Siddaramiah, UT Khader, Jayachandra among top performers of Karnataka govt

Bengaluru, May 14: Chief minister Siddaramaiah, law minister TB Jayachandra, health minister UT Khader and rural development minister HK Patil have emerged toppers in a survey conducted by a leading English daily newspaper to assess the performance of ministers of Karnataka's Congress government which completed three years on May 13, 2016. Here is the scorecard published by The Indian Express. The scorecard for each minister is the average of scores given by 3 experts: R S Deshpande, National Fellow, ICSSR; Sandeep Shastri, Pro V-C, Jain University; Prof Abdul Azeez, professor at ICSSR.

1. Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister

Made good beginning with food security and welfare schemes targeted at his Dalit, BC, minority base

Sustained emphasis on AHINDA base has miffed the educated and upper castes

That explains his failure to expand Congress' voter base and setbacks for the party in BBMP and Panchayat polls.

Caste and factional politics to avoid cabinet rejig, controversies related to Hublot watch, setting up of ACB, tenders for setting up Diagnostic Lab involving his son has eroded Siddaramaiah's credibility and commitment to socialist ideology and intolerance for corruption.

Rating: 6/10

2. R V Deshpande, Minister for Commerce, Industries and Tourism

Took over Industries only recently, yet earned applause for successful conduct of Invest Karnataka'; but initiatives to involve corporate sector in developing tourism got brickbats

Rating: 5.5/10

3. G Parameshwara, Home Minister

Juggling two roles as Home Minister and KPCC president; initiated moves to modernise police department; interest in putting Police Housing Scheme on fast track earned kudos

Rating: 5.25/10

4. K J George, Bengaluru Development Minister

Had bitter stint as Home Minister after sexual assault cases against children and women invoked public wrath; doing better as Bangalore Development Minister

Rating: 4.5/10

6. Ramalinga Reddy, Transport Minister

As Bengaluru in-charge minister earlier, faced flak for delay in resolving garbage problem; started installing CCTVs inside BMTC/KSRTC buses for women's safety

Rating: 4.75/10

7. H K Patil, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj

Appreciated for reforms in Panchayat Act to give more powers to grassroots; irregularities in dept, statement denying prevalence of drought embarrassed government

Rating: 6/10

8. T B Jayachandra, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Higher Education

The poster boy of Siddaramaiah's cabinet is almost a spokesperson and good coordinator; caught on the backfoot over anti-superstition bill

Rating: 6.5/10

9. Umashree, Women and Child Development, and Kannada and Culture Minister

Only woman minister; her name came up in KSOU PhD row where varsity was accused of reducing qualifying marks to accommodate her

Rating: 4.5/10

10. M H Ambareesh, Housing Min

His Take it easy' attitude put him in the league of non-performing ministers'; always in news for factional fight in Mandya Cong; though wants to serve people, his working style belies it

Rating: 3.25/10

11. Kimmane Rathnakar, Primary and Secondary Education Minister

Has reputation of clean leader but has landed frequently in trouble due to lack of administrative acumen and firmness; PU question paper leak may cost him his job during next ministry rejig

Rating: 4.75/10

12. D K Shivakumar Minister for Energy

Runs a tight ship, but struggling to present a rosy picture on power front; enjoys confidence of party chief Sonia Gandhi; seen as potential CM candidate in future

Rating: 4.5/10

13. Roshan Baig, Minister for Infrastructure Development, Kannada and Culture and Haj

Not much action seen in ramping up infrastructure; keen to improve facilities for Haj pilgrims; trying to emerge as a prominent leader of Muslims; considered close to CM

Rating: 3.75/10

14. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister

Attempted to curb bogus ration cards using Aadhaar; accused by activist Hiremath of land grab in Bengaluru North taluk; failed to prevent hate violence despite signs during Tipu Jayanthi in Kodagu

Rating: 4.75/10

15. Krishna Byre Gowda, Agriculture Minister

Launched warehouse-based marketing; Krishi Bhagya helped maintain agricultural ponds; criticised for not giving timely succour to drought-hit farmers

Rating: 4/10

16. U T Khader, Minister for Health and Family Welfare

One of the most accessible ministers, Khader introduced many schemes and tried to beef up medical services by having ICUs in every district hospital; criticised for delay in filling up vacancies in doctors' posts

