Davangere Review Visit - Articles published in Udayavani - Davangere Edition November 10th 2014

The below manuscript is the English translation of the news articles published in "Udayavani" Davangere Edition during the Review visit of Davangere.

DAVANAGERE - Review of Progress

2,000 Crores not utilized.

Davanagere:  Minister for Urban development department Vinay Kumar Sorake instructed that the Rs.2,000 crores grant given for development activities in the jurisdiction of urban local institutions including Maha nagara palike (Corporation) has not at all utilized. First of all the Officers should initiate necessary steps for utilizing the grant.

He spoke on Monday while presiding over the petition receiving and review of progress meeting held at the auditorium of Maha nagara palike, and told that the Finance department is asking for returning the 2000 Crore grant that lies unutilized and Rs.9 Crore is remaining at the Davanagere Mahanagara Palike. He warned that if all the grant was not used before March 2015 the concerned officers will be held responsible.

Under the State Finance Fund, so far Rs.310 crore should have been spent. Even that has not occurred properly. For 12 works since 3-4 years, the tender process is being conducted now. Some works are being changed, if that is the situation, what are the officers doing?” he expressed his displeasure.

In this context P.K.Anil Kumar. The Secretary of the department also took the style of functioning of officers to task. Deputy Commissioner S T Anjan Kumar said that work plan for about Rs.54 Crore granted works has not all been prepared. The work plan was prepared and proposal was submitted and works have been undertaken. Out of the remaining Rs. 9 crores grant, work plan will be prepared and proposal will be submitted and the grant will be completely utilized as the Minister has said. Otherwise letter will be written against two Executive Engineers for initiating appropriate action.

Sorake lambasted against the officers saying ‘During the current year Rs. 2.06 Crore property tax has increased at Davanagere Mahanagara Palike. But, there is no overall satisfaction about tax collection. Only 42% has been collected. It is not proper to seek more grants without collecting tax. The grant that has been given is also not utilized. What are you officers doing. Why no action is being initiated for collecting the tax properly?’

The Minister did not accept the explanation given by Dr.N.Mahantesh, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue ) that after surveying 11.1 lakh properties in the jurisdiction of Mahanagara Palike , 4000 new properties have been added to the tax list. Notice has been served for providing wrong information. 3761 houses have been constructed in revenue property and they should be regularized under Akrama-Sakrama scheme. Illegal water connections are being verified every day. He instructed that within the next 2 months, all the properties should be included in the tax list and tax should be collected. Information should be given to the departmental Secretary once in 15 days and that Deputy Commissioner should give special attention about this.

The KUIDFC, KUW officers should give proper information to the peoples’ representatives of Nagara Palike, and officers about the underground drainage and comprehensive water supply projects undertaken within the jurisdiction of Mahanagara Palike. Hence they should compulsorily attend all general meetings. The Chief, Executive engineers also should attend the meeting. The Deputy Commissioner should conduct progress review meeting once in 2 months. Express line electricity connection should be provided to the Rajanahalli drinking water project within the next 15 days. Otherwise, action may be taken” the Minister cautioned.

140 tons of garbage is being produced every day in the jurisdiction of Mahangara Palike. Garbage should be properly disposed. Garbage processing should be done at the Solid waste processing unit that has an area of more than 30 acres. But it is not happening in Davanagere. This can’t be tolerated. Proper steps should be taken regarding the Garbage processing units. Steps should be taken for disposing off solid and liquid waste. All the officers including the Commissioner should visit the wards every day and verity garbage collection, disposal and cleanliness. Diary should be maintained and that he would check the diary at any time, the Minister said.K.Shivamurty, legislator from Mayakonda said that the officers should solve all problems before the celebration of Davanagere festival. He also said that the Deputy Commissioner should exercise suo moto powers and initiate action for developing Davanagere district Mahanagara Palike.

K.Abdul Jabbar , member of Vidhana Parishat said that needless to mention that  officers are not working properly. It is apparent when one looks at the garbage and hygiene. They should work properly.

Issues related to fixing the annual water tax to be fixed at Rs.1500. construction of slaughter house, house construction in the slums, use of 22.75% and 7% grant, blacklisting of contractors who are defaulting, were discussed at length in the meeting. Minister Sorake asked for submission of certain projects.

