https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The Collector who Imposed a Penalty on Himself

He may be coming to office and going to the field work on a bicycle, but when it comes to making decisions at a lightning speed, IAS officer Mr Neeraj Kumar Singh has few peers. Why, he imposed a penalty on himself the moment he discovered lapses in his department!
Indian Masterminds Stories

In our country, a political leader or an officer not being punished for inefficiency or corruption is quite common. One can say it’s almost a norm. Some of them use their influence to get away from charges and allegations against them. So, to believe that a collector fined himself for inefficiency in work may not seem possible to many. Hard to believe it may be, but it is true! 

The incident occurred in Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh. There the District Collector Mr. Neeraj Kumar Singh imposed a penalty on himself- over some complaints awaiting redressal in his office. 

Mr Singh addressing a meeting

It so happened that the DC was reviewing the progress of grievance redressal in various departments. During the process he found out that 1,140 pending complaints under CM Helpline, Prime Minister Awaas Yojana and other welfare schemes were pending for redressal. This wasn’t acceptable to him. 

Mr Singh did not lose any time. He took action against himself, thereby exhibiting an example of accountability to his fellow officers as also to his sub-ordinates. At the same time, Mr Singh also roped in other officials, imposing monetary fine on them, for he deemed the lapse to be a collective responsibility. 

 After his action now, rarely do any complaints wait for the settlement in the area. It’s not surprising, therefore, that due to his efforts, most of the departments are working with much more accountability! 

‘I SHOULD BE PUNISHED’

In an interview with the media Mr Singh said, “It is the collector’s job to review if every department is working properly in the district. Reviewing the progress of complaints redressal falls in his lap. If the complaints are pending beyond the time limit, then at some point the DC is responsible for it as well. So, if a mistake is made, the punishment is very much fair, no matter who is guilty is. This is the reason why I took the action”. 

Mr Singh asking well being of a patient

A 2012-batch has always been known for being very active in the field. In every district where he has been posted, he uses cycle to commute in the villages. Most of time, he officer can be seen on the development sites in the villages rather than the collector office. 

REJUVENATED 300 PONDS

While being posted in Damoh, MP,  the cycle-lover collector launched an initiative to rejuvenate more than 300 ponds in the districts. The interesting thing about the initiative was that he himself was involved in the process. Every morning, Mr Singh used to reach to the ponds and work with people for more than two hours. Talking about this he said, “ I don’t like to just sit in the office and plan things. The execution part makes me exciting. Moreover, this motivates others to work more enthusiastically in all the projects, and therefore these get completed in time”. 

During his graduation days Mr. Singh was associated with National Service Scheme conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. This connection became one  reason for his joining the services, as it entailed working for the people. 

Mr Singh cracked UPSC in the very first attempt. So next time you see someone riding a bicycle, don’t take him to be a slow mover!


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Manipur Public Service Commission
Former IFS SS Chhabra Appointed Chairman of Manipur Public Service Commission
images - 2021-07-23T090739
84 Judicial Officers Reshuffled Across Punjab, Justice Virinder Aggarwal Moved to Faridkot
Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Coaching Scheme Uttar Pradesh1
UP: 13 Students from Yogi Govt’s Abhyudaya Coaching Scheme Crack UPSC 2024, Shine on National Stage
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
15 IPS officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh, Arvind Mishra Appointed SP Kanpur Dehat, Sudha Singh DIG Railway, Lucknow
epfo
ICAS Sanjay Pandey Elevated to Additional Secretary Rank in EPFO
ECI Sadan_ Election
IIS Ashish Goyal Appointed as Director General (Media), Election Commission of India - Know More About Him
Jamia_RCA_resized
32 Candidates from Jamia RCA Clear UPSC CSE 2024, 12 Among Them Women
Eastern Coalfields Limited MoA
CMPDIL and Eastern Coalfields Limited Sign MoA for Implementation of Solar Power Project
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
This Collector Finds Happiness In Squeaks Of Children With Hearing Impairment Who Start Hearing After Surgery
UPSC Stories
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-22 at 20.12
AIR-11, Ettaboyina Sai Shivani: The Girl Who Quietly Dreamt, and Loudly Delivered in UPSC CSE 2024
At 24, Ettaboyina Sai Shivani cracked UPSC 2024 with AIR 11—no coaching, no shortcuts. Just quiet focus,...
Shah margi chirag
Fifth Attempt, AIR 4: Shah Margi Chirag’s Steady Climb to Success | Exclusive
After five attempts, Margi Chirag Shah secured AIR 4 in UPSC CSE 2024. Her journey reflects focus, simplicity,...
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-22 at 16.36
UPSC CSE 2024 How CA Harshita Goyal Carved Her Path to AIR 2
Haryana-born, Gujarat-raised — meet UPSC star, Harshita Goyal, a CA, a social worker, an accomplished...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Manipur Public Service Commission
Former IFS SS Chhabra Appointed Chairman of Manipur Public Service Commission
images - 2021-07-23T090739
84 Judicial Officers Reshuffled Across Punjab, Justice Virinder Aggarwal Moved to Faridkot
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT