The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Peeyush Kumar takes charge

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Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Peeyush Kumar takes charge

‘Priority to improvement of delivery mechanism’

— PHOTO: RAJU V.

LISTING PRIORITIES: Peeyush Kumar speaks to media at the Collectorate in Machilipatnam after taking over as the Collector on Tuesday.

MACHILIPATNAM: Soon after taking over as the Collector and District Magistrate of Krishna district here on Tuesday, Peeyush Kumar, an IAS officer of the 1997 batch, said that his priority would be to improve the delivery mechanism at the village level so as to ensure the reach of welfare programmes to the targeted sections of society.

Mr. Kumar, who succeeds N. Sridhar, who was transferred and posted as Collector of Warangal district, took charge in his chamber in the Collectorate at 10.55 a.m. in the presence of Joint Collector B. Ramaiah, District Revenue Officer V.V. Subba Reddy and a battery of journalists of the print and electronic media.

Mr. Kumar fondly recalled the beginning of his career as Sub-Collector of Vijayawada in 1999, in which position he continued till 2001.

Asked to what extent he would be accessible to the elected representatives, officials and the media, since “non-accessibility” was said to be one of the reasons for the transfer of his two predecessors, Mr. Kumar assured to remain accessible to all sections of society as it was essential to get feedback and improve the service mechanism.

In the same breath, he remarked that he did not think that the transfer of his two predecessors, who happened to be of the same batch, was due to any particular reason. “Transfers are normal for an official and it is the prerogative of the government to transfer an officer from one place to another,” Mr. Kumar said.

The Collector, in reply to another question, said he would work out an arrangement to divide his time between Machilipatnam and Vijayawada.

Reviewing certain issues and schemes pertaining to upland areas of the district could be done in a better way in Vijayawada rather than Machilipatnam. “But, being the district headquarters, Machilipatnam will have the pride of place in my scheme of things,” he made clear.

Mr. Kumar promised to immediately attend to the problems of drinking water scarcity and release of water for irrigation.

He later held meetings with officials of various departments. The Collector would leave for Hyderabad on Wednesday to attend the two-day meeting of district Collectors on Friday and Saturday. He would resume full responsibilities from July 6 after going on leave for some days.

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