Munger: At a public outreach event in eastern Bihar, the state’s deputy chief minister has said the government will intensify action against what he described as “land mafias” and will not halt its ongoing land reform campaign.
Speaking at the “Land Reform & Public Welfare Dialogue” in Munger, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who also holds the revenue and land reforms portfolio, said authorities would take “stringent measures” against illegal encroachment, land disputes and obstruction in public service delivery.
He said land disputes were not merely private conflicts but often escalated into wider social tensions between families and villages, and that the government’s objective was to resolve such cases “on the ground” rather than only through paperwork.
The minister said more than 15,000 complaints had been received so far through the government’s public dialogue programmes, all of which had been digitised and placed under monitoring. He said the initiative was intended to bring administration closer to citizens and improve grievance redressal in land-related matters.
Sinha warned that encroachment on government land or land belonging to poorer communities would not be tolerated, adding that officials had been instructed to register cases and take action against violators regardless of their influence. “No one is above the law,” he said in effect.
He also cautioned administrative officials against corruption, negligence or delays in handling land disputes, saying disciplinary action would follow complaints of misconduct. Honest officials, he added, would be supported.
Addressing internal criticism and reports circulating about alleged influence in administrative decisions, he said he had not been aware of a recent case involving a circle officer, rejecting what he described as attempts to spread misinformation.
The deputy chief minister also criticised strikes and lockouts that disrupt public services, saying Bihar had moved beyond a phase of prolonged administrative paralysis and that governance would remain focused on transparency and accountability.
He said the broader aim of the campaign was to end long-standing land conflicts that have fuelled social distress in rural areas, and to restore “peace and harmony” while accelerating development.
The event was inaugurated with a ceremonial lamp-lighting. Senior officials from the revenue and district administration attended, along with a large gathering of members of the public.
The government has positioned its land reform programme as a key administrative priority in Bihar, though opposition critics and local activists have in the past raised concerns about enforcement, corruption and delays in land dispute resolution.
