MUMBAI, February 2: While top politicians and bureaucrats are busy preparing for the ensuing mid-term polls, Mahesh Zagade, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sindhudurg Zilla Parishad, has chalked out a novel scheme to provide, effective and people-oriented administration.When Zagade, a low-profile bureaucrat, had presented the blue-print of the action plan to Chief Secretary P Subramanian, he agreed to launch the scheme and said it should become a model plan for all zilla parishads. After Zagade took over as the CEO on November 1, he felt drastic changes were needed in the existing rules governing the zilla parishad and the panchayat samiti, gram panchayat and District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).
``I felt the administration of these agencies, which directly deals with village folk, should be more accountable and transparent,'' Zagade said.
The emphasis of the plan is on a record number of 30 areas concerning villagers, who have to frequently visit some or the other office of the zillaparishad. Describing the plan, Zagade said that currently no time limits are prescribed for issuing any certificates.
These include birth or death certificates, no-objection certificates, health certificates, certificates for below-poverty line families, postmortem reports of animals, changes in the names of children studying in zilla parishad schools and counter signatures on the leaving certificates of students seeking admission in other states.
Zagade has simplified the procedure. A time limit has been specified. If the certificate is not issued within the prescribed period, the aggrieved person can approach the Block Development Officer, who will give his verdict on the dispute the same day. For the first time responsibility has been fixed on a official and an appellate authority has been appointed. Another hurdle was in securing forms for loans under the DRDA schemes, bio-gas plants, Jawahar well scheme, bicycles for girl students, sewing machines, Indira Housing Scheme, financial assistance fordestitutes and neo-Buddhists.
As most schemes are directly monitored by the Village Development Officers, Zagade has asked them to sanction the form on the day of application. In the event of a dispute, the Officer has been asked to look into the grievance and decide the case on the same day. ``The scheme also proposes access to documents relating to zilla parishad, gram panchayat, panchayat samiti and DRDA administration. Except confidential and papers related to establishment, all the documents will be made available to anyone on payment of Rs 20 each,'' he said. ``All complaints received by the zilla parishad will now be disposed of within 15 days from the date of receipt. The aggrieved person will be given an opportunity to file an appeal before the authority decided by the CEO,'' he remarked.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