Mayor Renuka Bai, Deputy Mayor K. Abdul Lateef, Chairpersons of standing committees, ward members and officers were also present.

PRIORITY for water supply to twin cities Davanagere: Minister for Urban development Vinay Kumar Sorake has assured that the Government is committed to provide necessary funds for water supply projects to the twin cities of Davanagere and Harihar. While speaking to the reporters on Monday at the Congress Bhavan he said that the Government has realized that there should not be water scarcity in the city limits. For this purpose Rs.64 crore has been sanctioned for implementing the project for supplying water 24 hours to Harihar town and that this project is at tender stage. On the same lines Rs.292 Crore is required for supplying drinking water to Davanagere town also and that this will be given stage by stage. He informed that the concerned departments have agreed to provide funds for the UGD of Harihar and Davanagere. Rs.3.45 Crore has been given for purchase of buses for Davanagere city transport under JNNURM project. Under the Rajiv Avaas project Rs.68 crore has been granted for constructing houses for 1858 inhabitants in 8 out of 30 slums in the town and to give possession certificate to them. 302 huts in the ring road of Hegde Nagar should be relocated. That step will be taken after providing alternate sites to those people, he said. Abdul Jabbar, member of Vidhana Parishat and D. Basavaraju member of KPCC and Congress corporators were also present.

Members lambast the Commissioner Most of the members in the meeting expressed displeasure at the working style of the Corporation Commissioner. D.Kumar, BJP member pressed for changing the Commissioner. He expressed displeasure directly by saying that though the Deputy Commissioner S T Anjan Kumar has told many times, the Commissioner is not working as per expectations. H. Thippanna, member from Kundavada challenged that he will resign if it is shown that the officers have done any work in his ward. H.G.Umesh, member of 23rd ward, D.Kumar , BJP member, H,Basappa , Member of 1st ward, H B Goneppa, Member of 8th ward and others also lambasted the officers. Some members expressed their happiness by thumping tables while some of the members were lambasting the Commissioner0

Photo caption: Davanagere: Public appeal receiving the progress review meeting was held on Monday in the Mahanagara Palike auditorium.

Chairman gives information. . . Shivanahalli Ramesh , Chairman of the standing committee for town planning and development himself provided information about various development works including the works of Express Line to Rajanahalli Drinking water project, instead of the concerned officers. When the Minister asked for some information, officers not only stumbled but also pointed fingers about each other.

§  Grant given for development in the town local government limits

§  Rs.9 crore remains in the Davanagere Mahanagara Palike

§  Officers to be held responsible if all the money is not utilized before March 2015

16 people including Mayor appeal to Sorake

Davanagere: A total of 16 memoranda have been submitted in the public memoranda receiving and progress review meeting held on Monday under the Chairman ship of Vinay Kumar Sorake, Minister for Urban development including from Mayor Renuka Bai, Dinesh K Shetty, Chairman of standing committee, Rekha Nagaraj and from Poura Karmikas and public.

Mayor Renuka Bai submitted a written appeal about Rs.37.83 Crore grant for water supply, under ground drainage, street lights, and road side gutter works, sanction for the estimated Rs.58.70 Crore city sanitation project or suitable direction bout getting sanction from the competent authority to the underground drainage works of District-2 under NKUSIP, suitable orders for regularizing 4000 houses, and permission to fill up 463 vacant jobs.

Chairperson of the standing committee for tax, finance and appeal Rekha Nagaraj appealed for revision of the annual tax on drinking water. Dinesh K Shetty , Chairman of standing committee for public health education and social justice appealed for 2 distribution of sewing machine, kit for Madivala and Savita samaja in the 7.25% grant, Gas kit for auto drivers belonging to backward castes, alternate land for solid waste disposal, construction of Biomethanization unit, 20 Crore grant for the 5 acre plot for development  of pigs rehabilitation centre.

16 memoranda including from K S Govindaraj, President of the Mahanagara Palike poura Karmika association for fulfillment of 5 points demand including confirming the jobs of daily wage workers serving since more than 10 years. JDS leader V K Shastry appealed for action against t-illegal sale of 30 ft. of Palike land where high tension power line passes, BJP leader D Basavaraj’s appeal for clearing the encroachment near the last bus stop of Chikkammanni Devaraj Urs extension and construction of a circle there, were submitted.

