Mysore/Mysuru: The monthly KDP (Karnataka Development Programme) progress review meeting of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat was held at the ZP hall here this morning.

Soon as the meeting began, ZP President Parimala Shyam wanted to know why Rs. 73.16 lakh allotted for the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports got lapsed for non-expenditure. 

Omprakash,  Assistant Director of the Department said that he took charge 45 days ago and his predecessor (Suresh) had not given any account of the allotment and expenditure of funds, despite not handing over keys of the Department to Office staff Cheluvaiah, who was then asked to take charge. Angered by Omprakash’s reply, the ZP President asked him why he had not reported the matter to her and as well as the ZP CEO, to which Omprakash said that he had brought the matter to the notice of his higher ups in the Department. 

Omprakash also brought to the notice of the meeting about acute staff shortage in the Department, to which Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) D. Bharathi directed the Deputy Secretary to look into the matter.

Later, the meeting discussed the issue of moderate performance of the district in 2019-20 SSLC exam, which saw the district get a lower ranking in results, when Mysuru was expecting top ranking. DDPI Dr. Panduranga said that Mysuru performed well in the supplementary exams and the District has recorded a combined pass percentage of 90 percent in SSLC, taking into account both the main and supplementary exams. Panduranga further said that Government Schools in the district was witnessing record admissions in recent years, with over 3,000 students getting admitted to different classes after leaving private schools. Expressing happiness about the increasing Government School admissions, the DDPI said that more measures will be taken for enhancing the outreach and quality of education.

ZP Standing Committee on Health and Education Chairman N. Manjunath asked                                 the DDPI to hold regular meetings with the BEOs to discuss  additional measures that need to be taken for improving SSLC pass percentage and also to   improve the quality of education and infrastructure in Government Schools.

Zilla Panchayat members A.M. Guruswamy, S. Manjunath and officials from various Departments were present during the meeting.