Taking serious note of the shortage of senior-level officials after The Pioneer report dated October 30, Delhi Chief Secretary DM Spolia has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and urged to retain half a dozen officials, who had been transferred by the Ministry last month.
The Pioneer had carried a report that political uncertainty in Delhi is not only taking a toll on infrastructural development for the past one year, but is also hampering day-to-day functioning of the administration as many senior duty posts are lying vacant. The Chief Secretary has urged not to transfer Principal Secretary (Health) SCl Das, Principal Secretary (PWD) Arun Baroka, Municipal Commissioner Manish Gupta and Principal Secretary (Food & Supplies) SS Yadav till the Assembly elections in Delhi are over.
In his letter, Spolia said, “SCl Das, SS Yadav, Arun Baroka are heading public dealing departments such as Health and Family Welfare, Food & Supplies and PWD respectively. Manish Gupta is heading two municipal corporations. Relieving them at this moment would adversely impact the functioning of these departments especially when Delhi is under President’s Rule. Retention of these officers till the elections to Delhi Assembly are over is both necessary and unavoidable.”
The letter further stated that a number of senior-level officers would have to hold additional charges.
“I would like to reiterate that there are several vacancies at the super time and above super time scale level of IAS officers in the Delhi Government. We have relieved several officers including Principal Secretary (Social Welfare and Women and Child Development) Satbir Silas Bedi (1985 batch officer) has just been relieved on posting as the Joint Secretary in the HRD Ministry. A 1991-batch officer S Kumaraswamy has also been relieved to enable him join in the Department of Space, Bangalore. Arun Goyal, a 1985-batch officer has been relieved for his posting in Mizoram. No substitutes have been provided against these officers,” the letter said.
There is some reluctance among the bureaucrats to remain or join the Delhi Government, which was once considered to be a plum posting, due to political uncertainty. Around 12 senior IAS officers have stymied attempts by the Home Ministry to transfer them to Delhi. This comes at a time when some, who are being posted in the national Capital, are also trying to get out. “Due to the bureaucrats’ reluctance, many posts in key departments are lying vacant hampering the work of the Delhi Government. As things stand, there is a shortage of 24 officials at the senior level in the national Capital,” said a sources. There are a total of 103 posts for IAS officers in the Delhi Government with 56 of them being senior duty posts (for those with 12 or more years of service).
For instance, 1985-batch officer Parimal Rai, who has completed his two years in Goa, is reluctant to join the Delhi Government. A 1984-batch officer Ramesh Negi, who is serving as the Chief Secretary in Arunachal Pradesh, has also completed his two-year tenure outside Delhi but is not interested in coming back to Delhi. 1984-batch officer KK Sharma, who was posted as advisor to Chandigarh administrator, opted to join the Central Government’s Women and Child Development Department. Interestingly, Sharma was lobbying for the post of Chief Secretary of Goa. Dr Anand Prakash, a 1979-batch officer, is posted in Andaman as Chief Secretary. A 1984 batch officer RK Verma opted for VRS.
The shortage of officials could be gauged as charges of 12 crucial departments that include Finance, Home, General Administration, Tourism, Planning, IT, Power, Social Welfare, Revenue, Higher Education, New Delhi Municipal Council and Chief Electoral Office have been without their heads and some of officials are holding dual charges to take care of day-to-day functioning.