10 schemes close to CM's heart may miss deadline

DHNS
October 6, 2017

Bengaluru, Oct 6: While the ruling Congress gets bullish on promoting the government’s achievements, 10 out of 18 flagship programmes of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah - the party’s face for the upcoming Assembly polls - are unlikely to meet implementation targets before the end of his tenure.

These 18 programmes or schemes are directly monitored by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Ten of them are way behind the March 2018 deadline, according to data. These programmes are facing a predicted time delay of more than 10%, which roughly means they are, at least, months behind schedule. The CMO predicts time delay for a project going by the previous pace of expenditure.

The most lagging one is the 72-km-long Namma Metro Phase-2, a project Siddaramaiah has fast-tracked in order to be completed by December 2020.

The entire project is 77% behind schedule and the government’s target of completing Reach-2 and Reach-4 by March 2018 is unlikely to be achieved. Since February 2014, the government has spent Rs 3,725 crore on the Phase-2, but has achieved only 12% physical progress.

Similarly, infrastructure works under the Hyderabad-Karnataka Region Development Board is a dismal 74% behind schedule. Out of a total 14,893 works, only 3,467 have been completed at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.

Construction of Citizen Service Centres (Bangalore One and Karnataka One) is another area where the government has not delivered much. Only 52 centres are operational out of the targetted 102. Based on physical and financial progress, this project is 44% behind schedule.

Other flagship programmes such as Pashu Bhagya, horticulture area expansion, Basava Housing Scheme (and other housing schemes), sports infrastructure, MGNREGA and micro irrigation are 12-36% behind the March 2018 deadline. Interestingly, data reveals that some of these were implemented well initially, but have lost closer to the polls.

Only three schemes are on track. Vidyasiri, under which poor backward class students get a stipend of Rs 1,500 per month towards accommodation, has covered 3.29 lakh students against the 3.11 lakh target.

The Niranthara Jyothi Yojane (24-hour 3-phase power supply in rural areas) has already reached 15,398 villages and is 10% ahead of schedule. Similarly, the Manaswini scheme to provide Rs 500 to poor spinsters and divorced women is closer to achieving the target.

Other flagship schemes such as Anna Bhagya, new hostels, industrial infrastructure, National Rural Drinking Water Programme and Mythri are facing minor delays.

“There is now visibility and transparency, so we know where the delays are. The chief minister will hold a series of review meetings in November to push implementation,” Principal Secretary to Chief Minister L K Atheeq said. “We are confident of achieving targets,” he added.

Comments

Naveen
 - 
Friday, 6 Oct 2017

Then let us declare more new schemes

Sangeeth
 - 
Friday, 6 Oct 2017

What about the 11th scheme where he is planning to have 70% reservation quotas= for sc/st and OBCs??????

Reshma
 - 
Friday, 6 Oct 2017

When Bhaagyas get mixed up.

The Health Scheme, they provide Henda Intravenous.
Shaadi Bhaagya, is when they mixe up with Annabhagya you get Coupons for Biryani at Indira Canteen.
Anna Bhaagya, you line up for Ration, and you win a Bride.

Henda Bhaagya is one which never goes wrong, you always get Kalbatti Sarai.

Unknown
 - 
Friday, 6 Oct 2017

What is really visible physically is lagging. The scheme " Vidyasiri" claims 3.29lakh coverage instead of targeted 3.11, looks good, hope there are no bogus claims under this scheme.

Ram
 - 
Friday, 6 Oct 2017

The ruling Khangress in Karnataka should give up costly schemes that do not benefit many for cheap popularity. If the Govt. concentrates on much needed trash management, pot-hole and speed-breaker free clean smooth well lit roads with obstruction-free clear pedestrian foot-paths and other public amenity based schemes, the party need not struggle for popularity.

Indian
 - 
Friday, 6 Oct 2017

Sidha government priority should be to fill pothole in Bangalore, infact there were no roads only potholes one could see everywhere, this laxity by govt may lead to people pay hefty price !

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News Network
March 4,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 4: The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to the state government in connection with the denial of retirement benefits to a retired deputy commissioner of commercial taxes who had fought against the illegal iron ore lobby.

Justice G Narendra also directed the state to respond to the notice before March 9, stating the reasons for withholding the officer’s retirement benefits.

Advocate Ramananda, appearing for the retired officer Josephat Andrews, explained that the single-judge bench also warned the government of stringent action.

Petitioner Josephat Andrews said his retirement benefits amounting to Rs 25.88 lakh were being withheld since 2014.

In 2009, Andrews detected a huge scam involving Vijaya Leasing, a company associated with former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy. Immediately he wrote to his higher officials explaining to them how the department was owed Rs 1,400 crore in taxes by the company. Immediately after that, Andrews was transferred to Bengaluru.

The media exposed the scam in 2012. Thereafter, to harass the officer, Andrews was served notice for allegedly not conducting an inspection of M/s Vijaya Leasing, which was controlled by the family of then tourism minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, on July 11, 2012.  He was discharged by a full departmental enquiry.

The petitioner was issued a second show cause notice on Jan 29, 2014 on the same charges. Before his retirement, he was docked two increments, denied promotional benefits and his pension was reduced without following due process.

He was served yet another notice with charges that he did not inspect goods vehicles, and an order was passed on April 30, 2019 reducing his pension by 5 per cent, an unprecedented punitive action.

