THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday directed district collectors to give top priority in solving the problems and grievances of people at their level. Addressing the annual high-level meeting of department heads and collectors, the chief minister said mass contact programmes should be held at the level of district collectors. He pointed out that many complaints, petitions and grievances were still coming to his office from various districts.
This would not have happened had the systems at the district level functioned effectively to redress the grievances of the people. Pinarayi Vijaayn said there was no place for delay, indifference, deference in government's administrative agenda. He reminded the collectors about the four missions announced by the government recently on total housing, modernising education, environment and waste disposal and health. Being the task force chiefs, the district collectors had huge responsibility in making these programmes a big success, he said.
He said the collectors should ensure that the district planning committees functioned effectively in the state. Proper initiatives are needed in matters of land acquisition and implementation of projects. The chief minister reportedly referred to putting in place a grading system for evaluating the performance of collectors. However, his official speech did not contain anything related to grading. The grading will be done based on the performance and efficiency of individual officers in implementing government programmes.
Meanwhile, addressing police officers the chief minister said the police had the freedom to register a case against any individual against whom they have conclusive and sufficient evidence. There is no need for the police to consider political or any other pressure in such matters. However, the investigating agencies should not show any haste or jump to conclusions during the probe and study the matter in depth, corroborate evidence in minutely. Sections like KAPA should be invoked against political workers only after going giving a serious thought.
The chief minister asked police personal to speak with dignity to people coming to police stations. Those coming to stations should be given patient hearing and due consideration. He said police officer should ensure that are no complaints or grievances against police stations. Meanwhile, c Chief Minister said that he expected the state to become open defecation free state by November 1.Of the 1,78,935 toilets to be constructed 60,840 had been completed so far. The construction of 82,444 toilets was currently in progress. For the remaining 35,651 toilets, steps were being taken to expedite the process of signing of agreement with beneficiaries.
