Officials to face suspension for failure in spending funds

Eluru: West Godavari District Collector K Bhaskar, expressed his anger over the agriculture officials who failed to spend the funds sanctioned to priority sectors and warned that he will suspend those officials who are trying to surrender the funds sanctioned by the government.

He presided over the review meeting of priority sectors progress at district Collectorate here on Wednesday. Addressing the meeting, he pointed out that agriculture was the heart of West Godavri district and in view of the priority to the agriculture, he was conducting review meetings weekly on the agriculture and allied sectors. He said that he had discussed with the higher officials to sanction additional funds to the agriculture. 

However, he regretted that the agriculture department officials did not respond on the works to be taken up with those funds.  “This shows their irresponsibility towards the work. Some officials are trying to surrender the funds to the Government in March with their irresponsible behaviour and inefficiency. It is not proper,” he said.  He said that the Government had sanctioned Rs 12 crore and he had requested the higher officials to allot additional fund of Rs 16 crore.  

However, the agriculture department officials did not even spent 50 percent of the sanctioned funds for the mechanisation of agriculture. The Joint Director of Agriculture, Gousia Begum said that the remaining funds would be surrendered to the government.

With this, the irked Collector said that it shows the incapability of the officials. “If any official surrendered the funds to the Government with his inefficiency and without executing the works, he will be dealt with seriously and would not tolerate such attitude. Those officials who surrender the funds have to face the suspension,” he warned.

He directed the officials to distribute the tractors to the farmers under Rythu Ratham project. He directed the Joint Director of Agriculture to identify the ST beneficiaries of landless farmers in tribal areas to distribute the tractors. Joint Collector-II MH Sheriff, NABARD DDM Ramaprabhu, LDM Surya Rao, Agriculture Deputy Director Varalakshmi and others participated in the meeting.