The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Bureaucratic approach to tackling problems attacked

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 11, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Bureaucratic approach to tackling problems attacked

Staff Reporter

Officers should be made to realise ground realities: Kumaraswamy

PROUD MOMENT: Journalists who received the Karnataka Media Academy awards at a function in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: Coming down on the bureaucratic approach to the pressing social and human problems, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy categorically stated that mere rules and regulations cannot solve such problems.

Speaking after presenting the annual awards to presspersons at a function organised by the Karnataka Media Academy here on Thursday, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the officers should realise the social realities and human predicament in finding solutions to problems.

"The country will not develop unless people make IAS officers realise the ground realities by taking away some benefits that sound like a luxury from the public point of view," he pointed out.

Quoting from his experience during the village stays, the Chief Minister said, "It is unfortunate that our bureaucrats are in their own world ignoring social and human realities. Their administrative approach has only been resulting in social apathy and human tragedy. In that context no reservation policy can address the problems of the country effectively as the very notion and purpose of reservation are far away from social realities and human plight. I have read the reported statement of the Chief Secretary on some of my observations on want of effective administration. It looks that the bureaucracy has taken my words in a lighter vein."

Defending his action in instructing the Vice-Chancellor of the Karnataka State Open University on taking back part-time employees, the Chief Minister said he had not lost his patience as depicted in a section of the media.

Karnataka Media Academy secretary H.B. Dinesh welcomed the gathering. Academy chairman V. N. Subba Rao spoke about its achievements and proposed programmes. Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council H. K. Patil presided over the function.

In all 14 presspersons, including The Hindu's Special Correspondent in Shimoga, Pramod Mellegatti, was presented awards. Managing Editor of India Today Raj Chengappa (New Delhi) was honoured with a special award for journalist hailing from the State and working at the national level.

Besides, 14 other annual awards in general categories, including three electronic media awards and three awards instituted by three newspapers, were also presented.

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