderabad, Dec.22 (Maxim News): Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said flying squads will be touring villages and conduct surprise checks to ensure quality and progress under Palle Pragathi programs in State. The squads will submit reports to the State government on their assessment.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting on the Palle Pragathi program on Sunday at Pragati Bhavan here. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the prestigious 30-day Palle Pragathi program aimed at making the villages clean, green and tidy was held from September first week and became popular with the people. He said it was an auspicious development that the people voluntarily participated in the program.

“But I am receiving complaints, suggestions from the field level that some officials and people’s representatives were not showing any enthusiasm like the people. To make the program more effective, surprise checks and corrective measures are necessary,” the Chief Minister said and reminded that in the beginning of the Palle Pragathi program, it was mentioned that surprise checks will be done by Flying Squads. The Chief Minister made it clear that flying squads will be created and implementation of the program will be reviewed. Action will be taken against those officials and people’s representatives, who have not improved their performance.

In this context, the Chief Minister said promotions were given on a scale to the employees and officials in the Panchayat Raj department, which they never expected. From appointing Village Secretaries, MPO, MPDO, DLPO, DPO, ZP CEO, at all levels, the administration was strengthened and made the Panchayat Raj department live. After doing so much for the department, it was natural for the government to expect a good performance from the employees and staff.

As promised during the Palle Pragathi, every month the government was releasing Rs 339 crore to ensure progress and development under Palle Pragathi programs, the district Collectors are given suggestions so that they are alert. Under the Panchayat Raj Act, district collectors were also given powers in this direction. Working agencies at the village level were also strengthened to maintain clean and green villages. Salaries of the Village workers are increased and suitable schemes are also being implemented. Despite all this, if the progress in villages has not matched the expectations, the Collector, officials and people’s representative concerned should take the responsibility,” the Chief Minister said.

“The government has no other important issue than developing the villages. Since we had confidence and faith in officials and people’s representatives, we have given them adequate time and flexibility. Hence we have not gone for immediate checks. Now we feel the time has come. In the New Year, from January 1 we will launch checking of the Palle Pragathi program. This is not meant to trouble anyone. The flying squads will conduct surprise checks and send the report directly to government only,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said officers will be drafted from IAS, IPS and IFS cadre and the monitoring system will be put in place. Each official on a random method will be given 12 mandals in different districts to conduct surprise checks. Who is given what Mandal will be confidential information that will be with the government. Surprise and phased manner checks in the village can be used for crosscheck the response. This will enable the government to get proper suggestions and advices. The Chief Minister also made it clear that action would be taken against officials, Village Sarpanches who have not done their cent percent work and there should not be any let off in this matter. Especially those officials who showed laxity in their job will not be pardoned. Stringent action will be taken on those officials.

“The surprise checks carried out by the flying squads will show the commitment, abilities and dedication of officials and elected representatives in implanting the Palle Pragathi programs. This is also a testing time for the Panchayat Raj officials and elected representatives. There is no meaning if the villages are not bettered despite the fact that vacancies are filled, huge promotions are given, financial and others resources are made available. Despite all this if the villages are not developed now they can never be in the lifetime. But it should not happen,” the CM said.

The Chief Minister also reiterated that the government would not rest but would strive to make each and every village totally developed, clean, green and tidy. The Chief Minister also explained the seriousness of the Palle Pragathi program. “We are conducting the review meeting here today making Panchayat Raj Commissioner Raghunandan Rao to cancel his important visit to Bengaluru. This alone explains the seriousness of the programme,” the Chief Minister said.

In this meeting, Principal Secretary to CM S Narsing Rao, Secretary Ms Smita Sabharwal, CM Special Secretary Rajashekar Reddy, Panchayat Raj Commissioner Raghunandan Rao, Principal Secretary Municipal Administration Arvind Kumar, Director Ms Sridevi and other senior officials participated. (Maxim News)