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
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Bhind DM
Bhind Collector Caught on Camera Slapping Student During Exam, Incident Sparks Outrage
IAS Raju Mishra
Raju Mishra Appointed Special Secretary in West Bengal Industry Department
406951-supreme-court-of-india-sc
Centre Files Review Petition Against Supreme Court’s Order on IPS Deputation in CAPFs
J P Singh
IPS Dr J P Singh Takes Voluntary Retirement; Likely to Contest Bihar Assembly Elections from Chhapra - Know More About Him
Pushkar-Singh-Dhami
Uttarakhand: Ambedkar Bhawan Ready in Rudrapur to Empower SC Artisans; Three-Tier Audit Committee Formed Before Handover
CM Nitish Kumar
From Welfare to Wealth: Bihar Unveils CSR Policy 2025 - A Game-Changer for Private Sector Investment in Public Welfare
Ladli Behna Yojana Madhya Pradesh
MP CM Mohan Yadav Announces Rs 1543 Cr Aid for Ladli Sisters, Vows Pucca House for Every Beneficiary
Uttar Pradesh livestock development
UP Leads in Milk Output, CM Yogi Unveils National Workshop to Promote Indigenous Breeds
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ravi Kapoor
Why Ex-IRS Officer Ravi Kapoor Walked Away from Power
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-07 at 3.15
The Martial Artist IRS Officer Who Conquered North East India on a Cycle
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
IRS Sanjay Bahadur: The Officer With a Pen That Bites | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sushmitha and Ishwarya Ramanathan
Their Home Was Washed Away — Sushmitha & Ishwarya Built a Legacy Instead
Sushmitha and Ishwarya lost their home to the 2004 tsunami. But with books, belief, and each other, they...
IAS SHWETA BHARTI Bihar
From Wipro to Civil Services: How Bihar's IAS Shweta Bharti Juggled a BPSC Job While Preparing for UPSC
IAS Shweta Bharti, from rural Bihar, balanced a full-time job and UPSC prep with discipline, cracked...
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
Social Media
Standing Leopard
Leopard Stuns Internet by Standing on Two Legs Like a Meerkat
A rare video of a leopard standing on two legs in Kruger Park stuns viewers and goes viral across social...
G S Roshni
Kerala’s Fearless Forest Officer G.S. Roshni Rescues 16-Foot King Cobra with Bare Hands, Garners Praise & Critique
Beat Forest Officer G.S. Roshni’s first-ever king cobra rescue goes viral, earning her the title of ‘Green...
Kaziranga Baby Elephant
Chotu the Baby Elephant Reunited with Mother in Kaziranga: Retired IFS Officer’s Post Goes Viral
A baby elephant's emotional reunion with its mother in Kaziranga, shared by retired IFS officer Susanta...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Bhind DM
Bhind Collector Caught on Camera Slapping Student During Exam, Incident Sparks Outrage
IAS Raju Mishra
Raju Mishra Appointed Special Secretary in West Bengal Industry Department
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ravi Kapoor
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-07 at 3.15
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT