Fix priorities for development: PC

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has asked officials and secretaries of departments to fix their priorities of the fiscal year 2010-11 by the end of June 30 so that its benefits reach the people.

During a marathon meeting with top officials of the Jharkhand Government at Raj Bhavan on Friday morning, Chidambaram rebuked the babus for their poor performance and rejected the statistics put forward by them.

Sources in the Government that the PC took officials to task for the non-execution of plans that he had set in his last visit to the State when Jharkhand was under President’s rule.

When officials tabled a proposal to construct another five lakh houses under Indira Awas Yojna in Jharkhand, the Union Minister demanded an explanation of the progress made in the past. Dismissing the data as ‘insufficient and incomplete’, he asked the officials to do more homework and directed them to complete pending works. Blowing hot and cold during the meeting, PC advised them to work in high spirits irrespective of how long the President’ Rule continue in Jharkhand. “You will stay. Do not care about the duration of the President’s rule,” he said.

Holding meetings in two phases; first with Governor MOH Farook, two newly appointed advisers and other top officials, including Chief Secretary AK Singh, DGP Neyaz Ahmed. Chidambaram held second round of meeting exclusively with the secretaries of the departments.

Chidambaram expressed concern over his flagship project Operation Green Hunt in the first phase of the meeting. Three officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs —- architects of anti-Naxal operation and security adviser DS Dadwal, Joint Secretary (Naxal management) Kashmir Singh and additional secretary (Naxal Management) DRS Chaudhary —- along with additional director of Intelligence Bureau P Mahendu took part in the security meeting.

Chidambaram, who in the past blamed ‘limited mandate’ as reason behind after failure of anti-Naxal operations in the States like Chhattisgarh, was not pleased with soft-peddling of Naxal issues by the Shibu Soren Government

Directing the police to continue a sustained operation against Naxalites, Chidambaram briefed strategy for the coming days. He assured to provide logistic supports, including specialised military training for the cops.

A source said: “Chidambaram asked top police and CRPF officers to work out strategy and avoid unplanned move to minimise the chances of the casualty.”

He heard patiently the request of the Governor to provide financial assistance for infrastructural development of Special Task Force (Jharkhand Jaguar) and Cobra Battalion specially formed for anti-Naxal operation. Farook had another proposal —- to include Naxal-hit villages of Ranchi (rural), Giridih and Khunti under Centre’s scheme of special financial package.

Stating that the development project must be pro-poor, he listed a number of programmes meant for the BPL family: distribution of food, old-age pension through Public Distribution System meant for people falling under Antyodaya.

Chidambaram directed strict implementation of projects under MGNREGA as well as the distribution of land among tribals of the Naxal-infested area. The Chief Secretary requested relaxation in guidelines of some of the centrally sponsored schemes like MGNREGA and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna to which Chidambaram assured consideration. But he made it clear that delay in the execution of the projects particularly in Naxal-hit areas cannot be tolerated.