Devendra Bhushan Gupta, a 1983 batch IAS retired as chief information commissioner on Friday. He is among few bureaucrats who enjoyed good rapport with both Congress and BJP government having a rare distinction of serving as chief secretary in both the governments.
Though he was removed unceremoniously by former chief minister Ashok Gehlot only to adjust him in the bureaucratic system as his advisory before retirement.
A native of Jaipur, Gupta, became the second retired chief secretary after T Shrinivasan to assume post of chief information officer.
Gupta powered up efficiency of Information Commission
The BuckStopper tried to contact D B Gupta for confirming his performance as the chief information commissioner. But he was not available for comment. The BuckStopper will update the story once getting confirmation from D B Gupta.
According to media report and press conference organised by D B Gupta before demitting the office, the commission has cleared all the pendency of cases till 2022.
He is quoted to have said that the number of appeals under consideration as in January 1, 2022 was 15,803 and the number of complaints was 986.
“Till November 2023, 38,713 new cases were registered. The Commission disposed of 48,749 cases in 31 months and 7,735 are pending,” D B Gupta quoted to have said.
Gupta, considered to be an efficient officer, had been at important posts including JDA commissioner, UDH principal secretary, PWD principal secretary, finance besides holding the top bureaucratic post in the state.
His stint at centre as commissioner and principal commissioner in Delhi Development Authority was also successful. During his tenure the DDA worked on providing free hold patta to landowners. It was his performance sterling performance in DDA that the chief minister Vasundhara Raje handpicked him for the job of JDA commissioner when Jaipur city was in the stage of rebuilding.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
