Mechanic sent to give presentation in front of Minister:Vijay Shah calls it a joke, orders him to leave; directs accountability from department heads

The District Development Advisory (DDA) Committee meeting at Ratlam Collectorate turned controversial when officials from the Renewable Energy Department sent a mechanic to deliver the departmental presentation. The incident drew the ire of Ratlam’s Minister in-charge and Tribal Affairs Minister, Dr. Kunwar Vijay Shah, who strongly criticised the officials’ approach. Reacting sharply to the situation, Minister Shah instructed his personal assistant to write letters to the Chief Secretary, Commissioner, and Chief Minister, highlighting the negligence. “Deliberately not sending the appropriate officials is a serious matter,” he said. When the mechanic began speaking at the meeting, Minister Shah intervened, warning, “Leave from here, otherwise inappropriate words will come out of my mouth.” The minister then personally called the mechanic over, and after the individual bowed, Minister Shah bowed in return, shook hands, and thanked him, asking him to leave the meeting. The incident has sparked questions over departmental accountability and proper representation at government meetings. MLAs express displeasure over departmental negligence During the District Development Advisory (DDA) Committee meeting at Ratlam Collectorate on Saturday, Jawra MLA Dr. Rajendra Pandey raised questions about renewable energy works in his area. When asked about his position in the department, the official sent to respond identified himself as a mechanic. MLA Pandey expressed his displeasure, calling it an insult to the meeting. He said having a mechanic answer instead of the department head was disrespectful. Following this, Minister in-charge and Tribal Affairs Minister Dr. Kunwar Vijay Shah also expressed anger, stating that the meeting had “turned into a joke.” Addressing the ADM, he questioned why department heads had not attended. “I have been an MLA for 35 years and a minister for 30 years. This won’t work if you take it so lightly. Department heads should come; you’re making mechanics give answers,” he said. Absence of Collector and senior officials Collector Misha Singh was on leave, with ADM Dr. Shalini Srivastava acting as the Collector. Several senior officials from various departments, including the Forest Department, CHMO, Renewable Energy Department, and DEO, were absent, increasing the frustration of ministers and MLAs. Ratlam Rural MLA criticises officials The Ratlam Rural MLA also voiced concerns over officials’ working style, accusing the Assistant Commissioner of Tribal Development of arbitrariness. He alleged that rural development proposals were being altered and that officials were unresponsive, causing problems in areas such as fertiliser distribution. Presentations and departmental briefings Minister Vijay Shah provided updates on state-level development works following two years of government. ADM Dr. Shalini Srivastava presented details of district development projects. From the Education Department, only the Assistant Director attended. Other officials, including those from Forest, CHMO, Renewable Energy, and DEO departments, were absent. Key attendees included MLA Chintamani Malviya from Alot, BJP District President Pradeep Upadhyay, SP Amit Kumar, and District Panchayat CEO Vaishali Jain. During the Health Department briefing, the absence of the CHMO was noted, with Medical College Dean Dr. Anita Mutha attending instead. Minister Shah directed improvements in hospital systems following complaints from patients and relatives. Focus on Women and Child Development initiatives Regarding the Ladli Behna Scheme, the minister asked about the number of beneficiaries in the district, learning there were approximately 2.5 lakh. He instructed officials to plan a felicitation ceremony for the New Year and review pending issues related to Aadhar linking and payments. Renewable Energy and Tribal Development updates While reviewing the Renewable Energy Department, Minister Shah noticed the officer’s discomfort and directed him to gather complete information and present again within ten minutes. Similarly, the Tribal Development Department was instructed to provide comprehensive data within 15 minutes. Instructions for missing department heads During briefings on the Prime Minister Road Scheme and Industry Department, the absence of department heads was noted. Minister Shah instructed the officials to meet separately after the session to ensure accountability. Sequence of events The minister arrived at Ratlam Circuit House around 1:30 PM, later visiting the BJP office, and reached the Collectorate meeting by 2:30 PM. The meeting began with the ADM presenting the agenda and introducing committee members. Minister Shah personally noted the names of absent department heads and monitored the presentation of development works, instructing distribution of hard copies to all members.