Udupi: Food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister and district minister Rizwan Arshad on Monday warned officials of action for negligence in addressing public grievances.
Udupi district minister Rizwan Arshad (centre), chairs the quarterly KDP meeting at the Zilla Panchayat, Manipal, Monday
Chairing the quarterly KDP meeting at ZP, Manipal, Arshad said officials must respond positively when people visit govt offices. Matters that could be resolved under existing rules should be addressed immediately, while those requiring govt intervention should be brought to higher authorities or public representatives.“If work involves more than one department, tasks must be carried out with coordination. Passing the blame onto one another is not acceptable,” he said. Citing the district’s rainfall deficit, Arshad said groundwater levels could fall and drinking water shortages might arise during summer. He directed officials to begin precautionary measures immediately.He also instructed officials to complete school repairs, distribute textbooks on time, provide quality shoes, ensure 100% attendance in the mid-day meal programme and impart quality education. MLAs Yashpal Suvarna, V Sunil Kumar, Gururaj Shetty Gantihole, A Kiran Kumar Kodgi and Gurme Suresh Shetty were present.Earlier, inaugurating a district-level Youth Parliament competition marking International Democracy Day in Manipal, Arshad said Constitution provided equal opportunities without discrimination in education, knowledge, employment and other fields.He said Constitution influenced daily life and enabled govts to formulate pro-people laws, policies and regulations. It also empowered citizens to assess govts through elections every five years and remove representatives who failed to perform their duties, he added. Participants representing ruling and opposition members discussed current affairs during a mock parliament modelled on State Legislative Assembly.
