Dear All, I hope that there is something meaningful in the discussions. Otherwise this is just clogging my small mailbox.
Those who want to debate endlessly can burn their phone lines..........elsewhere... Regards, Aanand Bihar Network Group <[email protected]> Sent by: [email protected] 01/22/2009 11:25 AM Please respond to [email protected] To [email protected] cc [email protected] Subject Catch a look of Rural Development in India's most corrupted State I read the news "Lathicharge at Nitish's Vikas Yatra, 3 injured" on Bihar Times. The article says that it took Nitish Kumar by surprise. but I didnt get surprised by this news at all...That's pretty much expected? Bihar officials are corrupt like anything. 98% of them are heavily corrupt and know only about making money by illegal way. They are cruel? they don't have sympathy for even poor fellows. And they don't hesitate taking bribe starting from 10 Rs from the poor who don't have anything even to eat. When normal citizens get access of Nitish Kumar, they were bound to make complaints. Last time when I went to my village, there was no electricity there. When I asked the electricity department officials about it, he told that few persons from my village have not paid the money. That's why the electricity to the village has been cut. I replied saying that I haven't heard of any rule which approves to disconnect the electricity of whole village in this case. Yes, you can disconnect the electricity of the citizens who haven't paid the bill. "Aapka dalil shahar me chal sakta hai, yahaan nahi" ? was the response what I got from them. Finally I filled the RTI form and shown that to the officials. I told that I want to submit RTI regarding this to the SDO of electricity department. That changed the tone of those officials and they started supply of electricity the very next day. Later on I came to know that the electricity officials are showing transformer of my village as burnt in the government file since 6 months, and they are digesting entire money themselves. There are thousands of these kinds of stories, happening every week. Each and every poor of Bihar has been a victim of the Bihar governance. The officials are legalized criminals and feel no responsibility towards the society. I have been to many places in India but haven't seen such corrupt officials anywhere across India. Each time I go to home and see the same things happening at every level. It's true that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is doing his level best to change the facets of Bihar. But he can't do it alone. And moreover he himself is not worried by these officials. Either Nitish Kumar lives in illusion or his surrounding officials are not letting him see the real picture. Whatever the case, but the real victims are Bihari citizens. If Nitish Kumar really wants to change the facets of Bihar. If he really wants to ensure Bihar gets out of the dark ages. If he is really worried about the citizens of Bihar? He has to come up with some smart and strict strategies to improve the Bihar officials. He has to ensure that these Bihari Officers do their duty in right way. If required he should hire service from any management firm or psychiatrists to improve the mentality of Bihar officials. They are sick... they are hatable and they are merciless. They are corrupt at its highest level. If compared they are more corrupt than Somalians or Zimbabwean lawmakers. People of Bihar don't have trust in these officials at all. People of Bihar have been tortured by these officials in every sense. I can bet upon it? a farmer or normal citizen who doesn't have support from the political leaders, or who doesn't have money to bribe the officials, can't get their work done at all. A normal Bihari can't even think about getting justice in current situation. Villagers are always scared of Police. Villagers hate police. Villagers don't have trust in any official of Bihar? I'd request chief minister of Bihar to wake up before it's too late? I understand the difficulties what he has as a state head. But controlling Bihar officials should be the top priority in any case. They reflect the government? If Nitish can't control them.. Nitish can't win the election for sure. Bihar needs Nitish... but only if he delivers. I would wish all the best to him for the rest of his development march... Ram K Ojha NEWS CLIPS - Jan. 21: People in Bihar are amused at the new-found concern of the government for them. Just about everyone in the state, right from the head of the government to the otherwise arrogant policeman, is asking them one question quite frequently these days ~ any problem, please? While the chief minister Mr Nitish Kumar is crisscrossing the lanes and by-lanes of far-off, dusty villages with a herd of officials in tow in the chilly winter promising to make quick redressal of villagers' problems, the cops are dutifully knocking at the doors of citizens in towns enquiring about their woes. ?Unprivileged? residents of Mishraulia ~ a small hamlet of Patilar village in West Champaran where the CM has set up camp since Monday ~ were quite amazed when Mr Kumar, with a group of ministerial colleagues and a crowd of officials, suddenly met them early yesterday morning. On getting news of the CM's arrival, poor villagers ran as fast as they could to air their long-pending grievances. The common complaint was that bribery was at its peak and officials were refusing to provide them benefits of any government schemes unless they got their cut money. The repeated complaints of bribery in government offices obviously embarrassed the CM who had gone to personally get a feedback from villagers about the ?good governance?. Some complained money as small as Rs 300 was being sought for septic tanks, others bemoaned how just one bag of cement was used to construct four latrines! Some narrated how an egg is being distributed among six children under mid-day meal schemes in schools. There were senior citizens who just wanted spectacles, treatment for their ailing family members and cycles for their school children. The CM did not let them down either. He directed the officials accompanying him to provide them then and there whatever they had desired and redress whatever grievances they may have had. http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=240937 Bihar Network http://bihar-network.ning.com
