Coffee With Bureaucrat

To make govt offices more accessible and swiftly resolve issues, a Jharkhand officer floats a new initiative, says Mukesh Ranjan

- ‘I’ JHARKHAND

VERY Wednesday, a modest crowd of locals gather at the Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) office in Garhwa; the occasion, ‘Coffee with SDM’. The unique initiative launched by the bureaucrat is bringing big relief to people of Garhwa, as he invites individuals from different walks of life and talks to them over a cup of coffee every week and tries to resolve their problems then and there.

SDM Sanjay Kumar invites residents from his division, listening intently as they pour their hearts out; complaints, problems and suggestions. The officer takes it upon himself to provide ready solutions to their grievances in consultation with the administration. Whoever the aggrieved, however small their misgivings, SDM Kumar is all ears. Senior citizens, farmers, businessmen, children, auto rickshaw drivers and newspaper vendors –the SDM’s office never shuts its doors.