KAUP: Revenue department’s fondness to trust Udupi district with pilot programmes is set to continue further. Keen to showcase success achieved by the district in a pilot to ensure that old age pension reaches doorsteps of pensioners at its state wide launch by the chief minister B S Yediyurappa in Bengaluru on January 27 is revenue minister R Ashoka.
The department will also launch another of its pilots Hallige Nadiyiri Jilladhikarigale in the district on January 30.
Making these announcements after laying the foundation stone for the mini Vidhan Soudha for the taluk on Monday, Ashoka directed deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha to formally launch the state-wide pilot of department’s ambitious programme ‘Hallige Nadiyiri Jilladhikarigale’ (DCs go to the village).
This programme will be held in all districts on the third Saturday of every month and on the next day if that day was a holiday.
Under this, senior revenue officials starting from the DC will head to different villages in their district for the day and address problems that the revenue department handles. This includes old age pension, caste certificates, he said.
In addition, senior officials will compulsorily have their meals at a nearby government institution such as an anganwadi, BCM hostel. This will ensure that the complaints with food served there too are addressed, he said.
Assuring the officials that he too will join them at some point, Ashoka said this attempt at sending senior officials to the villages including assistant commissioners and tahsildars will ensure that shortcomings in functioning of the department are addressed over the next two-years.
The administrative set up will be alert once they know senior officials will be camping in the village for the day and strive to address issues beforehand, he said.
Lauding Jagadeesha for the verve shown in implementing the pilot on providing old age pensions at the doorsteps of the people in the state pilot in the district, Ashok asked him to give a presentation of the same at its state wide launch by the CM on Wednesday.
Hearing from first-hand experience is believable, Ashoka said, adding it is due to these initiatives that the district has been ranked first for 14th month running in department rankings.