Mysore/Mysuru: “Officials should appropriately use the grants available under various schemes and plans in their respective department and thus achieve growth targets,” said District in-Charge Secretary Dr. S. Selvakumar.

Speaking after presiding over the progress review meeting at Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Hall here yesterday, he directed the officials to re-verify the differences noticed in attendance of children aged between 3 and 6 years at Anganwadi centres and submit a report in this regard in a week.

Women and Child Welfare Department Deputy Director B. Basavaraju said that there are 2,933 Anganwadi centres in the district, covering a total of 1,57,128 beneficiaries who included 47,796 children aged between 3 and 6 years, 75,536 kids aged between 6 months and 3 years, 14,880 pregnant women and 13,157 lactating mothers.

Dr. Selvakumar, who noticed the differences in number of children, questioned the officials and sought to know the reason for the decline in attendance of children aged under 6 years. Seeking to know where have all these children gone, he questioned the officials on whether they have not tracked such children.

ZP CEO S. Ukesh Kumar instructed the officials to get details about the birth of children in the past 6 years from the Health Department and submit a report in this regard before July 28.

DDPI S.T. Javaregowda said that a 25 point programme has been chalked out to improve SSLC exam results in the district.

Akshara Dasoha Project Co-ordinator Krishna said that heads of schools have                                           been asking for increase in Government grants as egg price is on the rise.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Dr. P. Shivaraju said that 137 villages in the district have been announced as Revenue villages.

He further said that applications concerning ‘Hakku Patra’ (Title Deed) and Land Tillers (Bhoo Saguvalidararu) are being disposed off within a time frame.

Agriculture Joint Director K.H. Ravi said that the district has recorded a shortfall of 22mm  rains in July thus far. There will be an impact on the yield of Ragi and other crops if rains do not come by the end of this month.

Maize and Ginger crops in H.D. Kote and Sargur taluks have been affected by diseases, he said that the growers are supplied pesticides.

DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, ZP Deputy Secretaries M. Krishnaraju and B.M. Savitha, Chief Planning Officer K.B. Prabhuswamy and other officials   were present.

Selvakumar visited Meenakshipura in KRS Backwaters, where three nursing students of Mandya died by drowning on Sunday and carried out an inspection at the site.

Directing the officials to take all precautionary measures for preventing the recurrence of such tragedies in KRS Backwaters and other water bodies, he said that tourists and visitors too must be cautious and the District Administration should carry out extensive campaigns on the dangers of entering deep into river waters. The Police should also maintain a constant vigil in preventing such tragic incidents, he added.

Earlier, Selvakumar visited the Post-Matric Girls Hostel-1 run by the Social Welfare Dept. at Bogadi and carried out an inspection.