Malinagaraya pujar
CH NEWS
Administrative work in Gadag district is facing difficulties as the Zilla Panchayat has remained without a permanent Chief Executive Officer for nearly a year. District Collector C.N. Sridhar is currently handling the additional responsibilities of Zilla Panchayat CEO and Municipal Administration Officer, along with his regular duties.
IAS officer Bharat, who was serving as Zilla Panchayat CEO, was transferred in August 2025. Since then, the government has not appointed a permanent replacement. Citizens and farmer organisations say the arrangement has increased the workload on the Collector and delayed the disposal of important files.
The absence of elected bodies has added to the concerns. Elections to the Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayats and local bodies have not been held, leaving people with fewer elected representatives to raise local issues. Residents claim this has affected the implementation of rural and urban development programmes and government welfare schemes.
Several project files related to drinking water, sanitation, drainage and roads are reportedly awaiting approval. The district is also facing poor rainfall, and preparations are underway to assess the drought situation. Citizens say the shortage of senior officials is making it harder to respond quickly to these challenges. Citizens and farmer groups have also demanded action, saying Gadag needs a full administrative team to ensure development work does not suffer. They warned that continued vacancies could further delay public services and welfare projects.
“Officials are not willing to come to Gadag district due to pressure from influential former ministers of the district, which is hampering the development of the district. The government should immediately take steps to appoint a permanent CEO” Anil Menasinakai, BJP leader in Gadag