Karnataka: Files pile up, CM says speed is key

Bengaluru: Upset with more than 1.4 lakh files piled up in all departments, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asked all ministers to accelerate the process of disposal of files. Speaking to the media after a meeting of the cabinet, law and parliamentary affairs minister T B Jayachandra said Mr Siddaramaiah asked his cabinet colleagues to approach either the law minister or himself if they had any problem in dealing with the files.

When the Congress was voted to power two years ago, there were about 1.92 lakh files pending in various departments. Following the Chief Minister’s intervention, the number decreased to 1.44 lakhs. The process, however, slowed down subsequently.

Interestingly, departments headed by the Chief Minister have more than 40,000 files awaiting approval. Among other departments, revenue tops the list with 18, 930, followed by home (15, 408), education (9226), water resources (5324) and law (4019).

Meanwhile, the cabinet has decided to set up a committee to suggest steps which ought to be taken by the state government in the Supreme Court with regard to border disputes with Kerala and Maharashtra.

Mr Jayachandra said the state was fighting the border issue for several decades, and the issue was about to come to an end. At this juncture, the government’s moves would be crucial. The state would take the assistance of the special committee, he said adding the committee would include the Chief Minister, the law minister, former Chief Ministers, former Prime Minister, Congress leader in Lok Sabha, M Mallikarjun Kharge.