https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

An Officer’s Drive for Development

IAS Bilal Bhat’s zeal to help people leads him to write a book on environment & ecology for civil services aspirants and launch schemes to redress people’s grievances right at their doorsteps.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Having faced the problem of a lack of good books on environment and ecology while preparing for UPSC, Mr. Bilal Bhat, who is the District Magistrate of Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir, decided to write a book himself on the same subjects to help civil services aspirants. But his yeoman service to people is not just limited to that.

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the IAS officer talked about his book and, also, the various development works that he has undertaken in the beautiful Kulgam district.

IAS Bilal Bhat

BOOK ON ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

While preparing for the UPSC examination, the 2016 batch IAS officer realized that there was not enough study material on environment and ecology.

“Apart from NCERT and ICSE board books, very few options were available for aspirants. I wanted to provide them with a book that is more comprehensive, exam-oriented, and theoretical. So, once I got into service, I decided to write my own book packed with the experiences of my preparation, and taking the right approach towards the examination,” he told Indian Masterminds.

Highlighting how his book is different from others in the same category, the officer said that his focus is mainly on presenting ecology in an easily understandable way. “Mostly, people are confused with the ecology part, so I have tried to make it more comprehensive and, at the same time, easy to understand. Civil Services Examination is not about the quantity of knowledge; it’s all about having relevant knowledge at the relevant time.”

Environment and Ecology book by the officer

REDRESSAL CAMPS IN KULGAM

The officer wanted governance to reach the doorstep of people, even those living in far-flung areas. To accomplish this, he set up redressal camps in the remotest areas of his jurisdiction.

“We had to trek few kilometers to reach those places. We listened to the local people’s grievances and my team, which also comprised of employees from the rural development department, ensured that their problems were solved on the spot. The complex problems were sent to higher authorities for redressal,” stated Mr. Bhat.

This practice helped build trust among the local people towards the authorities, as their problems were now getting addressed right at their doorstep.

“Most of their grievances are basic, such as water, link roads problems, electricity issues, and development works. Sometimes, there are other issues also, such as revenue problems, which are forwarded to the legal department.”

Mr. Bhat attending redressal camps in far-flung areas

MADADGAAR SCHEME

The District Administration launched IVR (Interactive Voice Response System) in Kulgam by the name of ‘Madadgaar’, where anybody can call and report their grievances.

“The call is recorded. We provide assistance to people on myriad issues such as water, electricity, road construction, medical emergencies, domestic violence, dowry harassment, career, education, sports, etc. – basically, anything and everything! It has proved to be especially useful during Covid times as we are able to reach out to a larger population and help them,” Mr. Bhat informed Indian Masterminds.

RESTORATION OF WATER BODIES

Kulgam is home to 378 water bodies, and restoration work has been taken up on all of them. So far, 40 have already been restored.

“Within the next three years, we are planning to rejuvenate all of them,” the officer said.

A restored water body in Kulgam

PLAYFIELDS IN EACH PANCHAYAT

District Kulgam houses around 178 panchayats. IAS officer Bilal Bhat decided to make a sports ground or a play area in each of these districts for youngsters to enjoy themselves.

76 grounds have already been made functional and geotagged through rural development department and youth services and sports. Land has been made available in each Panchayats with allocation of funds through convergence of schemes. We are going to ensure this year to complete this project. Youth engagement in sports is very important as far as our district is concerned.

A Panchayat Playfield

EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY CLASSES

To counter the issues which people were facing during the onset of the pandemic, the district administration of Kulgam started high altitude community classes. The teachers of the district started community classes particularly in areas that had no access to cellular network and where students did not have smartphones.

About 40 percent students have been covered through community classes in Kulgam so far and this initiative is proving to be very helpful for students as they are able to come into direct contact with their teachers in these classes.

Mr. Bhat said, “To address this issue and to reach out to all the students the district administration and department of education again came up with the idea of starting community classes and the decision is being appreciated by all sections of the society. The basic idea behind this initiative was to minimize the academic losses.”

Community classes at high altitude

Mr. Bhat’s continuous efforts to upgrade his district and uplift the local people are bearing fruits as development can be seen all around. More importantly, there has been a perceptible change in the mindset of the local populace towards the administration. Where there were once doubts, there is now trust.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Tarun Kapoor
Prime Minister Advisor Tarun Kapoor Stresses Need for Gas Infrastructure, Tax Reform to Build Gas-Based Economy
SAIL defence
Steel Backbone of National Security: SAIL Hosts Defence Conclave 2025 at Durgapur to Bolster Indigenous Defence Manufacturing
GRSE CSR Initiative
GRSE Strengthens CSR Outreach with MoUs for Clean Hooghly River Project & Vocational Bakery Unit for Special-Needs Children
WhatsApp Image 2022-08-20 at 10.15
No One Is Born a Leader: A General’s Timeless Leadership Blueprint
Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL)
Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL) Signs Rs 18 Cr MoUs for Eco Projects in Odisha on World Environment Day, Launches ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’
Numaligarh Refinery Limited
Numaligarh Refinery (NRL) Plans 200 KTPA Sustainable Aviation Fuel Plant in Odisha, Eyes Net Zero by 2040
IREDA logo 1
IREDA Launches Rs 5,000 Crore QIP to Boost Renewable Energy Lending; Floor Price Set at Rs 173.83 Per Share
GRSE MoUs NorShipping 2025
GRSE Signs MoUs & MoI With German and Dubai Firms to Boost Indigenous, Offshore Shipbuilding; Expands Global Footprint at Nor-Shipping 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
Monika Singh’s Life Beyond the Bureaucracy | Video Interview 
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Divyanshu Pal Nagar IFS
5 Years, 5 Mains, 4 Interviews: How Divyanshu Pal Nagar Stumbled in CSE, Triumphed in IFS - A Lesson for Every Aspirant
Divyanshu Pal Nagar’s inspiring five-year UPSC journey shows how perseverance, disciplined self-study,...
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
Social Media
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
shubham kumar ias marriage
IAS Topper Weds BPSC Topper: Shubham Kumar Marries IRS Officer Priyangi Mehta in Patna; Wedding Video Goes Viral
Topper Couple Alert: Shubham Kumar, Priyangi Mehta’s Wedding Grabs Spotlight in Bihar
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Tarun Kapoor
Prime Minister Advisor Tarun Kapoor Stresses Need for Gas Infrastructure, Tax Reform to Build Gas-Based Economy
SAIL defence
Steel Backbone of National Security: SAIL Hosts Defence Conclave 2025 at Durgapur to Bolster Indigenous Defence Manufacturing
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT