Nitish sets 145;screening146; test for officers

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar, apparently in a hurry to show good results, is cracking down on the state bureaucracy in a bid to force it to perform and meet set objectives.

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar, apparently in a hurry to show good results, is cracking down on the state bureaucracy in a bid to force it to perform and meet set objectives.

In this regard, the need to enforce accountability, particularly of district-level officers, is being deemed necessary. This follows an internal assessment of district magistrates. The assessment results were disturbing for the government. Not a single DM met performance expectations. On a 10-point scale, only four DMs managed to secure five to six points.

8216;8216;Performance has been below average,8217;8217; said Chief Secretary G S Kang. Based on the assessment, Kang has issued a stern warning to the officers.

8216;8216;Those who performed badly will be shifted out of the districts. Others have a chance to improve. If they don8217;t, they will not only be shifted out but their non-performance will also be noted down in their career records.8217;8217;

The government has even decided to extend the appraisal system to the top echelons including secretaries and commissioners. A proforma has been prepared and all the officers need to assess themselves on a weekly basis.

The assessment will be based on execution of development projects. Kang said that in the next reshuffle, slated for December, 8216;8216;non-performing officers8217;8217; will face the music.

The idea is also being adopted by the Bihar police. The Home Commissioner will assess the performance of SPs and Zonal IGs. Officers will be judged on the basis of crime in areas under their jurisdiction and other factors relating to law and order.

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There is also a move to weed out the 8216;8216;black sheep8217;8217;. Officials facing corruption charges and those found incapable could be soon removed.

Sources said the Chief Minister too was not happy with his officers8217; performance. 8216;8216;The bureaucracy rusted during the 15 years of Lalu-Rabri regime. Now it is unable to take the kind of work pressure being exerted on them,8217;8217; said a state Cabinet minister. It was to streamline the bureaucracy that an Administrative Reforms Commission was set up. It recently presented its first report strongly recommending the removal, 8216;8216;on a large scale8217;8217;, of incapable or corrupt officials to make the administration 8216;8216;transparent, effective and result-oriented8217;8217;.