Flying squads to check Palle Pragathi works

Hyderabad: In order to ensure effective implementation of the second round of Palle Pragathi programme, the government has decided to appoint flying squads to check activities across the state.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has announced this on Sunday at a review meeting on the Palle Pragathi programme to be launched from January 2 in all the Gram Panchayats of the state.

The flying squads would conduct surprise checks in villages and submit reports to the government. The squads would comprise IAS, IPS and IFS officers of the state government.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister claimed that the first round of the 30-day Palle Pragathi programme was a success.

He expressed satisfaction of the people in the first round programme. However, he said, "But I am receiving complaints, suggestions from the field level that some officials and people's representatives have not shown interest being shown by the people.

So, this necessitates checks in the second round." He said that action will be taken against those officials and people's representatives who have not improved their performance in the second round.

The Chief Minister said that employees of the Panchayat Raj department which conducts the Palle Prgathi program were encouraged with promotions never like in the past and they are expected to perform well.

He said that department was strengthened with the appointment of GP secretaries, MPO, MPDO, DLPO, DPO, and ZP CEO and government expecting a good performance from them.

As promised during the first round of Palle Pragathi, every month the government is releasing Rs 339 Crore to the GPs. The collectors have more responsibility in making the programme a success as they have been given more powers.

Working agencies at the village level were strengthened to maintain cleanliness and green cover in the villages and salaries of the village workers are increased substantially.

So if the Palle Pragathi programme did not bring any difference in the villages, the collectors should take action on the responsible.

"The government has no other important agenda than developing the villages. Since we had confidence and faith in officials and people's representatives, we have given them adequate time and scope to improve their functioning.

No checks have been conducted in the first round. However, in the second round no scope would be given to lenience," he said.

Explaining the functioning the flying squads the Chief Minister said that each officer will be given 12 mandals in different districts to conduct surprise checks.

The information of the destination of the checks would be confidential. He said that the checks would provide good information to the government and help to improve the programme.

Action would be taken against officials, sarpanches who neglect their responsibilities. No official would be spared for the negligence.

He said the one-month Palle Pragathi programme would be like a test for the PR department officials. The government wants to turn each and every village developed, clean, green and tidy.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister asked PR commissioner Raghunandan Rao to cancel his trip to Bengaluru to attend the review meeting, indicating the seriousness of the government on Palle Pragathi.