This order was quashed by the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT), which also ordered payment of retirement benefits to Andrews within five months. However, the benefits were not released to him.  

“Rule 214 of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules (KCSR) make it clear that no enquiry can be held four years after an officer’s retirement.  Belying all statutory rules and precedents of the Supreme Court, Josephat Andrews’ retirement benefits were withheld for five years. Andrews therefore approached the High Court,” advocate Ramananda explained.

Josephat Andrews recalled to Deccan Chronicle that although mining activity was in full swing in 2008, the commercial tax department maintained that it had nothing to do with mining. “I travelled to Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bellary to investigate. I found tax evasion of thousands of crores. When I visited M/s the Vijaya Leasing facility – it was operating from an old oil mill premises–within 20 minutes I got calls from Ali, a person claiming to be the personal assistant of Gali Janardhan Reddy. He told me to get out of the premises as it belonged to his boss. Then calls came from minister Sreeramulu and MLA Nagendra. 

Within minutes 200-300 rowdies gathered around the building and my superior asked me to come back. Instead of filing a police complaint and forming a special team to deal with the situation, the department transferred me to Bengaluru,” he explained.

Talking about the High Court directive, Josephat Andrews said, “I have suffered a lot. Instead of getting a reward for increasing revenues by Rs 2,000 crore, I was punished.”

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coastaldigest.com web desk
January 29,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 29: The Indian Coast Guard today commissioned a high-speed coast interceptor boat at New Mangalore Port here giving a fillip to the coastal security.

The water jet propelled Interceptor Boat C-448 (27.80 mts in length) has an endurance of 500 nautical miles at 20 knots.

The vessel fitted with latest state of the art navigation and communication equipment can achieve a speed of 45 knots. Thus, the vessel is designed for high speed interception, close coast patrol, low intensity maritime operations, maritime surveillance, search and rescue.

The quick reaction capability coupled with modern equipment and system ensures that the vessel responds to any maritime situation. With a crew of 12 personnel, C-448 is Commanded by Assistant Commandant Apoorva Sharma.

The Interceptor Boat will be based at Mangaluru. T. M. Vijaya Bhasker, Chief Secretary Karnataka, who commissioned the IB, said that the crew should discharge their duties faithfully and with courage. Anand Prakash Badola, Commander, Coast Guard Region ( West) and A.V. Ramana, Chairman, New Mangalore Port Trust, were present on the occasion.

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News Network
January 13,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 13: Days after indicating that he may not travel to Davos to attend the World Economic Forum later this month, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said he will be attending the global meet, and that the expansion of his ministry will take place before his foreign tour.

Reiterating that he will keep the promise of making disqualified legislators who have won bypolls on BJP ticket as ministers, he said ministry expansion will happen soon after his meeting with party national president Amit Shah on the matter. "There is no truth in speculations that are going on regarding the cabinet expansion, in fact, Amit Shah had given me time for meeting today in Delhi, but I had to attend important programmes here.

Tomorrow if possible I will cancel all my programmes and will go to Delhi, and get cabinet cleared, there is no problem in that," Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the legislators who have won in the bypolls need not worry about the speculations.

"I will fulfil the promise that I have made. If Amit Shah is available I will try to go to Delhi tomorrow. If not he is coming here (Karnataka) on January 17 and 18, will get things cleared and expand the ministry," he said. Yediyurappa had earlier said he will be going to New Delhi probably on January 11 or 12 to discuss cabinet expansion with the BJP high command. However, on Saturday, he said he has decided to discuss the exercise with Shah during the latter's visit to the state next week.

Shah will be here to address a huge rally at Hubballi on January 18 as part of the BJP's nationwide outreach programme to create awareness among the people about the Citizenship Amendment Act.

To a question about his visit to Davos, Yediyurappa said "everyone is persuading me to go, so I have decided to go. As I'm being sent by the central government, so I will have to go, and I will go and come." Yediyurappa along with Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Mansukh Mandaviya as well as chief ministers - Amarinder Singh (Punjab), Kamal Nath (Madhya Pradesh) are among those expected join over 100 Indian CEOs in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos later this month for the WEF's 50th annual meeting.

The Chief Minister, however, had last week, indicated that he may not travel to Davos.

Rubbishing reports about the Ministry expansion after Delhi assembly polls, he said there is no connection between the two.

"I will talk to Amit Shah in a couple of days and immediately take up ministry expansion after that, there is no need for anyone to worry, and there is no truth in certain media reports," he said, adding that expansion exercise will be completed before his Davos visit.

The Chief Minister is likely to travel to Davos on January 20, according to sources.

According to reports, disqualified legislators who got re-elected during the December 5 bypolls on BJP ticket and are all set to become Ministers too had put pressure on Yediyurappa to expand the cabinet before the Davos visit.

As the Chief Minister has already made it clear that 11 of the disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets will be made ministers, lobbying has been on within the party for the remaining ministerial berths.

Currently, there are 18 Ministers, including the Chief Minister in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34.

However, with reports that the high command may not be keen on making all the 11 re-elected legislators, whom Yediyurappa has given assurance, as Ministers, it remains to be seen how things turn out.

Cabinet expansion will not be an easy task for the Chief Minister as he will have to strike a balance by accommodating the victorious disqualified legislators as promised and also make place for old guards, upset at being "neglected" in the first round of the induction exercise.

He also has to give adequate representation to various castes and regions in his cabinet and also deal with allocation of key portfolios.

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