Expressing displeasure over the slow pace at which various development works are going on, Minister for Mines and Geology and district in-charge Halappa Achar has directed the officials to work responsibly and discharge their duties properly.
Chairing a review meeting in Dharwad on Tuesday, Mr. Achar also expressed dismay over the slow pace of land survey and land acquisition for widening the bypass road between Dharwad and Hubballi (between Narendra Cross and Gabbur Cross).
He asked officials to expedite the process and ensure early completion of the work to make the road stretch safe.
The Minister asked the officials to take all necessary steps to permit cooperative societies to sell seeds and fertilizer and make farm inputs available to farmers immediately.
“The district has received more than normal rainfall this year but rainfall in June has been poor. Already, 80% of the targeted area has been covered under crops and sowing is in process in the remaining area. Farmers, who used to sow cotton seeds, have not shifted to blackgram. So far, 14,900 quintals of various seeds have been sold in the district and 6,900 quintals are in stock. And, there is adequate stock of fertilizer,” he said.
Referring to the functioning of Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), a premier government medical institution in the region, Mr. Achar asked KIMS Director Ramalingappa Antaratani to be strict in enforcing rules and extracting work from doctors and other staff.
About the permission given to recruit 702 nurses and Group D employees, he said that the government has also provided requisite hi-tech medical equipment to the hospital and asked the director to extract work from the staff. “Unless you are strict, you cannot be a good administrator,” he told Dr. Antaratani.
Minister for Handloom and Textile Shankar Patil Munenkoppa, Members of Legislative Assembly Amrut Desai and Prasad Abbayya raised various development issues and problems.
Deputy Commissioner Gurdatta Hegde, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Suresh Itnal, Police Commissioner Labhu Ram, Superintendent of Police P. Krishnakant and senior officials of the district administration took part in the meeting and provided information on various issues and works.
