Nitish Mishra looks at the application of Yogendra Singh (in white shirt) at the durbar on Monday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Yogendra Singh from Muzaffarpur came to the chief minister’s janata durbar on Monday with a plea for being considered for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act and left surprised.

Rural development minister Nitish Mishra floored Singh and many others with his initiative to explain matters. Others were left envious.

At the chief minister’s janata durbars, Nitish Kumar usually directs applicants towards the ministers of the departments concerned. Applicants who have made regular rounds of these durbars claim the ministers just sit idle, it’s their secretaries or principal secretaries who take up the pleas. An oft-repeated “Thik hai jaiyee, apka kaam ho jayega (Ok, you can go now. Your work will be done)” is all that the applicants receive as assurance for their problems being sorted out.

Monday was a little different. When an applicant from Bagaha in West Champaran district reached the table of Nitish Mishra, the 39-year-old minister and MLA from Jhanjharpur offered the man a seat and took his application. The applicant was not getting a house under Indira Awas Yojana.

Mishra, a history graduate from Zakir Hussain College (Delhi University) with a degree in global political economy from University of Hull in UK, explained to the applicant: “Caste census is going on for which people must have visited your house. Do not worry, when the new Below Poverty Line (BPL) list is ready, your name will reflect there.” The applicant was also briefed about the different parameters under which houses are given under the scheme and the time it usually takes for the service.

Another applicant from Bhagalpur district came to the durbar to find why he was not getting a house under the Indira Awas Yojana scheme even though his name was on the BPL list. Pat came the minister’s assurance. “No doubt, your name is on the list. But the people on the list before you will get the houses first. It will take some time, but according to the rules, you will get it too,” said Mishra, who did his early education from St Michael’s High School, Patna.

Unlike other department officials, rural development department principal secretary Amrit Lal Meena had to just sit quietly, as his boss was taking up the matters himself.

A visitor to the janata durbar from Samastipur district told The Telegraph that he wished the minister he has visiting for the past few times was as understanding as Mishra, who took time to listen to everybody’s problems. He requested not to be named lest his petition get stuck further.

The rural development minister, who also has an MBA degree from Maastricht School of Management, The Netherlands, told The Telegraph: “There is no other forum where I can meet them (the applicants). Where will they go? It’s my duty and responsibility to ensure that they are happy and satisfied. I feel good. It’s like counselling them.”

“I make sure that they have no doubt regarding any of the schemes or programmes under my department. Talking to a secretary and talking to a minister are two different things. It does not mean that my secretary does not look after the matter. If something is complicated and technical, I take his help and suggestion to execute the matter,” he added.

Yogendra Singh said: “I have never seen such a fine minister who speaks to the complainants as if they are his family members. He was listening to me peacefully and did not interrupt until I finished what I had to say.”

Mishra told The Telegraph: “Half of their grievances are over when the minister listens to them patiently without interrupting them.”