Patna, (Bihar Times): The New Year’s message from the
Nitish Kumar government for the bureaucrats is loud
and clear: the district magistrates and
superintendents of police will be held responsible for the “communal and social tensions” in their
jurisdictions. Besides, the government specifically
directed the district magistrates and other
bureaucrats to be courteous and ‘respectful’ towards
all elected peoples’ representatives including those
belonging to panchayats and municipal bodies. Safety,
security and desired status to women will also be on
the top of the government’s agenda in the year ahead.
Addressing newsmen after the end of the close door
meeting on Monday, cabinet secretary Girish Shankar
said the district magistrates would also be held
responsible for holding the timely elections of the
rural school committees.
The government directed the authorities concerned to
take quick action in the cases related to atrocities
on women, the cabinet secretary said.
The year 2008 should be observed as the year of
implementation and consolidation, Shankar disclosed.
The chief minister, while addressing divisional
commissioners, district magistrates and
superintendents of police through video-conferencing
conceded that the government had got only a ‘limited
control’ on the incidents like kidnapping for ransom,
dacoity, murder and other forms of crime. The DMs and
SPs are supposed to pull up their socks further to
ensure better law and order in the state.
He directed the district officials to camp in the
villages to persuade the farmers to donate lands for
the construction of school buildings and health
centres for the all round development of the society.
According to the chief minister agriculture would top
Bihar government’s list of priorities for 2008. The
second priority would be rebuilding all houses
destroyed by floods in 2007, under the Indira Awas
Yojna by May 2008, and then provide ration cards to
those living below poverty line.
Nitish’s message to bureaucrats to behave well with
the elected representatives came after the ruling
party leaders repeated complaints of the rude and
discourteous behaviour by many civil and police
officials in the last two years.