Singh: No free hand

Patna, March 20: The governor?s efforts to give Bihar a new-look administration have received a jolt after the Union home ministry imposed restrictions on the routine transfer of officials in the state.

The directive came at a time when Governor Buta Singh was set to bring about significant changes in the top brass.

But the Centre has kept the doors open for ?need-based transfers?, sources said. ?It is not a blanket ban on any transfer. The state has the power to make administrative changes according to the need,? chief secretary and acting adviser to the governor, K.A.H. Subramanyam, said.

Taking a dig at the Centre, the NDA accused it of ?continuing the indirect rule of Bihar by Laloo Prasad Yadav and other central cabinet ministers?. ?Delay in the appointment of advisers shows that the Centre is taking advantage of the bickering between Laloo Prasad and LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) president Ram Vilas Paswan ? on the question of who will control the state?s affairs ? and allowing its own indirect rule,? a senior BJP leader said in Patna.

?Now, the Union government doesn?t want any major shuffle in the state without having its say. Doesn?t it show that it is making a mockery of President?s rule in Bihar?? he said.

Governor Singh had okayed the transfer of 18 police officials of the rank of inspector-general and the posting of about 25 IAS officers.

Not to be deterred, Singh has pledged to carry on with the administrative ?reforms? in his own way.

The stress, sources said, was on bureaucratic performance. Continuing his experiments with a people-friendly administration, Singh has come up with the idea of holding ?janta durbars?.

Sources said the governor has decided to set up a public grievance cell in Raj Bhavan or his office at the main secretariat, where the people can approach him with their problems. ?Those who cannot visit the governor can talk to him over phone. A special number will be provided for this,? an official said.

While it is not yet clear when the mechanism will be in place, an official of the rank of joint secretary has been appointed for its speedy implementation.

Lauding the efforts of Singh, a junior official said, ?He consults senior officials of different departments and clears files on time, which has never happened with Laloo Prasad Yadav or Rabri Devi in the past 15 years.?

Subramanyam too seems to be a man on a mission. ?Alter your working style, let your efficiency be seen, let it bring results,? he told the heads of state departments.

?What we want is commitment on the part of those responsible for development,? Subramanyam said.