Patna, ,(BiharTimes):April 24: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday asked district magistrates and superintendents of police to hold joint Janata Darbars with MPs, MLAs and MLCs on first Thursday of every month in their respective district to hear the grievances of the common public and redress them.
The in-charge minister and in-charge secretary of the district have also been asked to participate in them.
The new directive came at a marathon review meeting of all Divisional Commissioners, IGs, DIGs, DMs, SPs and Principal Secretaries of different departments. It was presided over by Chief Minister.
Chief secretary Ashok Kumar Sinha, principal home secretary Amir Subhani and DGP Abhayanand, too, attended it.
It is being interpreted in political circle as a move to put bureaucracy and elected representatives in election mode.
The CM also reiterated that maintaining law and order situation was the sole responsibility of DM and SP under their jurisdiction and the state government would not tolerate any negligence on their part. He made special reference to sensitive issue like crime against women.
Nitish expressed displeasure over deployment of State Auxiliary Police (SAP) jawans for tackling day-to-day law and order problem. Their services can be taken for dealing with organized crime or Maoist-related violence.
He also asked the DMs and SPs not to engage Vikas Mitras for the execution of government works as they are not government employees. They are social workers and have been given responsibility to ensure proper execution of schemes meant for Mahadalit families.
These steps have been initiated to plug loopholes in welfare schemes, especially MNREGA and the Indira Awas Yojna. He had received a lot of complaints about them in the recent months.
He once again asked officials to observe ‘MNREGA Diwas’ in every panchayat at least once a year. Unlike earlier, senior officials would now have to review accounts and working days of job card-holders on Panchayat Divas.
The chief minister asked officials to create land banks at division, district, sub-division and block levels to augment the development process at grassroots level.
As the state government is under intense pressure from different quarters following repeated hooch tragedies and death of a woman excise officer in Jehanabad under mysterious circumstances the chief minister asked excise department officials to tighten the noose around illicit liquor manufacturers and dealers.
He said stern action against illegal liquor manufacturers would save lives of innocents, who die in hooch deaths, while also increasing revenue.
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