Mysuru: T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, former Chief  Secretary and former Chairman of Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2, Government of Karnataka, delivered a special lecture on ‘Recommendations of Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2’ at Humanities auditorium in Manasagangothri this morning.

The Department of Studies in Political Science and Department of Studies in Public Administration, University of Mysore, had jointly organised the lecture in association with the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Mysore Local Branch.

Vijay Bhaskar inaugurated the lecture session by watering a plant, in the presence of Krishna Hombal, Chairman of Department of Studies in Political Science, B.S. Ravikumar, Chartered Accountant and President of IIPA, Mysore Branch and Dr. J.S. Somashekar, Senior Professor and Secretary, IIPA, Mysore.

In his address Vijay Bhaskar said, starting from July 2021 to Feb. 2024, the Commission had submitted seven reports related to reforms in administration and some of them have been implemented by the Government.

Prior to the submission of the report, 25,522 telephonic surveys were conducted among the public to look into the practicality of the recommendations. Some of the reports would have been implemented with ease, but now, as the Chairman of the Commission MLA R.V. Deshpande is conducting monthly review meeting of Revenue and other Departments and discussing about implementation of the report, things are gradually falling in place, said Vijay Bhaskar.

Quoting the report, he said, “We have demanded decentralisation of administrative power, as we believe that the reforms is possible only with decentralisation of power. For example, works that can easily happen at taluk-level should not be dragged till district-level. It must be addressed at Gram Panchayat level and other local bodies.

The newly weds wait for two to three hours at the Sub-Registrar’s Office to facilitate the process of registration of their marriage, as per the Hindu Marriage Act. Following this, the Commission had voiced for providing the service at local body level. Due to the prevailing impediments, hardly 30 percent of the couples have registered as per the Act, observed Vijay Bhaskar.

Provision of services through online, cashless and contactless modes are the other recommendations to bring in administrative reforms, utilising the benefits of technology. Earlier a farmer had to submit 31 types of documents to avail farm loans. We have incorporated a system where the local agriculture officer shall verify the documents.

We had also recommended for e-Swathu that was implemented from Aug. 1. The bills of contractors that was earlier manually processed is also brought under electronic bill payment system. At Secretariat, files were being disposed in seven stages and returning in same stages, but has been recommended to be reduced to four stages, to clear them at the earliest, he said.

Any license including Trade Licence should be renewed once in five years with benefits of auto renewal system, along with the verification of documents, which is also under consideration.

To improve the number of self-employment opportunities, many jobs can be created. To encourage new ventures, the process should be simplified, which is also being implemented, said Vijay Bhaskar.

Bhamy V. Shenoy, Founder- President of Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) and its members were present.