Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The divisional commissioner Madhukarraje Ardad, on Thursday, has handed over the additional charge of the district collector to the municipal commissioner G Sreekant. The sitting district collector Astik Kumar Pandey has gone on training to Mussoorie without intimating the divisional commissioner and will return on February 16.
Earlier, the additional charge was given to the additional collector Arvind Lokhande. In two weeks, he tried his best to conduct the surveys of Maratha and open category. However, in the coming 20-25 days, the administration will have to speed up the works approved by the DPC works, enhance tax collection and other administrative works etc before the implementation of the code of conduct for Lok Sabha election. Hence the civic chief has been given the additional charge today.
It may be noted that the transfer of the district collector is expected as per the election commission norms. Meanwhile, the transfer order of the new collector has been stuck in the lobbying of a few aspiring officers.
The divisional commissioner Madhukarraje Ardad said, “ The additional chief secretary (revenue) had expressed his displeasure over the backwardness of the district. I was unaware that the district collector A K Pandey has gone for the training. Hence, what should I say to the secretary. The district is lagging behind in registration of Maratha-Kunbi, tax recovery, minor minerals and auctioning of sand belts. The secretary had inquired about it. Hence the additional charge has been given to G Sreekant.”