Hyderabad: Change of guard in 27 districts

Hyderabad: Continuing its reshuffling spree, the Telangana government on Wednesday appointed new Collectors for five districts, taking the total number of new Collectors posted during this week to 27 out of 33 districts. This move ahead of the Collectors conference scheduled for February 11 assumes importance.

On Wednesday, five IAS officials working with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) were transferred and posted as Collectors. Five Additional Commissioners in the GHMC- Hari Chandana Dasari, Shruthi Ojha, Sandeep Kumar Jha, Sikta Panaik and Musharraf Ali Faruqi -- were transferred and posted as Collectors of Narayanpet, Jogulamba-Gadwal, Komarambheem-Asifabad, Peddapalli and Nirmal districts, respectively.

Officials said that all the newly appointed Collectors were instructed to hold regular meetings with district authorities and prepare a status report on the implementation of welfare and developmental programmes. The officials have been asked to submit a detailed report at the Collectors' conference and explain the plan of action to complete the targets set by the government.

The major challenge before the new Collectors is the finalisation of the list of the genuine beneficiaries of the old pension scheme after reducing the age limit to 57 from 65, speed up of the construction of houses for poor under two bed room housing scheme, implementation of Palle Pragathi aiming to improve facilities in all villages and master plan for all municipalities for the next five years.

A special report on the farming practices in every district and the scope of the establishment of food processing units in a big way will also be submitted by the collectors. The Chief Minister's Office has also asked the Collectors to furnish all the details, including Central funding to panchayat raj and urban development and Health and Education and all welfare departments at the conference along with the list of backward mandals and revenue divisions. The Chief Minister and the Cabinet will interact with every Collector and come out with an action plan aiming to develop each district by exploiting the local resources, sources said.