Govt talks green in last meet-Nitish asks officials to ‘behave’in 2008

Patna, Dec. 31: Agriculture would top Bihar government’s list of priority for 2008, the Bihar chief minister announced at a meeting with district magistrates and superintendents of police today.

The second priority, for the government, 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. Government’s wish list also includes a “more accountable” bureaucracy in the year ahead.

Perhaps the strongest line taken by the CM was that in 2008 the government would hold district magistrates and SPs responsible for the “communal and social tensions” in their jurisdictions.

Briefing the media at the end of the close door meeting, cabinet secretary Girish Shankar said: “The district magistrates would also be held responsible for holding the timely elections of the rural school committees.”

The state’s bureaucracy stayed under fire in 2007 from the people’s representatives from all parties, including the JD(U) for the “Baboo’s improper treatment to the elected representatives during 2007”. Many legislators complained against the bureaucrats for the latter’s “maltreatment” of the peoples’ representatives.

The government today specifically directed the district magistrates and other bureaucrats to stay “respectful” of all elected peoples’ representatives including those belonging to panchayats and municipal bodies. Besides, safety, security and desired status to women will also stay on the top in the government's agenda in the year ahead. “The Bihar government directed the authorities concerned to take quick action in the cases related to atrocities on women", Shankar said.

The chief minister conceded at the meeting 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 tighten their socks further to ensure better law and order in the state", the CM said at the meeting.

The government directed the district officials to camp in the villages persuading the farmers to donate lands for the construction of school buildings and health centres for the "all round development of the society".