Minister Sorake who received the memoranda told that time limit has been fixed for officers for settlement of memoranda. Some other demands will be discussed with senior officers and some others in the Cabinet meeting and complete information will be given in the next meeting about steps taken for the memoranda.

APPEAL TO PROVIDE ROOF FOR POURA KARMIKAS

Davanagere: The Mahanagara Palike Poura Karmika and D group employees’ association have submitted a memorandum to Minister for Urban development, Vinay Kumar Sorake urging him to give sites to Poura Karmikas and houses should be constructed under Rajiv Gandhi Housing Board.

The workers who went in procession from Gandhi Nagar submitted their memorandum to the Minister who arrived at the Mahanagara Palike office.

L M Hanamanthappa the President of the association who spoke before submission of memorandum told that 400 Poura Karmikas of Mahanagara Palike don’t have house or site. Previously 10 acres and 20 Guntas land was purchased at Doddaboodihalu village of the Taluk. But, now it is being said that only 6 acres of land is there and he complained that they are not replying to the question about what happened to the remaining land.

He urged that sites should be formed in the 10 acres 20 Guntas land acquired by the Government and houses should be constructed through Rajiv Gandhi Housing Board.

B.Lohit, General Secretary of the Association , and H Nagappa, R Shobha, Fatima bi, Honnamma, Mariyamma, M Nagaraja led the procession.

CANCEL CONTRACT SYSTEM Davanagere: The state Federation of Mahanagara Palike, Town municipality, and town poura karmikas has submitted a memorandum to the Minister to stop appointing Poura Karmiakas on contract basis for performing cleaning work in the limits of town municipality, Municipal council, Mahanagara palike. L M Hanumathappa,  Senior vice president of the state association has urged that steps should be taken towards their confirmation by giving equal pay for equal work.

Article published in Udayavani - Davangere Edition November 10th 2014

Office bearers’ meeting

All corporations have failed in collection of water tax

·         Local administration should become more proactive: Vinay Kumar Sorake

Davanagere: Urban development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said that the water tax collection in the limits of Corporation is very less and the local administrative machinery should become more proactive.

Speaking to the reporters after the meeting of office bearers of the party held at the district Congress Bhavan in the city he said that in all the corporations he visited, discussion about the volume of collection of water tax has taken place. There is a demand that tax should be reduced. But, the current revenue from water supply is far less than the water supply expenses.

The local administrative institutions should take strict measures for collection of tax. Otherwise, the burden of water will increase day by day. He said that local people’s representatives have been instructed to work in this regard with more diligence. Under the Rajiv Gandhi Avaas project the state Government has received a total of Rs.1850 crores from the Union Government. 2000 buses have been purchased for providing transport facility inside the city under the JNNURM project. Through this we are proud to say that our state has received the highest grant under these two projects. Proposal was submitted to the Central Government under the UIDSSMT project to the tune of Rs.7200 crores. Out of this amount , he said that the Central Government has already sanctioned Rs.1000 crores. Steps are being taken to fill up the vacant posts in the department. Finance department has given approval for filling 4500 jobs within the limits of Corporation. Further, steps are being taken to appoint 1000 poura Karmikas. Currently, 27,000 poura Karmikas are working on contract basis in the state and steps will be taken to pay them more salary as per the equal pay for equal work policy.

Akrama-Sakrama law has not been implemented in the state as yet. This delay in implementation is due to some people having moved the court against this law. The law will be implemented after the judgement of the court. The revenue received from the Akrama-Sakrama will be given to the local Panchayats. Further, decision will be taken about giving possession certificates to the poor people who have constructed houses in the Government lands in the town area, after detailed discussions” said Minister Sorake.

Identity cards will be issued for preventing the people who are conducting business on the street sides. Law will be created to ensure that in case they have to be relocated, alternate place should be given to them. Abdul Jabbar, Member of Legislative Council, Mayor Renuka Bai, Deputy Mayor Abdul Lateef, and Corporators Dinesh K Shetty, Shivanahalli Ramesh, KPCC member D. Basavaraj were present.

Photo caption:

Davanagere: Urban development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake spoke at the meeting of party office bearers at the district Congress office.

Article published in Udayavani - Davangere Edition November 10th 2014