Cut Waste Task Force of Karnataka

About Cut Waste Task Force-

• It slashes wasteful expenses incurred by various departments of the State Government, boards, and corporations.
• It could receive suggestions from the public, internal and external stakeholders, on areas where the government can cut waste and effect savings in the delivery of public services and in its day-to-day functioning.
• This model has been adopted by the Government of Singapore since 2003. 
• Within three years of its inception, it managed to save over $11.4 million of public resources by implementation of the accepted suggestions.

Other Recommendations of KARC-2-

• The commission recommended performance appraisal for officers and staff, besides timely payment of compensation for land acquisition.
• Disposing a number of old and defunct vehicles parked in government premises and outside would generate some revenue and free up space.
• On the delay in movement of files hitting services, it said the Central Government has decided that no file in any of its ministries should move more than four levels. 
• Similarly, the State Government should decide that no file in the secretariat should move more than three or four stages. (At present, files have to pass through 5-10 stages).
• The State Government should utilize post offices in Karnataka for delivery of citizen-centric services since they are already delivering Central Government services. 
• It recommended setting up of Common Service Centers (CSCs) by village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) for door-to-door service delivery as ’Janasevakas’.
• On compensation for land acquisition, it recommended that if a payment is not made in time, additional compensation would have to be paid for the delayed period and this service should be notified as Sakala Service by the Revenue Department and other departments engaged in land acquisition. 
• Land acquisition compensation should be paid through the Aadhaar-based system to prevent fraud.
• The commission suggested amendments to Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 and Karnataka Panchayat Raj ( Budget and Accounts) Rules 2006 to impose double property tax on illegal sites and buildings in rural areas as in urban areas.
• The panel suggested establishment of citizen services help desks in all police stations and an increase in the percentage of female representation in non-gazetted police staff from 8.3% to 33%, by providing reservation for women in the recruitment of constables and non-gazetted staff.
• The panel recommended mergers of BDA and BMRDA; Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and Finance Department, Panchayat Raj Engineering Department (PRED) and Karnataka Rural Road Development Agency; Karnataka State Biofuel Development Board and Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd; and offices of Taluk Social Welfare and Taluk Tribal Welfare; and taluk-level Backward Classes and Minority Welfare offices.