Mysore/Mysuru: At a progress review meeting of the Revenue Department at the Regional Commissioner’s Office yesterday, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda directed officers to enhance their efforts to uphold the Government’s reputation.

He bombarded officers with inquiries, emphasising the importance of efficiently distributing drought relief to farmers. He questioned the status of the updated Farmers Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System (FRUITS ID), expressed concern about delays in handling cases at the High Court and inquired about the reasons behind delays in survey works.

The Minister also raised questions about the officers’ commitment of collecting loans and reminded them of the number of revenue villages, urging them to be vigilant and aware of their responsibilities.

Expressing his disappointment with the officers, Krishna Byre Gowda took them to task for not meeting the target set under the FRUITS ID software. He highlighted that in Mysuru district, less than 75 percent of the target has been achieved, despite the State Government seeking drought relief from the Centre for affected farmers.

Despite a Central team visiting the State to assess the drought situation, assistance from the Centre is still pending. As a result, the State Government has decided to bear the first instalment, but the Minister emphasised that addressing the farmers’ woes is contingent on completing the updates under the FRUITS ID process.

He further instructed the officers to exercise caution in managing drinking water supply, particularly during the summer months. A priority was set to declare all 110 identified villages in Mysuru district as revenue villages, with only 52 of them having received final notifications. Special attention was urged for the prompt disposal of applications received under ‘Bagar Hukum’ lands, ensuring the eligibility of the applicants.

Highlighting a significant backlog, Gowda noted that there are 721 pending cases related to the Revenue Department in Mysuru at the High Court and expressed dissatisfaction with Tahsildars for the lack of action, pointing out that no steps have been taken in 386 cases, including filing arguments in the Court.

Additionally, Krishna Byre Gowda issued a warning, stating that notices would be served to officers failing to dispose of at least 80 percent of their files through e-office, despite it being mandatory for the past six months.

MLAs G.T. Devegowda, G.D. Harish Gowda, MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Regional Commissioner Dr. G.C. Prakash and Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra were present.