Governor on inspection spree, UP officials rattled

After Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel has embarked upon her own surprise inspection spree and the bureaucrats in the state are rattled.

Two days ago, Anandiben Patel visited a school in Barabanki district and told the girl students there to hurl stones at boys who stalk them. "You should be fearless and not depend on others for protection," she said.

She also inspected health services in the district and directed officials to work in coordination.

The Governor then visited an Anganwadi centre and an old-age home in Chhaawni, the Balrampur government hospital, and Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.

At the Anganwadi centre, she interacted with children and directed teachers to inculcate a habit of cleanliness in the students.

At the Balrampur hospital, the Governor met the beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat and inquired about the availability of medicines. She also distributed fruits to the patients.

The Governor also visited the Hazratganj police station, where she met some students of Sahay Singh Girls Inter College. She informed on about the working of the police department, about helpline numbers such as 1090, 100 and other services.

The Governor asked the students to remember phone numbers of police officers in their area and spread awareness in their locality. She also asked the students to write essays on their visit to the police station and send them in. The essays will judged and given first, second and third prize.

Patel also urged students to talk to police personnel and discuss their educational problems with them. She asked the police officials to interact with the students with empathy.

Assistant Director (Information) Anjum Naqvi said that the Governor's visit was planned and children had been called in to meet her at the police station.

The Governor said that she had made such visits during her tenure as Madhya Pradesh Governor and the initiative had proved to be a major success.

UP officials, however, do not seem to have taken very kindly to the Governor's surprise visits.

"As a Governor, she is not expected to play a proactive politician. As it is, the chief minister and his ministers keep us engaged with such surprise inspections and now we have the Governor doing the same. Officials should be given some freedom to work before they are subjected to inspections," said a senior IPS officer.