State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad addressed district officers and government employees on Thursday, warning that a lax attitude will invite strict action. The remarks were delivered at the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) review held in Dr V S Acharya Hall, Manipal.
Arshad stressed that officials must adopt a serious approach toward public work and that any failure to correct behaviour will trigger an audit of every employee. He reminded the audience that his department has already seized 18 lakh kilograms of illegal paddy, confiscated 260 lorries and sent 232 individuals to jail, yet some officers continue to under‑report quantities in FIRs.
Having visited the district seven times in the past two months, the minister said he gathers information directly from his own sources, allowing him to monitor every action. He observed that many officers appear to be “running around comfortably” and urged them to treat public interaction like entering a park – with respect and responsibility.
Beyond administrative conduct, Arshad highlighted emerging water‑scarcity concerns caused by inadequate rainfall. He called for immediate construction of check‑dams and warned that summer could bring drinking‑water shortages. The minister also pointed out long‑standing delays in processing land‑settlement applications filed under forms 53, 54 and 94, blaming portal entry errors and urging higher‑level officials to intervene.
Finally, he noted that 108 ambulances have been deployed but suffer from staff shortages, a problem he promised to resolve by optimizing existing personnel. The minister concluded by urging the forest department to fast‑track approvals for forest‑survey‑linked development projects, including drinking‑water schemes, to keep the district’s growth on track.
Image: Wikipedia — Rizwan Arshad
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati Udupi