R V Deshpande says Revenue Department should reach people’s doorstep

BENGALURU: Having held various portfolios in different governments in the past, R V Deshpande will be the Revenue and Skill Development Minister for the first time in the new government. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Deshpande said his main objective will be to ensure that the Revenue Department reaches people, while improving the transparency of the department.

For the first time, you have been made the Revenue Minister along with the Skill Development berth. Have you charted out any specific objective to be fulfilled during your tenure?
I have handled many departments in the past. I, however, have been assigned the Revenue Department for the first time. My objective is to see how the Revenue Department can reach the doorsteps of people in a transparent manner and how best the work related to the department can be made easy for citizens. I believe in being result-orientated and have directed senior officials to find out the reforms required in the department. These reforms will bring in transparency and will be more helpful to people — like in the manner in which Sakala was introduced and later extended to agencies like even the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board. Pursuing these objectives should be time bound. A lot of good things have happened in every department in the last five years. Now, we can include initiatives that have been left out, and do more for the people.

Do you have any specific project in your mind with respect to Revenue Department?
I don’t have any specific project. I also require some breathing space and cooling time to understand some issues of the department. We are aware of some issues — such as strengthening of hoblis — which are necessary. Tahsildhar offices are centres of administration and have been strengthened. But hobli headquarters have to be strengthened further. A large number of people come there for different kinds of relief provided by the government. We have to identify such issues first. So, ultimately government has to think of everybody, but more so of the common people and make things easy for them.

There has been a separate demand for more districts and taluks. How are you going to deal with that?
We have already added 50 taluks. Though we have notified these taluks, we are yet to create infrastructure for them and have to see that they run smoothly. We also need to provide the required human resource and to think if any more things require consideration. Ultimately, formation of taluks is a continuing process.

Your name has been synonymous with Industries Minister. Do you miss the portfolio?
I have handled so many departments, so many times in the past. Ultimately, industries was an affectionate department for me and I have done whatever I could do. Now, if the party feels that I should take up the responsibility of Revenue and Skill Development Department, I will take it up.

What role will the Skill Development Department play?
I have been talking for the past two years about employment. Today, 65% of the engineers, 50% of MBAs and a large number of graduates are unemployed. This is not a healthy sign. But, youth should not get frustrated and should not be on streets. They have to be given work — by providing employment or creating self-employment. This year, we are looking at training more than 2.5 lakh youth. Human Resource is the biggest challenge of the century. We have to create jobs. It is not that there are no jobs, but we have to create jobs which can help the younger generation in different sectors — be it construction or tourism or any other industry. Ultimately, you have to create employment for the youth and train them to ensure their success. We will work in that direction.