Four IAS, six BAS officers deputed in Patna to tackle Covid pandemic

PATNA: The state government on Saturday deputed four newly recruited Indian Administrative Service officers and six Bihar Administrative Service (BAS) officers in Patna collectorate as additional human resource in order to strengthen the hands of district administration for monitoring overall scenario to tackle the widespread situation of Covid-19 pandemic along with ensuring security of common people.
Besides, two BAS officers each were also deputed at collectorates of Gaya and Bhagalpur respectively too for the same reason.
While all the IAS officer are of 2019 batch and are presently posted as assistant collectors, the BAS officers are of 63rd batch of Bihar Public Service Commission and are posted a senior deputy collectors. All of them are presently on probation.
IAS officers Naveen Kumar posted in Rohtas, Sumit Kumar posted in Nalanda, Vikram Virkar posted in Samastipur and Deepak Kumar Mishra posted in Supaul had been deputed at Patna collectorate till further orders for helping the district administration in its fight against Covid-10 whose cases had surged recently after which lockdown was clamped down on entire district by DM Kumar Ravi from July 10 to July 16.
However, government later imposed a statewide lockdown till July 31 when situation seemed to grim due to sudden rise in daily cases.
Vivek Kumar posted in Muzaffarpur, Rishav posted in Supual, Vijay Kumar in Khagaria, Shashi Bhushan in Sitamarhi, Balendu Narayan Pandey in Madhubani, and Ravi Prakash Gautam posted in Jamui are the BAS officers deputed at Patna collectorate along with the IAS officers to strengthen human resource.
Prashant Ramania posted in Nawada, Atul Anand posted in Katihar have been deputed in Gaya collectorate while Amulya Ratna posted in Begusarai and Ajay Kumar posted in Banka had been deputed at Bhagalpur collectorate.
Patna DM Kumar Ravi said officers who had been deputed in Patna collectorate would be deployed in Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) for coordinating, managing, assisting and monitoring situation with respective superintendents.
“The aim is that superintendents must remain focused on core medical issues. Chief secretary Deepak Kumar had suggested for deputing senior officers for monitoring important institutions involved in tackling Covid-19 pandemic after which these officers were provided to us. The need of these officers had surfaced during discussion in a recent high level meeting,” he said.
Ravi said more officers would be deployed in civil surgeon office and for monitoring isolation centres and testing centres. “We have already deployed BAS officers in AIIMS-Patna for coordination,” he said.
The DM said all these efforts are being put in so that common people do not have to face hassles due to the pandemic.