Govt officials to be pulled up for admin delays

Bangalore: In a move to tone up the administrative machinery, Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to issue notices to senior officials for inordinate delay in disposal of files, even as it announced dismissal of two officers for alleged irregularities.

Notices would be served seeking explanation in cases where more than 50 per cent of the files are pending, Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters here. He said files had been mounting with some 1.21 lakh files pending in various departments of the secretariat itself. Jayachandra said the Cabinet had decided to dismiss two officers from service for alleged misuse of funds and undervaluing government land for sale, on the basis of Upalokayukta raids. Agriculture Department Assistant Director Sudatai N Hiremani would be dismissed for allegedly selling about 30 acres of land for Rs 15 lakh against guidance value of over Rs 3.13 crore at Bagalkote in 2009 to H S Jakkanagoudar, Jayachandra said. Assistant Engineer of Raichur Zilla Panchayat B M Malanna had allegedly misappropriated government money to the tune of Rs 1.64 crore in a water project, he said. The government has decided to recover the money from the dismissed officers, the minister said. This tough measure would be taken to send a strong warning to government officials indulging in corruption and misuse of funds, Jayachandra said.