With a proven track record of securing peace in volatile regions and an academic understanding of institutional stability, DIG Santosh Kumar Singh, a 2011-batch Chhattisgarh cadre IPS officer, is poised to bring a new era of proactive security to the CISF South Zone. His new jurisdiction involves overseeing CISF-protected units across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Northern Karnataka. From vital mines and industrial factories to massive PSUs, his command ensures the heartbeat of India’s industrial economy remains secure as he steps into a high-stakes role demanding both tactical brilliance and administrative precision.
Bridge that helped break a Maoist bastion
For decades, the Indravati River served as more than just a geographical boundary in South Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and was a tactical shield for the Maoist insurgency in Bijapur. With the near completion of the long-awaited 648-metre Fundari bridge, that shield has been shattered. The bridge emerges as a “watershed moment” in the conflict, not just slashing the 210 km distance by more than half from the district headquarters to remote Abujhmad. Since the work order was issued on October 6, 2018, the project became a literal battlefield. The bridge will now allow safe movement for commuters before monsoon.
‘Nursing officers’: State elevates titles for nurses
In a move to elevate the professional status of nursing staff, state health minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal announced a change in official designations. Under the new directive, “staff nurses” will now be known as “nursing officers”, while “nursing sisters” have been redesignated as “senior nursing officers”. Nurses remain the backbone of the healthcare system, providing selfless service and vital care to patients. Highlighting their “mother-like” role in recovery, the state honours the nursing community for their unwavering dedication, particularly noting their heroic efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ejaz Kaiser
Our correspondent in Chhattisgarh
ejaz@newindianexpress.com