A CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Khunti
Osama Manzar
KHUNTI, Aug 8: Corruption and neglect of the masses has been so intricately woven in the work-culture of present-day ‘India, that the people, especially in rural areas accept it with pious platitude.
Khunti, which comprises nine Anchals with a population of around, nine lakhs was no exception. Not till the recent past. In Khunti, it was said that administration is in league with the businessmen and Sahukars who took pains to make a mockery of the Public Distribution System, violate the Minimum Wages Act and reap the benefits of the toil and sweat of the masses,
In Khunti, nearly 63% total population is daily wage earner and for them PDS and daily wages with a strict provision of Minimum Wages Act is a source of survival.
Before the arrival of Mr. Santosh Kumar Satanathi IAS. as sub-divisional officer things wee at their worst in Khunti. PDS rarely benefited the masses and Minim Wages was a far-fetched dream. However, Mr. Satapathi has done wonders for Khunti and its people.
Among the many dying systems, which has never been implemented in India. PDS and MWA have so miraculously been implemented in Khunti that, no labour gets less than Rs.18. Whether a labour is working in Achhu Ram Kalf and Company [of the biggest Lee factory], or in Saraf Industries (also a lac factory] OT in ABJ Chemicals, he gets as much as Rs.i8 which is actually the Minimum Wage for daily wages ‘labourers. Said Mr.Tarim Chatterjee, manager Saraf Industries that, no industries can dare to violate the system as the labour inspectors visit every factory once in a week.
Moreover, the PDS is existing at large in every market for the masses. Rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene oil are readily available to the people, strictly at rationed rates. According to Dr. Shrinath Mishra, a Veterinary Surgeon, who is serving the Khunti Sub-division for the last eleven years, no SIX) has ever done any thing for the down trodden people but Mr. Satapathi is not only an efficient officer but also a person who has concern for people. Strategy to organise the labours, workers and beggars, in order to suppress the affluent sahukars and industrialists.
In a so. illiterate sub-division like Khunti, no one can find any beggar. The SDO has picked-up all the beg gars and provided shed and shelter,... And now. the beggars earn to survive by making handycrafts and Dhok}a art.
Above all, the officer, with the help of the welfare fund, building 100 ‘shops beside the roads, which will be given to the deserving handicapped people with Rs.5000 in addition.
For us these all may s illusion ary but Khunti only 30 km away from Ranchi tells its story to every visitor by the changed pictures of today.

At last but not the last Santosh Kumar Satapathy, a real social thinker, so articulate and consistent in his ideology that every needy and aggrieved person visit him even at home, without any fear and hesitation, Pointing him that why he does not carry the body guard with him, said Mr. Kumar. “The presence of guard with the administrative officer creates a fear psychosis and I do not like to make any gap between me and the public.” A lesson for hundred of thousands of such officers who hardly lend their time to the people.