Patna, March 24 The Bihar government on Tuesday declared the "collective leave" of the state's revenue and circle officers illegal and warned them of stringent action, including termination of service, if they fail to resume duties by the evening of March 25.
Officers and other staff of nearly 537 revenue circles resumed their indefinite strike on March 9, alleging that the state government had failed to honour its assurances to them during talks with Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha, which had led to the suspension of their previous agitation.
The officers first launched an indefinite strike on February 2 after the state cabinet's January 29 decision to create the new post of sub-divisional revenue officer (SDRO) on par with deputy collector land reforms.
Speaking to reporters here, Sinha, who also holds the Revenue and Land Reforms portfolio, said, "Officers who do not return to work by the stipulated deadline – 5 pm on March 25 – will face stringent action, including termination of service and salary cuts."
The government said a departmental order in the matter has already been issued by Additional Secretary of the Revenue and Land Reforms, Ajeev Vatsraj.
The deputy chief minister said the collective leave announced by agitating officials since March 9 is against the rules and is hampering public services.
"The state government will not compromise on public interest or administrative functioning under any circumstances," he said.
In view of key programmes such as the chief minister's 'Samriddhi Yatra' and Jan Kalyan Samvad, the responsibility of revenue officials becomes even more critical, Sinha said, adding that "absence from duty at such a time amounts to serious negligence".
He added that cases of officers who return within the stipulated time may be considered sympathetically. Notably, the deputy chief minister initiated departmental action against several agitating circle and revenue officers on March 18.
