Amid a sharp spike in crime and worsening law and order situation across Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is set to launch a whirlwind “feedback tour” of the state, starting June 16, state government sources said.
Yogi would be visiting all important districts where he would hold ‘chaupal’ meetings with villagers and make spot inspections of police stations, hospitals, tehsils and primary schools. He would also review development work being done in remote towns of the state. The Chief Minister could even have night stays in the villages for open interaction with villagers.
As Yogi prepares for his tour, the state bureaucracy, particularly the officials of the district administration, appear restless. The reason is Yogi’s recent announcement that “he would not spare any officer found slack in his work”.
Top sources in the Uttar Pradesh government said that Yogi could make a surprise visit to a tehsil or a police station without even informing the senior officials of a district administration.
“The element of surprise in Chief Minister’s visit to thana and tehsils is giving sleepless nights to officers who are involved in the field work. They fear any slackness on their part could result in action not less than a suspension,” said a Sub-Divisional Magistrate posted in Aligarh.
Meanwhile Chief Secretary Anoop Chandra Pandey has reportedly instructed that officers nominated as the nodal officer for each district should take stock of the situation at ground zero. The nodal officers have been told to ensure that no complaints are pending related to procurement of wheat or payments related to sugarcane. They have also been asked to ensure that medicines are available in district government hospitals as well as primary health centres.
Even as the mercury soars in Uttar Pradesh, the state civil and police officers are busy making spot inspections and addressing problem at block and tehsil level. From SSPs to DMs and BDOs to SDMs, the focus of the local administrations is to expedite pending works related to road, water and sanitation projects.
The Chief Minister is also expected to review schemes introduced in rural areas by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Tehsildars, patwaris, pradhans and beat constables are busy verifying the details of Central government schemes such as ‘Ujjawala’, ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ or ‘Ijjat Ghar’ in their respective areas,” said a Chief Devoplment Officer(CDO) posted in western Uttar Pradesh.
“Anganwadi centres and primary schools, which in several areas are in a pathetic condition, are also being spruced up,” said the officer.
The Commissioners and Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) will be accompanying the Chief Minister in the mandal (commissionerate) reviews. Sources said that Prime Minister Modi has suggested Yogi to clean up the administrative machinery at the district level so that the schemes of social sectors are effectively implemented.
As of now, tehsils in Uttar Pradesh, mainly in remote areas, are perceived to be the den of corruption where things are done only after greasing the palms of the staff. However, Yogi in a bid to negate this perception, launched a state-wide crackdown on corruption and suspended scores of tainted government employees and also got cases registered against them.
On Monday, Yogi had a brainstorming session with Director General of Police, Home Secretary and other key officials relating to a spurt in heinous crimes targeting children. He also reviewed the progress of the sensational murder of a girl child in Aligarh.
Sources said after the meeting, Yogi has summoned all the DMs and SPs of the state to Lucknow wherein he would review the law and order situation before beginning his feedback tour.
