BHOPAL: My priority was to hand over the key to administration, which was in the state capital, to the districts, and I’ve done it in one year, said Chief Secretary SR Mohanty. Mohanty, who completed one year in office on Tuesday, made the above remark in an interview with Free Press. Excerpts:
FP: Are you satisfied with your performance in one year?
CS: I’ve achieved a lot. And, I have been able to implement many a thing I thought at the time of taking over as Chief Secretary. I’ve tried to provide good governance and been successful to do that to a great extent.
FP: What is your greatest achievement?
CS: For better administration, the power centre had to be shifted from the state capital to the districts. Today, the collectors take decisions of their own, and we support them. Our aim was to tell the collectors that they should not look up to Bhopal for any decision. So, the police and the district administration worked on their own after the SC decision on Ayodhya. Consequently, peace prevailed across the state.
FP: What are the problems?
CS: The state is facing severe fund crunch. Despite this, we have not stopped any welfare scheme. The wheels of development are moving smoothly, and employees are getting salary on time. Besides increasing income through mining and registration, the government has tapped other sources of income. And the outcome of our efforts will soon be seen.
FP: What are the possibilities in MP?
CS: There are many possibilities in tourism sector in the state. We are going to organise Orchha festival. Mandu festival is on. Royal food festival has been successful. We want that MP should become the biggest hub of tourism in the country, and the government is working for that. The events, like AIFA award, are being held in the state for its world-wide branding.
FP: The Congress has many senior leaders. There may be some problems for doing a balancing act?
CS: The vision of Chief Minister Kamal Nath is very clear. He has always cooperated with me during the past one year so we have been able to do some work for the state.
FP: It is said that overlook the errors of the field officers?
CS: If we want results we have to support them. I have told the officers in the districts that if their intention is not wrong I will always stand by them. When 11 youths drowned in Khatlapura in Bhopal, there was pressure for removing the collector and other officials. During the inquiry, I found that there was no mistake on their part for the tragedy. So I cooperated with them. Everybody was witness to how efficiently the administration functioned when the Supreme Court decision on Ayodhya was out, and when the protests against CAA were going on across the state.
FP: Demolition is going on in the name of action against land mafia across the state.
CS: It was necessary to take action against the food adulterers and land sharks. The land sharks have usurped government plots. So the administration is getting those plots freed. Since we are taking action against the goons, we are getting public support.
FP: What should an officer do to perform better?
CS: If the field officers do not make any major mistake, they should be given time to improve that they may perform better.
FP: You’re going to retire in three months. What’s your message for the new IAS officers?
CS: The role of an IAS officer changes with the change of his place of posting. So an officer should understand the intentions of the government, and since he is a public servant, he should try to work for people’s welfare.
