Bhopal: Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is concentrating on the revenue department. This follows a feedback by the RSS, which had got a survey conducted in the state to know the reasons behind the resentment among farmers after the peasants’ agitation in the state. The survey showed that most problems of farmers were related with revenue and power departments. They were not as harried by agriculture, cooperation and other departments they have to deal with. After revenue, the government proposes to focus on the power department.
Over the last one month, three secretary-level IAS officers have been posted in the revenue department. For the first time, the department will be having two secretaries. Besides P Narhari, Hariranjan Rao, secretary in the CM’s secretariat has also been given the charge of the revenue department. Rajneesh Shrivastava has been appointed additional secretary in the department.
Rao’s appointment means that the CM secretariat will now directly monitor revenue-related matters. Arun Pande, PS, revenue was divested of the additional charge of MD of Small Industries Corporation just three days after it was given to him. He has been asked to focus solely on revenue department.
Chief secretary BP Singh has been asked to visit all divisional headquarters to ensure that the disposal of revenue cases is expedited. At the meeting the BJP state executive, the chief minister had said that he would hang collectors who delay disposal of revenue matters upside-down.
The RSS has conveyed to the CM in clear terms that there is massive corruption in the revenue department and nothing moves without greasing the palms of the officers. The chief minister has been told that this situation may cost the party dear in the elections. The government is also mulling how to speed up the process of disposal of revenue cases. The CM may make some announcement in this regard on the I-Day.
