‘Hello, DC Palamu speaking’: Deputy commissioner calls resident to confirm ₹25,000 aid
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, November 4: A phone call from Palamu Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat to a resident seeking…
DC Palamu Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat along with the additional collector Kundan Kumar.
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, November 4: A phone call from Palamu Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat to a resident seeking financial assistance for a heart ailment has drawn attention to the district administration’s direct outreach to petitioners.
In an audio clip released by the district public information office on Tuesday, the DC is heard introducing himself and asking Lesliganj resident Akhilesh Prajapati about his application for financial assistance.
“Hello. DC Palamu speaking,” he says before confirming that Prajapati had applied for assistance in July 2026. The DC then informs him that ₹25,000 has been sanctioned by the welfare department and that he will receive the amount.
The call surprised many listeners, who reportedly found it difficult to believe that the district’s top official had personally contacted an ailing resident to confirm the assistance.
Call made while reviewing public-hearing petitions
Administrative sources said Shekhawat was reviewing follow-up action on petitions received during his public hearings when he decided to call Prajapati. The impromptu call also surprised officers in his team, who were reportedly unaware that he was contacting the applicant directly.
The episode has revived memories of earlier deputy commissioners who maintained direct contact with residents in Palamu.
Around four decades ago, one DC reportedly sent postcards to villagers asking them to write back about their needs. The responses focused largely on housing under the then Indira Awas scheme and access to well water through the Jal Dhara programme, with fewer requests concerning education and health. The postcards were processed and sent to the respective block development officers for examination and recommendations.
In the early 1990s, when Palamu was hit by a severe drought, another deputy commissioner reportedly telephoned people in remote areas to check whether families were going without food. During such calls, well-off residents were urged to follow the principle of “each one, feed one”.
At the time, landline telephones were scarce and communication with remote areas was difficult. The report recalls that such efforts nevertheless helped maintain a close relationship between the administration and the public.
Questions over access to officials
The report contrasts those earlier practices with the difficulty many people now face in getting their calls answered by officials, while noting that some officers remain exceptions.
Prajapati, it says, would not have expected a call directly from the DC rather than from telephone duty staff.
The episode raises a question about whether this personal outreach will remain a one-off gesture or reach more residents seeking help from the administration.
