As the District Magistrate of Banda, Uttar Pradesh, IAS officer Heera Lal made a name for himself as an efficient officer by his contribution towards the eradication of malnutrition, the revival of water bodies, development of villages and small districts – steps that won him people’s trust and accolades.
He is soon going to launch his first book, Dynamic DM, wherein he shares his experiences on the job and narrates how he worked day and night for the betterment of people’s lives.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the officer shared details about his book.
DYNAMIC DM
Dynamic DM is not just the name of his book, but also a nickname given to him by the common people and his fellow officers. Looking at his proactiveness, the will to bring about change, and his high, infectious energy, people who knew Mr. Lal closely, started calling him ‘Dynamic DM’. And now, with the book, it seems like he is stuck with the name forever!
The book covers the myriad sweet and sour experiences of the officer, from a little boy in Basti to joining the Indian Administrative Service and becoming the District Magistrate of Banda.
“I thought it was appropriate to pen with the same name, to relive those moments, and communicate my actions to the readers. I had so much zeal to do something different and work in the public interest that during the entire tenure, I lived mostly in the area, with and among the people of the district. This is probably the story of Dynamic DM,” Mr. Lal said.
LIVING FOR THE PUBLIC
There is a general belief among the public that if there is any problem, then walk to the DM for a solution. To keep this belief alive, Mr. Lal worked day and night, resulting in the development of his district and the betterment of the lives of its people.
Accepting and overcoming all challenges that came his way, the officer brought laurels to the district, by introducing more than 20 innovations through the public participation system, in the first one and a half years of his tenure as the DM of Banda!
Some of his initiatives are – prison reforms and making Banda jail number one in the state, increasing crop productivity, eradicating malnutrition, increasing income and awareness among farmers, bringing women into leading roles, etc.
The officer completely revived the water bodies of the district bringing about a boom in agricultural business. With the help of public participation, Mr. Lal also generated employment for unemployed youths of the village. His good governance increased dialogue and soon expected results were obtained.
TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BOOK
Through his book, Mr. Lal will impart several important points, not only for the public’s understanding but also for his fellow officers. There are several important aspects that the officer has worked and pondered upon, which have proved to be successful during his years of developing Banda. He believes:
- Winning the public’s trust should be an officer’s topmost priority.
- They should adopt and promote local dress, cuisine, language and cultural activities.
- They should develop the ability to get things done with love instead of power.
- They should be willing to keep learning continously.
- Achieving their goals by working with public participation and available resources.
- Bridging the distance between the government and the society.
- Solving problems by taking quick decisions
- Trying to do each task in a new way
- The officer says, “We are not ruler-administrators, but servants, we should always work with such thinking.”
- Stay away from position, ego of power and intoxication.
The officer believes that if an officer keeps these things in mind while working for their district, then the particular district is bound to flourish and see development in the years to come.
FROM BOOKLET TO BOOK
The idea to write a book came from a booklet that he had prepared earlier. The booklet, which went by the name, Innovative Banda, contained details about all his initiatives. But then, he wanted to share his experiences with the world. Therefore, he decided to convert the booklet into a full-fledged book. He has written the book along with his co-author, Kumud Verma. Talking about future plan, Mr. Lal said that he has already made up his mind to write another book on his model village project and give it the name, Model Gaon. He also revealed that Mr. Muneesh and Mr. Saurabh Lal will be his co-authors for this book.
