THE district administration of Medak has been making an all-out effort to interact more frequently with the people. The initiatives taken by Peeyush Kumar, the District Collector, in this regard have changed its style of functioning.
Under Prajavani, an e-complaint system, any person could lodge a complaint through the Mandal Samakhyas by paying a nominal fee of Rs.10. The complaint would be sent to the officials online.
Other initiatives include Manjeera Sankshema Bata, Mana Ooru, Grama Darshini and Arogya Sankshemam. Peeyush Kumar said: Under the inspiration of the District Superintendent of Police Mohd. Iqbal, we recently took up Manjeera Sankshema Bata, an initiative to create better facilities in welfare hostels for poor students.
Grama Darshini has been focussing on problems at the village level. Special officers deal with problems at meetings held every Friday. The Collector said that 1,200 village visits were made, and around 18,000 problems identified after the programme began in July 2008; of them, 6,800 issues have been addressed, and the remaining are being processed.
Under Mana Ooru, launched in October 2008, problems are addressed at the local level by involving public representatives and village-level officials. Peeyush Kumar said that attendance of teachers and students in schools, and the functioning of anganwadis are being monitored under this programme.
Arogya Sankshemam was launched to meet the requirements of patients who did not require surgical intervention but needed some medicines. So far, 45 persons have been given medicines worth Rs.1.96 lakh, the Collector said.
According to Peeyush Kumar, the financial wealth of the district, particularly that of the farming community, has increased multifold, though land is not very fertile in the region. Two major projects the International Airport at Shamshabad and the Outer Ring Road (ORR) have increased the importance of Medak as an industrial destination. The ORR, with its eight-lane expressway, has made travel to the State capital faster. It would also touch industrial areas such as Jinnaram and Bollarum.
The Collector said that the administration has been implementing a two-pronged strategy to increase the pace of development one is by convincing rural youth to become part of the development process by sharing their landholdings with industry, and training them in skills that would meet industrys requirements.
Peeyush Kumar won the Stayenmitra Memorial Literacy Award in 2008 for his work in the field of continuing education of the National Literacy Mission. Under the literacy programme, adults are taught not just reading and writing skills but also about their rights and responsibilities. Self-help groups and literacy groups are being encouraged to participate in community programmes.