IAS Richie Pandey, a 2016 batch officer of Bihar cadre and currently posted as Collector of Sitamarhi is addressing long pending issues related to land rights and financial access in the district.

One of the key initiatives under his leadership has been providing land to landless families, particularly those from the backward communities. Recognizing many families have been living along roadsides or near riverbanks without any secure settlement. The administration launched a focused campaign to identify such households and settle them on available government land.

As part of this effort, around 850 land patches were allotted to families, many from economically and socially backward sections. “These were cases that had been pending for many years and we cleared them in one go”.

Alongside housing security, Pandey has also prioritised improving the Credit-Deposit Ratio (CDR) in the district. Some pockets of Sitamarhi still have limited access to formal credit and banking services so the idea is to strengthen credit linkage so people in remote areas can also access loans and banking facilities easily.

Pandey’s initiative aims to uplift the society and improve their standard of living.