A certificate to develop Raj Bhawan

Sukhbir Siwach, TNN, Jun 2, 2010, 04.20am IST

CHANDIGARH: An appreciation letter for being the principal secretary to the chief minister. Another, for being secretary to the governor. Yet another for “... development of Haryana Raj Bhawan”.

That’s what an RTI application, filed by TOI, revealed — most of the 46 IAS officers of the Haryana cadre who got letters of appreciation from the state government, all sanctioned by the chief ministers themselves, do not have strong reasons for being awarded these letters. The reasons mentioned for this much sought after certificate range from doing “appreciable work” as CM’s principal secretary or secretary to the governor or simply as a sub-divisional officer.

Though the competency of these officers is not in doubt, the RTI information reveals how appreciation letters are doled out without any clear justification though government rules say “competent authorities should make recommendation in clear terms and the work proposed for commendation should be clearly indicated.”

But, consider this: A top IAS officer, ML Tayal, at present member, Competition Commission of India, got appreciation letters for four consecutive years between 2005 and 2009. The reason stated was “appreciable work as principal secretary to the chief minister.” The recommendation was made by chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda himself.

Another officer, Vijay Vardhan, received three letters of appreciation for being “secretary to the governor” from 2001 to 2006. His letters were recommended by then governor Babu Parmanand.

An appreciation letter was given out in 2006, for “appreciable work as SDM, Gohana” to Ajit Balaji Joshi, also sanctioned by the CM. Additional principal secretary to the CM KK Khandelwal has got letters six times, his achievements have been spelt out only twice.

“It’s not logical to issue appreciation letters without mentioning outstanding work,” says Harsh Mander, the newly-appointed member to the National Advisory Council. Mander, who had quit the IAS and became a voice against communalism during the Gujarat riots of 2002, feels: “Public servants are here to serve and there should be strong reasons for any commendable certificate awarded to them.”

In some cases, the words have been changed to mention “excellent” or “commendable” work or “all round development.” Again, while V. Umashankar was awarded the certificate in 2001-02 “for performing and achieving higher parameter”, IAS officer RK Khullar got one in 2000 –01 “for discharging multifarious duties.”

Rules framed in 1965 by the government of India states that appreciation letters are issued to officers on the basis of their confidential report. The rules specify that “the work proposed for commendation should be clearly indicated.” “Rules say recommendation certificates should be issued against specific work,” says former Haryana chief secretary LM Goyal.