Crisis Management Group Bihar Holds First High-Level Meet, Focus on Essential Supplies & Migrant Safety

The first meeting of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.

Special emphasis on the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities, strict action against hoarding, and the safety of migrant workers.

To ensure the uninterrupted supply of essential goods and services in the state and to protect the interests of migrant workers, the first high-level meeting of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) was held today under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Bihar, Shri Pratyay Amrit.

The review meeting, which lasted approximately one and a half hours, was attended by the Development Commissioner, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Director General of Police, and Principal Secretary/Secretary-level officers from the departments of Agriculture, Health, Urban Development and Housing, Food and Consumer Protection, Cooperation, Labor Resources and Migrant Worker Welfare, Energy, Transport, and Disaster Management. The Secretaries-in-Charge of all districts, District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police (SPs), and Divisional Commissioners joined via video conferencing. Representatives from major oil companies also participated in the meeting. The Food and Consumer Protection Department has been designated the nodal department for this group (CMG).

The Chief Secretary directed that the Crisis Management Group (CMP) meeting will now be held regularly every Monday.

The following are the key directives given at the meeting:

1. Progress on PNG Connections and Infrastructure: The Secretary, Food and Consumer Protection Department, in a presentation, stated that 60 percent of commercial demand is currently being met. A target of 368,783 households has been set for PNG connections across Bihar, of which 230,939 households are ready for connection and 31,458 are ready for charging. The Chief Secretary expressed strong displeasure over the fact that progress on PNG work is zero in 14 districts of the state. He directed the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of these districts to coordinate with the Food and Consumer Protection Department and prepare an immediate action plan. Bihar has been divided into 14 geographical areas for the installation of PNG connections. The Chief Secretary directed the concerned agencies to assess the adequate number of human resources, machinery, and contractors and ensure their immediate availability.

2.⁠ ⁠Uninterrupted Supply of LPG and Fuel: A thorough review of the backlog in the supply of LPG cylinders was conducted. Following the significant backlog in West Champaran, Bhojpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, Nalanda, Rohtas, Muzaffarpur, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, East Champaran, Jehanabad, and Jamui districts, the Chief Secretary issued strict instructions to the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to reduce it immediately. All Superintendents have been directed to conduct surprise inspections of petrol pumps from time to time to ensure smooth availability of diesel and petrol. He directed the representatives of the concerned oil companies to continuously coordinate with the District Magistrates. He stated that the supply of LPG to 'Didi Ki Rasoi' and all government hostels should not be disrupted under any circumstances.

3.⁠ ⁠Zero tolerance for hoarding and black marketing: The Chief Secretary clarified that during this time, the possibility of hoarding and black marketing increases, and preventing it is the state government's top priority. If any individual or establishment is found involved, an FIR should be filed immediately and strict legal action should be taken. Border districts need to be especially vigilant, as the risk of black marketing is higher there. Any law and order problem that arises should be resolved promptly.

4.⁠ ⁠Instruction to issue a helpline for migrant workers: The Department of Labor Resources has been directed to immediately issue a toll-free number. This number will facilitate easy access to information about government assistance to Bihari workers returning from the Middle East or other states. District Magistrates have also been directed to prepare an accurate database of migrant workers arriving in their districts.

5.⁠ ⁠Control Room Inspection and Public Communication: The Chief Secretary placed special emphasis on all District Magistrates holding press conferences every day at 3:00 pm to disseminate accurate and authentic information to the public and prevent an atmosphere of fear. Misleading and fake news circulating on social media should be refuted promptly. District Magistrates should personally conduct surprise inspections of the Control Room and ensure that public complaints are resolved promptly and the number of pending complaints steadily declines.

6.⁠ ⁠Field Visit by In-Charge Secretaries and Commissioners: The Chief Secretary has directed all District Secretaries-in-Charge and Divisional Commissioners to conduct field inspections of their assigned districts within the next two days. During this visit, he will mainly closely monitor the availability of LPG gas cylinder stock, reduction in backlog, daily press conferences, functioning of the control room and the status of arrival of migrant laborers.