ISHAN KARAN
Ranchi, June 21: The bureaucracy in Jharkhand is right now in a fix. The happenings during the last two months have made them jittery. They have tasted the blood but right now they are in a dilemma whether to carry on with the tasting as the urge is tremendous.
However, for some, old habits die hard. Those who are posted at outstations are least bothered about the happenings in the capital. They still consider themselves to be kings and no one can touch the king. So they believe.
One gentleman posted at a far off district is one such bureaucrat. He is shredded in controversy but does not care. Recently, he has hiked his rate to Rs 30 lakh for issuing land possession certificates, transport, supply and other lucrative issues. The general feeling among the people of that district is that since he has now limited overs, he has switched to T-20 mode.
There are bureaucrats who will make interesting studies. They had started their full-fledged batting right since probation days. Their batting became more power-packed after they became heads of districts. There is one very interesting incident associated with them. A few years back, they were district heads—one in a coal bearing district and another in a tribal district on the borders of Odisha. They used to discuss the amount of percentage they should charge from engineers and contractors for allowing their bills to be passed in the Treasury. Somehow their conversation leaked out and both of them were removed unceremoniously. One of them again managed to get a district under the present dispensation. The other is still trying though the happening of the last one month may be upsetting for him.
The most dare devil is perhaps one bureaucrat who is heading one of the most districts of Jharkhand. He has fixed his cut on a monthly basis from the blocks and circles as well as various lucrative sections of the district. This is of course besides the cases which he is dealing directly which runs into lakhs/crores. His immediate bosses are not happy with his attitude but he does not care. He has established himself as a great manager and setter for the power brokers of the government.
