Raipur, Jan 18 (Inditop.com) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Monday conducted surprise checks on Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and inquired about the bureaucrats who were not present in office, an official said.

Singh, who is leading the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government since December 2003, visited the chambers of some principal secretaries and secretary-rank officials at the state secretariat at 11 a.m., an official in the state secretariat said.

Singh, accompanied by Chief Secretary P. Joy Oommen and Principal Secretary N. Baijendra Kumar, first reached the chamber of Vivek Dhand, principal secretary (Food).

Dhand, a former secretary to Singh, was present in his chamber.

But another Principal Secretary, M.K. Raut, was yet to report for duty when the chief minister visited his chamber.

The surprise inspection comes in wake of criticism of the chief minister by some of his party leaders besides the opposition Congress party that he has failed to maintain a hold on bureaucrats.

The critics had alleged that the bureaucrats seldom find time to meet legislators and politicians when they visit the secretariat regarding development issues.