The tourism, culture and watershed management minister Satpal Maharaj has ordered transfers of officers and employees deployed at one place from many years in the watershed management department. The minister gave the order while undertaking a review meeting of the officers of the department here on Friday. In the meeting the minister took stern note of the incidences where the officers of the department were transferred without his knowledge.
Maharaj said that the schemes of watershed management department are very good and the officers of the department should ensure that the people of the state get benefit of these schemes. In the meeting held at the directorate of the Watershed Management at Indira Nagar, the minister directed the officers to submit progress on the various schemes and the action taken on his directions given in the previous review meetings. He said that a toll free number should be launched for understanding the problems faced by the people working in watershed management works in remote parts of the state. While reviewing the progress of the centrally funded Prime Minister Agriculture irrigation schemes, the minister directed the officers to expedite them. He said that the watershed management department should expand the sphere activities of its different schemes.
In the meeting, the minister sought details of the officers and other personnel depleted on deputation and the works performed by them. He also expressed his displeasure on the tendency of senior officers for not undertaking ground inspections of the different schemes and projects of the department. The minister directed that the officers concerned should undertake field visits and refrain from sitting in the offices. He said that the salaries of the office support staff, computer operator, MIS operator, coordinator, facilitators and project associates would be increased soon.
The meeting was attended by secretary, watershed, Bhupinder Kaur Aulakh, additional director Neena Grewal and others.