RAIPUR: Netram Sahu from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh wants to become chief minister for a day to eliminate corruption. Ashish Khare from Sarguja seeks the CM’s help to marry a girl of his choice. An applicant from Balod pleads for the Collector to be transferred.
Tribal Bhuri bai wants shoes for children in Katghora village.
Such well-intended bizarre requests cropped up during the state government’s Lok Suraj Abhiyan (mass contact good governance campaign) that began on February 27. The campaign is to review the government’s performance via people’s feedback, redress grievances and meet their “genuine” demands. The bureaucracy is unfazed. “The youth in love will be advised to marry in court and the one who wants to be CM should contest elections,” said an official.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh probably hasn’t heard Sahu’s request to replace him. Singh flew into Kediama village in Gariyaband district, some 90 km away from Raipur to seek feedback about his government.
“How many people got LPG gas cylinder and burner-stoves under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana,” Singh asked. Pat came a reply from 45-year-old tribal woman Nandini Vishwakarma, who got an LPG connection but neither she nor her farm labourer husband know how to use it. Singh promptly went with them to their hut and showed the couple how to use the gas connection. Using it for the first time, Vishwakarma made black tea for the CM.