IAS officer takes the RTI route over sudden transfer

Chandigarh Tribune: Shimla: Tuesday, 15 September 2015.

Frequent administrative reshuffles have led to an unease among state bureaucrats. Many are questioning the manner in which these repeated postings and change in portfolios are taking place.

Even though there were murmurs of resentment among some of the “babus”, Vineet Chawdhry, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), has sought information under Right to Information (RTI) about he being divested of the Urban Development Department after his return from one-month training at Harvard University last month.

Chawdhry has sought information under the RTI from the Department of Personnel about the Civil Service Board meeting in which the decision to give the Urban Development Department to Manisha Nanda, ACS, was taken. Incidentally Chawdhry’s wife, Upma also the ACS, has also been at the receiving end and has proceeded on a 45-day leave from tomorrow.

Upma Chawdhry, ACS, Agriculture, was divested of the portfolio of the Department of Language, Art and Culture after her return from the US after the month-long training she underwent along with her husband. The department has been given to Anuradha Thakur, Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment.

Senior officers admit that even though the postings and transfers are solely the prerogative of the government but ‘shabby treatment’ being meted out to some senior officers is not going down well with a majority of them, especially when there is a shortage of IAS officers. Requests of some of the officers to reduce their workload by giving some of the portfolios held by them to others have also not been acceded. There are many officers like Deepak Sanan, Ajay Mittal and Sanjeev Gupta, all ACS, and Onkar Sharma, Secretary, whose services are under-utilised.

Sanjeev Gupta, on return from Central deputation, has been given charge of only Animal Husbandry which is basically a subsidiary department, normally given with agriculture or some main portfolio.

On the other hand, there are others like Tarun Sridhar, ACS who is looking after Forest, Revenue, Horticulture, Environment and Fisheries and Mohan Chauhan, Secretary, General Administration (GAD), Director Tourism and Managing Director, HP Tourism Development

Corporation whose hands are more than full. “It is a common knowledge that administrative reshuffle or change on portfolios is done any time without bothering to convene the meeting of the Civil Service Board, even though the Supreme Court has said this procedure must be adhered to so as to ensure a tenure,” said a bureaucrat.

He admitted that there was considerable resentment among officers over such abrupt administrative reshuffles which was affecting the smooth functioning of the departments and leading to frustration and demoralization among officers.

The Chawdhry couple had last year sought permission to proceed on a Central deputation but their plea is still pending with the Chief Minister. Virbhadra has cited shortage of bureaucracy for not giving nod for their Central deputation but in some cases the government has relented in the recent past.

With Sushil Negi, ACS (Power and Personnel), due to retire on September 30, chances of an administrative reshuffle are high. Chief Secretary P Mitra is due to retire in April next, and there is speculation about who would be his successor.