Unto the last
Doing everything possible for the poor
I have always been fascinated with and believed in the concept of Ram Rajya as mentioned in Sri Ram Charit Manas and have worked, in my limited way, to deliver that. The motto being: ‘नहिं दरिद्र कोई दुखी न दीना’
- In my first posting in the IAS as Assistant Collector & SDM, my focus was on checking hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities-as it affects the life of the poor. I used to patrol at nights to check the movement of trucks etc. for checking movement of black-marketed materials.
- In my next Posting as District development Officer (DDO), Vadodara, I initiated several developmental works specially for the poor for which I received the Best DDO Award from the State Government.
Two of them are worth mentioning:
- Total literacy programme for the working group illiterates. The programme was implemented in campaign mode. We worked day and night for providing basic literacy including reading, writing and arithmetic. Maximum beneficiaries of this were rural poor including tribal youth.
- Worked aggressively for providing road connectivity in remote/hilly villages inhabited mostly by tribals.
- As District Magistrate in Mehsana District worked specially for providing long-term solution for drinking water in this water scarce district.
- As District Magistrate in Kheda District dealing with floods and providing relief and rehabilitation to the poor living in riverbeds etc. was made a priority.
- As first District Magistrate of Anand District, I made the new systems of Governance such that common man could feel the difference in dealing with a huge district and a bifurcated District. By the way, this is the place where Amul Dairy is located.
- During the posting at Sardar Sarovar Narmada Grievance redressal Authority, the primary job was to solve the grievances of the Project Affected Persons who were mainly Tribal. We devised innovative methods including on the spot disposal systems which was called TFNS (Tatkal Fariyad Nivaran Samitee). This helped in solving thousands of grievances and finally paved the way for clearance of the project by Hon. Supreme Court.
- After dealing with Resettlement of Narmada Project affected persons and of the Earthquake affected persons, I was appointed as Secretary to CM, Gujarat Shree Narendra Modi, in October 2001.
- In CM office too, earthquake rehabilitation remained a priority. As soon as Shree Modi became CM, he directed to send teams of officers to earthquake affected areas. He empowered them to take on the spot decisions. This made tremendous quick impact in rehabilitation.
- In addition, as directed by Shree Narendra Modi, I planned and organized Garib Kalyan Melas (Fairs). During the melas, all schematic benefits were given at one stroke to thousands of the beneficiaries on one day on one platform. All surveys and preparations were done beforehand a short while in a campaign mode. This continued for many years. A number of such melas were organized in Gujarat so as to cover maximum part of the State.
- In CM office of Gujarat, I was looking after Education. In this role, as desired by Hon. CM Shree Narendra Modi, I conceived, supervised, coordinated, and participated in the campaign of Kanya Kelavani (Girl Child Education) & school enrollment drive for a number of years. In this process, went village to village to convince poor parents to register and educate their children.
- Like other senior officers, I was allocated one of the most backward Talukas / Tehsils of Gujarat to bring it up in terms of development. I enjoyed working in this regard in one of the Tribal talukas: Fatehpura of Dahod District.
- In my posting at the PM office, I specially remember our work on Jan Dhan Yojna and cleanliness drive: both of which have had huge impact on the lives of the poor.
- Designed dedicated and effective systems for Grievance Redressal of the common man wherever I worked: SWAGAT, PRAGATI, CHAMPIONS, Udyam Registration etc. (Details are in Technology Section)
In Civil Service, I have realized that having patience with the common man, applicants and stakeholders and listening to them (not just hearing), is a great virtue.
No wonder, Maa Janaki blessed Hanuman ji with ‘होहु तात बल सील निधाना’.
No wonder, it is also inscribed as the motto of the Lal Bahadur Shashtri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie as –