Federal rule 'improves' Bihar life

By Amarnath Tewary
BBC News, Patna

Cracking down on crime is the administration's first priority (Pics: Prashant Ravi)

Not a single case of kidnapping has been reported in over a month in Patna, the bustling capital of India's northern state of Bihar, the police say.

And only around seven cases of kidnappings have been reported from other parts of the state during the period.

That's a marked improvement of law and order in a state where, according to police records, a person has been kidnapped every six hours since 1992.

That works out to some 30,000 people kidnapped for ransom in the past 13 years.

"We have been able to ward off the prevailing fear psychosis among the people of the state. The common man is feeling safe and secure today," Bihar's chief secretary KAH Subramaniun told BBC News.

There has been a perceptible change in the work culture. Now disposal of files has become fast and the employees come to work on time Subhas Sharma, finance secretary

Bureaucrats are attributing the marked improvement in Bihar's notorious crime situation to the fact that the state does not have a government of its own.

On 7 March, direct federal rule was imposed on Bihar, one of India's poorest and most lawless states, as no party or alliance could form a stable government after elections.

Under direct - or presidential - rule, India's central government rather than local politicians runs a state on behalf of the president.

The regional Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a key ally of the ruling Congress party-led federal government which had ruled the state without a break for 15 years, lost its majority in the February elections.

Tackling crime

Today Bihar's per capita income is a third of the Indian average, nearly half of its 86 million people live in abject poverty, and only 47.53% of them can read or write.

In recent years crime has soared - a local police report says that the 1000-odd gangs in the state are raising some $17m every year from extortion and kidnapping.

But over a month of federal rule seems to have improved some matters.

More than 15,000 criminals have been arrested and put behind the bars, kidnappings were down, and work perked up in government offices.

Work culture has improved in government offices

At the helm of affairs is now the Bihar governor, Buta Singh, a former Union interior minister.

Mr Singh, according to officials, has decided that cracking down hard on runaway crime was the first priority.

A report on a month of direct rule in the state says the administration is taking steps to revive sick industries, filling up important government services job vacancies and attending to grievances of government employees and teachers.

Non-performing or controversial civil servants and police officers have been moved out and replaced.

"All these measures taken have played a vital role in creating a work culture and also changing face of the state within such a short span of time," said KAH Subramaniun.

Work culture

In the shabby government offices overflowing with tatty files, there is a semblance of a return to work ethic.

"There has been a perceptible change in the work culture in the state secretariat. Now disposal of files has become fast and the employees come to work on time," said Subhas Sharma, secretary finance department.

An employee in one department in Gopalganj district says office workers have stopped demanding bribes in return for their services.

Governor Buta Singh (l) and bureaucrat KAH Subramaniun are heading the affairs

"For the first time in 15 years the clattering of typewriters can be heard and files can be seen moving in government offices," said Sanjay Kumar.

Even the British High Commissioner to India, Michael Arthur, was upbeat about Bihar's prospects during a recent visit to the state.

"I feel the 40-days of (direct) rule has helped improve the law and order situation in the state and if things remain unchanged I am pretty confident industrialist from far off places including UK will like to invest in this forbidden zone," he said.

Independent analysts agree that there are have been some changes for the better.

'Cosmetic'

Leading social scientist Shaibal Gupta said there had been some improvement in matters of public finances, though he believes most the changes are really "cosmetic".

"A lot remains to be done," he said.

Veteran socialist leader Luxmi Sahu also believes that there cannot be "substantial development without a popular government in the state".

So how long will direct rule last in Bihar?

Bihar has a history of bloody political violence

Shaibal Gupta says it will not last beyond a year.

Any party or alliance in the fray which can cobble together 122 members will lead the 243-member state legislature and rule the state.

The RJD lost the elections winning only 75 of the 215 seats it contested.

The Congress party which backed the RJD in a pre-election coalition won only 10 of 84 seats it contested.

The rival coalition - an alliance of the Hindu nationalist BJP and the regional Janata Dal (United) - also fell short of a majority, winning 92 of the 241 seats the parties contested.

Both the alliances had been trying to secure the support of the regional Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) which won 29 seats and is seen as a deciding force in forming the next state government.