Karwar: Complaints that officers concerned had taken bribe of Rs 5,000 each from beneficiaries for distribution of pump sets under the Ganga Kalyan Scheme irked District In-charge Minister R V Deshpande who in turn directed the deputy commissioner to recommend the respective department to issue show cause notice to the officers involved and also hold back their salary hike and promotion.
Bhatkal MLA Sunil Naik proposed this issue at the Karnataka Development Programmes (KDP) review meeting held at the zilla panchayat hall in Karwar on Saturday. He alleged that he was not taken into confidence during the distribution of pump sets. The distribution was done till 8:00 pm.
Responding to the allegation, the officer concerned D D Naik said that officials had not received any bribe. But Deshpande was not satisfied with the answer and asked why they had not taken the MLA into confidence. However, the officer failed to give a satisfactory answer to this also.
Teacher issue
Speaking at the meeting, zilla panchayat Joida constituency member Sanjay Hanbar complained that the teachers were being deputed elsewhere.
“Guest teachers have to be deputed to vacant posts in the district before July 1. Show cause notice must be issued to the deputy director of the education department who deputed teachers from Haliyal and Joida taluks to other places without bringing the matter to my attention,” the minister told zilla panchayat chief executive officer.
He assured that guests teachers will be appointed irrespective of whether the government issues or not issues order to fill the vacant posts. “If the government does not give salary to them, I would pay them,” Deshpande said.
When nominated member Nagaraj Narvekar complained that several areca growers had not got compensation for the crop loss they incurred
due to rot disease last year, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department Shashikanth Kotimani said that there
was a problem in Aadhar linking and it would be addressed soon.
No payments
When MLA Dinkar Shetty complained that payments for works taken up by the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation were not being cleared on time, Deshpande directed the tahsildar to prepare a list of work and clear the payments within 16 days of completion of work.
“It is not right to hold the files pending as it would increase the cost of work. Issue notice in case the work is not taken up,” he said.
MLAs Dinkar Shetty, zilla panchayat president Jayashree Moger, vice-president Santosh Renake, Deputy Commissioner K Harishkumar, zilla panchayat chief executive officer Mohammad Roshan, Superintendent of police Vinayak Patil and officers of various departments took part in the meeting.