STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: To put an end to the contractor raj in the Social Welfare Department, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that contractors' writ won't be allowed to run in the department. He has warned officials in nexus with contractors of facing immediate action.
The Chief Minister took stock of the status of implementation of various schemes of the Social Welfare Department at a meeting at Janata Bhawan on Saturday. Social Welfare Minister Ajanta Neog was also present at the meeting. "It has come to my notice that a few contractors have been getting things done in their ways in the department. That indulgence won't be allowed in the department anymore. I don't want to see those contractors in the department," the Chief Minister told the officials of the department.
Sarma also issued strict instructions to break the hold of unscrupulous contractors on the department and clean the image of the department through transparent functioning. He directed to explore ways to purchase rice from FCI rather than through the NGO route so that the monopoly of suppliers, in nexus with some officials, can be ended at the earliest.
"Nobody would be allowed to interfere in ensuring children's nutrition and healthy development and strict action would be taken against all wrongdoers," he warned. The Chief Minister also instructed to transfer all CDPOs (Child Development Project Officers) who have completed three years in their place of posting without fail and said that no consideration should be shown to anyone in this regard.
Sarma also directed the officials to achieve the target of providing nutritious food for 300 days in 12 months to each child in the beneficiary list of 0-6-year category without fail.
The Chief Minister directed to draw a plan to rebuild all Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in the state in consultation with PWD to make them demonstrative centres for childcare. The architecture design of AWCs must be scientific and must facilitate a healthy environment for the children to grow, he added.
Saying that the department needs to increase fund utilization and submit utilization certificate on time to Central Government, Sarma emphasized timely utilization of fund for receiving further payment from the Central Government.