Dehradun: The people of Uttarakhand have been suffering because of its bureaucracy. There have been a number of allegations against them from various quarters, but they have been having their way and calling the shots.
However, now with four ministers in the Vijay Bahuguna government voicing their discontent and anger at the functioning of the state bureaucracy at the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the people look forward to the chief minister taking action against the black sheep, even as the people hope things will change for the better.
Though the people of this small mountain state have been suffering because of its bureaucracy, in more ways than one, the ministers too had started feeling the pangs from day one, but no one was willing to rake up the issue in front of the chief minister, so that he could take necessary steps to control the babudom, which is alleged to be the root of the state’s problems.
But apparently, one gathered courage from the other and four ministers of the Vijay Bahuguna government, came out strongly against senior members of the state bureaucracy, which left even the chief minister dumb found and at loss of words to convey his feelings over the anger and resentment of his cabinet colleagues.
Even as it has been a timeless complaint of the people of this small mountain state that the programmes and policies of the state government are not being implemented at the grass root level, which is the reason that the benefits are not percolating down to the grass root level, the samje was conveyed by the minister.
A minister accused a senior bureaucratic official of not heeding the necessary directions given for undertaking development works under various programmes and that the officer’s action in the matter left much to be desired.
He had hardly finished his allegations, when the same concern was voiced by three other ministers in the cabinet meeting and demanded that the chief minister take necessary action against the bureaucracy for this care-a-less attitude of theirs.
In fact, so angry was one of the ministers, who is not of the Congress, but is supporting the Congress and has been included in the cabinet, that he went to the extent of saying that if necessary action was not taken against the bureaucracy to mend its ways, he would withdraw support to the government.
A journalist with over 40 years of experience, Jagdish Bhatt was Editor, Hill Post (Uttarakhand).
Jagdish had worked with India’s leading English dailies, which include Times of India, Indian Express, Pioneer and several other reputed publications. A highly acclaimed journalist, he was a recipient of many awards
Jagdish Bhatt, aged 72, breathed his last on 28th August 2021 at his Dehradun residence.
