Mysuru: S. Selvakumar, District in-Charge Secretary and Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Administrator, has directed district officials to prepare timely action plan reports based on available grants, secure prompt approvals and expedite the execution of development works.

“With the onset of the rainy season, focus must shift towards villages. Start implementing the necessary works immediately,” Selvakumar instructed the officials. He was speaking at a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) progress review meeting, which he presided over at the Zilla Panchayat Auditorium in the city recently.

Highlighting that the State Government has allocated departmental grants, Selvakumar stressed that officials must prepare Plans of Action accordingly, obtain approvals without delay and avoid seeking clearances at the end of the financial year.

Selvakumar urged officials to take all precautionary measures, noting that heavy rains are being reported across the State.

K.H. Ravi, Joint Director of Agriculture Department, informed the meeting that the district received above-average rainfall in May. “The average rainfall for May is 106 mm, but this year we recorded 167 mm — a 56 percent increase. The last week of May saw particularly heavy showers. Between January and May, the district received 260 mm of rainfall, against the normal 195 mm. So far, 39 percent of sowing has been completed. The remaining activity will resume once the rains subside,” he said.

B. Rangegowda, Joint Director of Social Welfare Department, reported 90 percent of SC Internal Reservation survey has been completed in district. The  survey covering 1,39,900 SC families and 5,300 non-SC families have been successfully conducted. Meeting also witnessed a moment of embarrassment when an official from Minor Irrigation and Ground Water Development Department struggled to respond to queries.