Sonepur: Even as the state government gives emphasis on ‘good governance’ and has been zealously enforcing the 5T initiatives, many vital positions at different government offices of Subarnapur district remain vacant for months together, a report said.
In the absence of officials at block, tehsil and other offices, people suffer a lot and the administration has fallen to a slow pace. Despite the efforts of the district and other local authorities for filling up vacant positions, ‘good governance’ appears to be a remote possibility.
Project Director and Additional Project Director (Admin) in district rural development agency (DRDA) are lying vacant for months and the Additional District Magistrate Sarat Chandra Panda is in charge of Project Director DRDA.
Likewise, positions of Biramaharajpur and Ulunda tehsildar as well as block development officer (BDO) are lying vacant. The position of Biramaharajpur sub-collector was filled up recently, but newly-posted Ashok Kumar Bhoi has not joined yet. Similarly, the positions of tehsildar at Binika and Rampur are lying vacant for months.
Local people cheered up when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik appointed two MLAs from this district as Cabinet Ministers. They were hopeful that it would be a golden era of development. However, their dream is coming to a naught.
Problems of local people in getting their land sale-deeds registered, difficulties faced by local farmers as well as developmental and administrative stalemates mount day by day.
Various rural developmental works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY), Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY), Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana (BGJY), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM) are carried out by district level officials.
Denizens of Subarnapur have resented non-availability of senior officials in the district to address their problems. They have demanded immediate attention of the state government in this regard.
‘Good governance’ basically means providing to citizens the rights, means and capacity to participate in decision making that affects their lives. It also holds the government accountable to people for what it does.
Moreover, ‘good governance’ is a way of measuring how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in a preferred way. It is the dynamic exercise of management powers and policies which are executed through government machinery.
PNN