Ravi Shankar Prasad pulls up Post officials for unclean premises

New Delhi: After surprise checks at two post offices, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday pulled up officials of the Department of Posts for not keeping their premises and work space clean.

"Despite instructions from Prime Minister's Office, your premises are not clean. Take it as my direction that I want all post offices across country to be clean," he told senior Do officials.

The Minister inspected work space at Gol Dak Khana and Lodhi Road post offices. Prasad inspected almirah and different rooms where he found dust on many files and racks.

He asked officials to keep the premises clean and make Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission a success.

Member, Postal Board, Anjali Devasher said that DoP started cleanliness drive and complete status report will be handed over to the minister in a month. Senior officials at post offices said DoP had sought fund of about Rs 10 crore for civil work and cleanliness but it has been allocated only around Rs 3.5 crore which is too less.

"We have part time workers for cleaning work ... The structure of building are such that dust and dirt keep coming in to offices. We need funds to make buildings dust proof," an official said.

Ministry sources however said that Post Office staff have raised the issue of fund shortage only after minister's surprise visit.

Earlier in the day, Prasad ran cleanliness drive at Sanchar Bhawan where he found rubbish heaped at one place.

"I have announced that I will go to clean Patna Railway Station on October 2. Union ministers will also go on cleanliness drive. Even Prime Minister himself will got to clean Valmiki basti near Birla Mandir. When the Prime Minister and Ministers can do this, you should not feel ashamed of it," Prasad said at Sanchar Bhawan.

He cited the example of cleanliness in metro and all government offices should be cleaned in a similar fashion.

"Below this place is metro station, where there is no dirt. The Same people use it, the same is the government. I feel that while travelling in metro people themselves feel ashamed that it is so clean and how can we dirty it," Prasad said.

The Minister appealed government officials to change in their mind. "You would have known that I am a strict minister. I work and expect work from you all as well. I will make surprise visit to your offices as well," Prasad said at Sanchar Bhawan.