PATNA, 10 March 2005 — Two days after president’s rule came into force in Bihar, Governor Buta Singh officially assumed charge of the state administration yesterday.
The governor had recommended direct central rule in the state on Sunday and had dissolved the state assembly, after elections in February gave a fractured verdict with no party in a position to form the government.
Soon after taking over the charge, the governor held a meeting with the state officials, including the Chief Secretary K.A.H Subramanian, Home Commissioner Girish Shankar and Director General of Police Narayan Mishra and outlined his priorities.
In his first public announcement, Singh said he would soon affect a major reshuffle to tone up the police and civil administration. Law and order and development, besides measures to check terrorism on the Bihar-Nepal border would be accorded top priority while health, education and protection of human rights and programs for women would be other thrust areas, he said.
Meanwhile, as per the new order of the state chief secretary, heavyweight politicians and former state ministers will have to vacate their palatial bungalows — their homes for years — immediately, though outgoing Chief Minister Rabri Devi can stay in 1, Anne Marg, as long as she wishes.
A circular in this regard would be issued soon, withdrawing various facilities to the ministers who were no longer in office.
However, since 1, Anne Marg has not been notified so far as the official residence of the chief minister, Rabri may retain the bungalow if she so wishes, Subramanian told reporters.
Had it been the official chief minister’s house, the outgoing incumbent is entitled to retain the house for six months.
Former ministers will also be deprived of free electricity and beacon light-fitted vehicles besides, of course, computers, fax machines, telephones, air-conditioners and government assistants. Mukund Prasad, the high-profile principal secretary to the chief minister, has gone on one month’s leave. Rabri has already returned the official files. So has her personal secretary Prasad.
Three chambers in the main secretariat are being spruced up for allotment to the advisers to the governor who is supposed to run the administration on the advice of these advisers during the president rule. These chambers were occupied by Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Jagadanand Singh and Ashok Kumar, all heavyweight ministers in the outgoing Rabri government.
