Chandigarh, Aug 11 (PTI) Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday warned government officials against shirking their responsibilities and asked them not to pile up files in their offices.

“ I want to tell the officials that they must clear files in their offices and work. They must not pile up files,” Vij told reporters here.

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“We have taken an oath to serve people. When I can work with an oxygen mask, why can't they? Why are files pending for months?” he asked.

Vij, contracted Covid last year and remained hospitalised for few weeks, has been seen in the past working and attending office wearing a support mask attached to an oxygen cylinder.

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Vij warned the officials of strict action if files on their tables are not cleared on time.

“I have been receiving serious complaints from the public. I am warning officials to mend ways otherwise we know how to mend..” said Vij, who also holds the portfolios of Health, Urban Local Bodies, Technical Education and Science and Technology.

Replying to a question, Vij said he could take action against any such official even if he/she was from a department other than the ones he is in charge of.

Vij has in the past been conducting surprise inspections across the state at various offices pertaining to the departments he holds and taking action wherever he finds shortcomings.

Meanwhile, Vij said that in order to eradicate corruption in Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipalities, the proposal to get an audit done by the Accountant General was approved in a cabinet meeting “recently”.

He said the proposal was placed by him in the meeting.

Vij was interacting with reporters on the sidelines after some players of Indian women hockey team from the state called on him at his office here.

These players include captain Rani Rampal, Monica, Nisha, Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur, Uday, Sharmila and Neha.

The women hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics finished at fourth position.

Vij honoured the players by presenting them with shawls. He also gave them sweets.

Vij said Prime Minister Narendra Modi values sports and that was why, he started 'Khelo India' programme.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)