UP CM bring bureaucrats face-to-face with media

Lucknow: Facing allegations of unresponsive and lax official machinery, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday made his top bureaucrats take direct questions from the media.

"You complain that they do not listen to you. Now I have brought all of them with me to take your questions," Yadav told reporters here on the occasion of presenting his government`s `2013-14 development agenda` at his official residence here today. The chief minister instructed his principal secretaries and Chief Secretary Javed Usmani to take queries directly from the media on the agenda. Talking on the improvement of the work culture in the state, Usmani said, "Uttar Pradesh is like a big aircraft which cannot be turned around quickly. It requires mid-term sustained efforts. I placate, scold, threaten and do whatever is required to make my officers improve their work culture." The chief secretary said that he regularly monitor the progress of works under the agenda and use "saam, daam, dand, bhed" (by hook or by crook) to improve the work culture. Speaking on the development agenda, the chief minister referred to the steps taken by his government like the Samajwadi Ambulance Sewa, loan waiver of farmers through the Land Development Bank, hiking cane support price and payment to farmers and steps to improve the power scenario among others. Stressing that his government has implemented promises made in the party`s manifesto, Yadav said works like laptop distribution would continue for which Rs 2,700 crores have been earmarked in the state`s budget. PTI