Towns and Cities

Lakshminarayana is BBMP chief

Friday, 31 May 2013 09:38 administrator

The New Indian Express 31.05.2013

In a major reshuffle, the state government has appointed M Lakshminarayana as the new commissioner of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

According to an official press release, Lakshminarayana, the principal secretary, Department of Housing, will replace Siddaiah, who retires from service upon superannuation on Friday.

Siddaiah, who was principal secretary, Department of Higher Education, was posted as BBMP commissioner when the garbage mess had gripped the city. The High Court made caustic remarks about the functioning of BBMP and its failure to address the garbage menace. It became a tool for the Congress to attack the then ruling BJP for turning a blind eye to the garbage mess.

Subsequently, bowing to pressure, the government brought back Siddaiah to BBMP as its commissioner.

'Challenging job ahead'

The post of BBMP Commissioner is quite challenging, said M Lakshminarayana, who will assume charge as the urban body’s commissioner on Friday.

He succeeds Siddaiah, whose five-month tenure ends on Friday upon his superannuation.

Lakshminarayana, from the 1987 IAS batch, has served in various departments including, Land, Revenue, Rural and Urban Development, Transport, Agriculture and Co-operation. He was secretary to three Chief Ministers - B S Yeddyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar.

Speaking to Express, he said: “Bangalore is our city. Joint effort is required to take the city forward. There is a need to motivate public too. The job of BBMP Commissioner is challenging than other posts,” he said.

About the new Commissioner, Siddaiah said: “Lakshminarayana is definitely aware of developments in the BBMP. He has been secretary to the CM for the past five years and was also principal secretary to Urban Development Department. In that sense, he is not new to the assignment. He also has the experience of being the CEO at Belgaum Zilla Panchayat for four years and was also Shimoga DC. He has immense experience of working with non-officials right from CM to ministers to ZP members,” he said.

Other tranfers

T M Vijay Bhaskar has been transferred as principal secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Dr E V Ramana Reddy, principal secretary, RDPR Department, has been transferred as principal secretary, Housing Department. P N Sreenivasachary, who was principal secretary, Urban Development Department (Municipalities and urban development authorities), has been given additional charge of Urban Development Department. Dr Suresh Kunhi Mohammad has been transferred as mission director, National Rural Health Mission.

Urban bodies’ staff told to launch voter awareness drive

Friday, 31 May 2013 09:15 administrator

The Pioneer 31.05.2013

Urban bodies’ staff told to launch voter awareness drive

Field staff of urban bodies and Health Department has been asked to launch an effective voter awareness campaign for increasing polling percentage during ensuring Vidhan Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh as compared to last Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections in the State. During a video-conferencing here today, works undertaken to this effect till date were discussed.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer SS Bansal asked Municipal Corporation officers to get names of eligible voters included in electoral rolls through Mohalla Committees. He said that polling booths in urban areas should be physically verified. Name and mobile number of booth level officer (BLO) should be displayed at every polling booth. The Joint Chief Electoral Officer informed that Vidhan Sabha-wise voters’ facilitation centres have been set up. They should also be widely publicised. He directed to organise cultural and literary programmes constantly through voluntary organisations for creating voter awareness.

There are 14 municipal corporations, 100 Nagar Palikas and 263 Nagar Panchayats in the state. During discussions with Health Department officers, they were asked to seek assistance of Village Health Committees, ASHA workers and other field staff for increasing voter awareness. Assistant Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Singh Baghel informed about systematic voters education and electoral participation programme (SVEEP). District health officers were asked to ensure that voter awareness-related slogans are written at all health centres in districts.

They should motivate eligible women voters to get their names included in electoral rolls at public functions. The district officers were informed about toll-free number 1950. Discussions were also held with officers of Doordarshan and Akashwani on Thursday.