Nitish works amid meet preparations

While chief minister Nitish Kumar met people at his janata darbar on Monday, preparations were under way to hold the sarva dharma prarthana sabha (all-religion prayer meet) on January 14 in memory of Nitish’s mother Parmeshwari Devi. he chief minister had not stalled his janata darbar on the first Monday of January after his mother’s death, expressing his commitment towards raajdharma (religion to the state). While preparing for the function, Nitish has been expanding his residence 1 Aney Marg. The house adjacent is being connected with it. The officials at the chief minister’s office would sit in the extended block. Leaders, journalists and others will enter the janata darbar through the gate in the new door.

Reality check

RJD boss Lalu Prasad, in search of reasons for the worst-ever Assembly debacle of his party, has decided to organise a fortnight anniversary of Karpoori Thakur, the socialist icon and his mentor. The anniversary would be organised in all the block and district headquarters of the state. The state RJD chief, Ram Chandra Purbey, said Lalu wishes the party workers meet people at the grassroots through the programme to find out the reasons behind the party’s loss. The programme will culminate in the workers’ meet in Patna on January 24. Sources in the RJD said Lalu had been looking for an opportunity to go the masses to personally assess why his party lost the polls so badly. The anniversary of Karpoori Thakur has given him that opportunity. According to the grapevine, Lalu would also participate in the programmes in several blocks and districts. Top party leaders have been asked to take part in the programmes.

Questions flood CMO

Do teachers come to school on time? Does the bell ring on time? Does the prayer take place on time? Does the school have teachers to fulfil its requirement? These were few of the questions chief minister Nitish Kumar’s office received from Rampriya Pandey, a teacher of remote Basopatti village in north Bihar’s Madhubani district. Rampriya submitted the application under the Right to Information Act, which has been strongly implemented by Nitish in the state. In fact, the chief minister’s office has received such questions, which appear silly and can be replied by district or block officials. The officials at the chief minister’s office (CMO) have interpreted such questions as the manifestation of the people’s faith in Nitish — the petitioners believe their queries would be answered when they are received at the CMO.

Work or get stick

The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been infamous for its poor and disorganised work culture. PMC commissioner Manish Kumar has now decided to act tough to enforce discipline and work ethos in the civic body. He has directed the officials to prepare a routine of a month in advance, detailing how they would work. The officers and employees are supposed to submit their individual routine at the beginning of the month. According to Kumar’s directions, the salary of the officials failing to prepare a routine or do the work accordingly would be stopped. The directions have generated some sort of activities in the civic body. However, it is yet to be seen how it establishes discipline and work culture that has seldom existed in PMC in the past.