Nitish Kumar turns BIHAR into a model state

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: From a state that had been a synonym for maladministration, Bihar has now emerged as a role model for other states in the country through its “Aapki Sarkar – Aapke Dwaar” programme.
The Government of India has asked nine states that are affected by Left-wing extremism (naxalite menace) to “adopt” Bihar’s novel initiative of providing essential services to people in gram panchayats through a convergence model within a composite campus.
“Every Panchayat should, as is being done under “Aapki Sarkar Aapke
Dwaar” programme of Bihar, provide important essential services such as Public Distribution System, health, banking, NREGS office, post office, police station, residential quarters, etc. “in one secure compound” by convergence of the existing programmes through integrated participatory plans. This is needed urgently in at least the 33 most extremist-affected districts,” the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry said in a recent circular to Chief Secretaries of nine extremist-affected states.
Funds for setting up the composite campuses with buildings would be provided under the BRGF and the respective Central and state schemes, on the pattern of “Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwaar” of Bihar, the Ministry added.
The Centre has identified 76 districts in nine states as extremist-affected, including 33 most affected districts, with the outlawed Maoists forming a “Naxal Corridor.”
The nine states are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The Union Ministry pointed out that “weak governance structures and weakness of the local administration” are both “the cause and the effect” of Left-wing extremism. It wanted the affected states to improve quality of governance and service delivery by delegating sufficient administrative and financial powers to the panchayat raj institutions.
Solution to the Left-wing extremism lied in ensuring “people-centric good governance, adopting participatory and holistic approach to development, planning and implementation (which also addresses issues of agricultural productivity, livelihood opportunities & skills), innovative use of Backward Regions Growth Fund grants to address the specific local problems, updating and computerizing land records including forest land & Common Property Resources and adopting an integrated strategy for tackling development and security challenges,” the Ministry noted.
While 67 out of 76 extremist-affected districts were initially included under BRGF, the remaining districts were being included now for financial assistance. Of the total, 43 extremist-affected districts would get Rs 20 crore each under BRGF and 33 most-affected districts would get Rs 40 crore each after the GoI doubled the grants.
The Ministry also suggested formulation of guidelines for reviving and strengthening the Chowkidari system as the effective bridge between the Community and the Police. “The role of community policing needs to be strengthened through the mechanism of gram sabha, while the Ministry of Home Affairs is operating a scheme for filling the deficiencies in police infrastructure,” the PR Ministry said.