Rating: 6/10

17. P T Parameshwar Naik, Labour Minister

More in news for wrong reasons like when he was caught boasting about transferring an official; amended laws to allow women to work in night shifts in non-IT sector; failed to improve working condition of women in garment units

Rating: 3/10

18. V Srinivasa Prasad, Revenue Minister

Raising annual income limit for acquiring land by non-agriculture persons, making offices paperless won bouquets; inaccessebility triggered cries for his exit

Rating: 4.5/10

19. H C Mahadevappa, PWD Minister

Close confidant of CM; accused of turning blind eye to alleged illegal sand mining by his son; new sand policy yet to yield results; but has improved quality of state highways

Rating: 4/10

20. Manohar Tahsildar Minister for Excise and Muzrai

Newly inducted into ministry; keen to end freeze on new bar licences, sensitivity of the proposal forced CM to restrain minister

Rating: 4/10

21. S R Patil, I T, B T and S&T, Planning and Statistics Minister

Faced criticism from IT industry captains for being a little too old when he was given this portfolio; but took it in his stride and insisted he would change their minds; often sidelined by Industries Minister Deshpande

Rating: 4/10

22. K Abhaychandra Jain, Sports, Youth Services and Fisheries Minister
Keeping a low-profile, with nothing substantial done for sports infrastructre; did not act against Principal Secretary of Youth and Services Dept Kapil Mohan, accused of disproportionate income and child porn

Rating: 4/10

23. H S Mahadevaprasad, Minister for Sugar and Cooperation

Made an optimistic start in extending farm loans through cooperative institutions; but government's helplessness in making sugar companies clear their cane dues in time has made him cut a sorry figure

Rating: 4/10

24. Baburao Chinchansur, Minister for Textiles, Ports and Inland Transport

Nothing noteworthy can be attributed to him; facing probe in a financial fraud case, and also in disproportionate assets case; not on good terms with the CM

Rating: 2.75/10

25. H Anjaneya, Minister for Social Welfare

Under attack for failing to make full use of grants; sting operation which alleged his wife took money for awarding tender dented his image; drew appreciation for getting his daughter married in mass marriage event

Rating: 4.5/10

26. Dr Sharan prakash Patil, Medical Education Minister

Plan to have one medical college in each district gains pace; not much improvement in hospitals under his department; his PA was arrested in connection with leak of PU question papers

Rating: 3.5/10

27. A MANJU, Animal Husbandary and Sericulture Minister

Recent entrant to the ministry; earned people's wrath for hiking milk price by Rs 4; appreciated for his quick response in taking precautionary measures to avoid spreading of bird flu

Rating: 4.5/10

28. Vinay Kumar Sorake, Minister for Urban Development

Initiated moves to abolish contract pourakarmika system in civic bodies, also raised their remuneration; slow pace of implementation of drinking water scheme for towns in northern Karnataka drew people's ire

Rating: 4.25/10

29. Vinay Kulkarni, Mines and Geology Minister

New entrant to the cabinet; has not been able to curb illegal quarrying

Rating: 2.5/10

30. Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Horticulture Minister

Seen as too old to discharge his duties; banning vehicles in Cubbon Park on Sundays won hearts

Rating: 4.75/10

31. M B Patil, Minister for Water Resources Department

Managed to get clearances for Yettinahole project; irrigation projects have picked up pace

Rating: 5.25/10

32. Satish Jarkiholi, Minister for Small Scale Industries

Virtually invisible as excise minister earlier and now as minister of Small Scale Industries

Rating: 3.5/10

33. Shivaraj Tangadagi, Minister for Minor Irrigation

Hosted feast where 3,000 chickens slaughtered; fireworks celebration resulted in a child losing sight

Rating: 2/10

34. QAMARUL ISLAM, Minority Welfare and Wakf Minister

Manippady report accuses him in Wakf land scam; facing flak for his lack of agility

Rating: 3.75/10

35. Ramanath Rai, Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology

No notable contribution in preserving environment, caught napping in assembly

Rating: 3/10

Toppers

6.5/10 TB Jayachandra Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs and Higher Education

6/10 Siddaramaiah Chief Minister

6/10 UT Khader Minister for Health and Family Welfare

6/10 H K Patil Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj

5.5/10 RV Deshpande Industries Minister