Shahpur, Bhojpur. Under the banner of the Bihar Rural Development Service Association, rural development service officers are pressuring the government over their long-standing demands. Block Development Officers (BDOs) from Shahpur block, along with all BDOs across Bhojpur district, have extended their support to this movement. Shahpur BDO Shatrunjay Kumar Singh stated that if the government fails to take a concrete decision on their demands by September 20, all levels of rural development service officers will proceed on indefinite mass leave starting September 21.

He clarified that the decision for mass leave is not sudden. The department and the government have been informed multiple times previously. A delegation from the association held talks with the Additional Chief Secretary of the Rural Works Department on September 14, where several assurances were given at the departmental level, but no concrete outcome emerged. This has led to deep dissatisfaction among the officers.

It is anticipated that if officers go on mass leave, several crucial administrative tasks related to rural development will come to a standstill. The association has five main demands. Key among these are: granting full state service cadre status to the Bihar Rural Development Service, providing adequate security arrangements for BDOs working at the block level, and improving, rationalizing, and systematizing the existing service structure of the cadre.