Bihar Government Cracks Down on Revenue Officers' Strike

The Bihar government on Tuesday declared the ongoing "collective leave" of its revenue and circle officers as unlawful, issuing a stern warning of possible termination and salary cuts should they fail to return to work by March 25. This move comes as nearly 537 revenue circle officers continue their indefinite strike, initiated on March 9, following unfulfilled assurances during negotiations with Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha.

The initial strike started on February 2, driven by dissatisfaction over the state's January 29 cabinet decision to establish new roles for sub-divisional revenue officers, equating them to deputy collector land reforms. Deputy CM Sinha, responsible for the Revenue and Land Reforms portfolio, emphasized the government’s firm stance: "Officers who do not return by the 5 pm deadline on March 25 will face stringent measures such as termination and salary deductions.”

The deputy chief minister also launched departmental actions against certain officers on March 18, asserting that their absence is detrimental to public service. Emphasizing critical state initiatives like the chief minister's 'Samriddhi Yatra' and 'Jan Kalyan Samvad', Sinha highlighted the essential presence of revenue officials, mentioning that cases of compliance within the deadline could be reviewed leniently.