The likely promotion of Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma to the post of the Chief Secretary has landed the seasoned bureaucrat in a piquant position. He is slated to retire in three months, on the last day of October. He would not be in a position to write annual career report (ACR) as per the rule of business till he completes three months in the chair. By the time he attains that authority he would have to retire. Keeping this predicament in view, the crafty bureaucrat is intent on holding fast to two departments — Infrastructure Development Commissioner (IDC) and Finance — under his direct care even after being promoted as the CS.
As per the rule of business, being a Principal Secretary Finance Sharma is entitled to see any file of any department if he wants. It means he has a free hand to supervise and even meddle in the working of any of the existing departments. But once he is appointed to the topmost bureaucratic post he would be like a pitiable tiger who, shorn of tooth and claw, cannot do anything more than to roar. His colleagues in bureaucracy feel that this is the reason why Sharma, an old horse running long in the corridors of bureaucratic sophistry, is intent on clinging to two departments to boss over.
Notably, the incumbent N Ravi Shankar is all set to complete his tenure on July 31. This would mean a rupture with the long-continuing tradition of Uttarakhand of the chief secretaries taking voluntary retirement and getting ‘rehabilitated’ later by the State Government. Sources said that the State Government has decided to 'rehabilitate' him as the State Information Commissioner (SIC), a post that has been lying vacant since NS Napalchyal retired in April.
However, the picture is still murky as the Chief Minister who would definitely take the final call on such a crucial appointment is keeping his cards close to his chest. Sources said that the CM is yet to sign the file though he has verbally assured Sharmathat his promotion is on the cards. Meanwhile senior bureaucrats are happy that being an ACS Sharma can force anyone especially of their department to follow his foot step but after becoming chief secretary he would not be in position to take disciplinary action by giving adverse entry into anyone’s ACR.
“It is thus apt that he would love to retain the two important departments under his grip for the next three months following his appointment as he can hardly reconcile himself to a post which, though impressive on paper, would be devoid of the power with which he can assert his bullying presence. He loves to cling to power,” an observer said.