District minister Santosh Lad recently chaired a meeting to review the progress of works under the Karnataka Development Programme in Dharwad. The meeting, intended to assess the status of various projects, quickly turned tense as Lad expressed his displeasure with the lack of preparedness among district-level officials.
Lad, visibly upset, criticized officials for their inability to provide accurate information and statistics about ongoing projects in their respective departments. He questioned their professionalism, asking pointedly if they had come to the meeting “for a picnic.”
Several departments faced Lad’s ire, particularly the agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, and sericulture departments, where officials failed to give satisfactory answers regarding project details, cost assessments, and potential yields.
The issue of lapsed funds also drew Lad’s attention, as he questioned the forest department about the Rs 40 lakh that went unutilized out of a total allocation of Rs 93 lakh. Dissatisfied with the explanation provided, Lad directed the deputy commissioner to pursue recovering the amount from responsible officers.
Additionally, Lad emphasized accountability in project implementation, warning of consequences for delays and lapses in fund utilization. He specifically instructed officials to blacklist contractors who abandon projects midway, stressing the importance of completing assigned works without subcontracting.
The meeting, attended by various local dignitaries and officials, underscored Lad’s commitment to ensuring efficient governance and strict adherence to project timelines and budget allocations.