Focus on Social Sectors, Rural Issues: CM Devendra Fadnavis starts audit, gives ministers 10 months before ‘major reshuffle’

It may be mentioned that the government effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle last week issuing transfer orders to 73 IAS officers in the state. The CM is, however, likely, to give the ministers another ten months with a definite target, especially related to public welfare schemes. If found lacking, non-performers would be shown the door by March 2017, said the sources.

[related-post]

A senior cabinet minister said, “At the end of 18 months of government… the ministers cannot give excuse of coming to terms with their subject or cite administrative problems for non-implementation of the projects.”

After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah a week ago, Fadnavis had said, “My cabinet expansion soon is going be a temporary exercise. The major reshuffle, along with weeding out non-performers, would be conducted in March 2017.”

The CM said a special impetus was on expediting the major schemes sanctioned along with budget by the Ministry of Social Justice and Tribal Welfare. The Scheduled Caste sub-plan of Rs 6,725 crore and tribal sub-plan of Rs 5,357 crore work to almost 20 per cent of the state’s overall budget. The departments of drinking water and sanitation, women and child development are some of the core sectors the government wants to refurbish in the interim period.

Out of the total 30 ministers in the cabinet, 20 belong to the BJP and 10 to the Shiv Sena.

Ahead of the monsoon session beginning from July 18, Fadnavis is likely to induct new faces.

In the social sectors, Fadnavis has indicated to the respective departments to fix the problems at the grassroot. A case in point was to streamline the shortcomings in the 524 ashramshalas operating in remote tribal districts of Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Palghar etc.

Fast-tracking the completion of communication centres to bring 350 villages in Maleghat and Dharni districts to mainstream is also a thrust area. Power Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has been asked to resolve the problems of load-sheddings stretching up to 8 to 16 hours, a recurring phenomenon in the tribal belt.

The telecommunication department, along with multi-nodal departments — health, education, skill development — are being connected. The communication towers, the government believes, will bring the nondescript tribal villages tucked inside dense forests to the mainstream.

Fadnavis has directed the tribal and agriculture departments to draw a separate district-wise plan to bring agriculture to the doors of tribals. To beat malnourishment in Maleghat district, the government wants to ensure at least two short crops.

The Chief Minister Rural Road Development Scheme (CMRRD) and the National Rural Drinking Water Supply Programme are on the priority list too, with the government sanctioning Rs 1,500 crores for the year 2016-17.

WATCH INDIAN EXPRESS VIDEOS HERE