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Assam: Do not encourage VIP culture, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma tells DCs
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today called on DCs and SPs not to encourage the 'VIP culture,' as the state government does not subscribe to this culture. He also said that the propagation of the VIP culture acts as an artificial barrier between the government and the public.
The Chief Minister said this today at a conference with the District Commissioners here. The CM said that when he goes to visit some other district, the SP there arranges a barrier along the route he takes in order to ensure his safety. But people on the other side of the barricade call him names, which is not good for the government, he added.
He went on to say, "There are many other ways to provide security to the CM or Governor without resorting to throwing a barricade along the route. The visit to a district should be smooth, and the VIP culture should be avoided. Whenever I go to visit any district, I see 20 or more vehicles following my convoy, which causes me embarrassment. So, I have asked the DCs to ensure that no more than ten vehicles should accompany me when I am on tour in a district. When people see a long line of vehicles accompanying me, they question the government's sensitivity to such measures."
The CM continued, "Except for state guests, whether it be the cabinet or other ministers, the food served during their visit should be simple and vegetarian fare. Reports of lavish food being served at cabinet meetings or other official meetings are not well received by the people. If someone wants to enjoy special food, they are welcome to go to restaurants. There is no bar to that. Today, I stressed that the DCs should strictly follow the directions regarding food served at official meetings or government functions. They should ensure that meals are simple."
The Chief Minister also said that complaints have been received about irregularities in schemes like Orunudoi, where the intended beneficiary does not receive the benefit. Some middleman takes away the benefit, with the real beneficiary having no clue about it. He said that such things should be looked into carefully by the DCs.
He told the DCs at the conference that the rehabilitation grants to the flood-affected people would be released by August 12. As the grants are given in direct bank transfer (DBT) mode, many beneficiaries are not aware of the origin of the money, and they get confused. To avoid this, he said, sanction letters will be issued to the beneficiaries at least one week prior to the release of grants about the relief money they will be getting straight into their accounts.
From October 2, the concept of sub-districts will start to function, and the DCs were told to get ready before that. The main objective of the sub-district concept is decentralization of the administration mechanism, the CM added.
In the conference, the DCs have been asked to transform districts into fulcrums of administration to ensure convenient disbursal of benefits. DCs should visit and supervise the construction of the government buildings under construction in their respective jurisdictions. DCs should frequently hold meetings with the respective guardian minister, preferably every week or fortnight, as directed by the CM.
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