By B S Reporter
The much awaited transfer list of IAS officers has some surprising and some shocking elements along with some routine affair. The government has displayed different yardsticks for officers accused of corruption. As expected senior IAS officer and UDH principal secretary Kunji Lal Meena was punished and shunted out to Indira Gandhi Panchayatiraj after he was allegedly named in a corruption case. Sadly the dynamism of Meena has been eclipsed by the recent accusation in ACB case in which a middleman was caught asking for a bribe in name of Meena and his joint secretary Manish Goyal.
But at the same time, Prateek Jhajharia was rewarded and sent back to the same labour department where he was arrested by ACB for taking a bribe of Rs 3 lakh, two years back. Jhajharia, an Indian Postal Service officer on deputation was sent to jail when he was labour commissioner. Now the government has scripted his comeback in the same department as secretary – a higher post than his previous tenure. This is kind of redemption of lost reputation for Jhajharia who originally belongs to Jodhpur. His father is a known Congressman.
Home coming for Shubhra Singh
Shubhra Singh, a1989 batch IAS officer and a contender for the post of chief secretary which will fall vacant after one and a half months, has been summoned to Jaipur after almost 13 years. Singh, who was serving as Chief Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, had her last stint in Rajasthan as Director Census Operations in 2011. Her come back in the mainstream of state bureaucracy has spiced up the fight for the top post where Veenu Gupta and Subodh Agrawal are also in reckoning on seniority basis. Singh has been given an important portfolio of Medical and Health which is key to Gehlot's comeback campaign. Interestingly a close confidante of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Dhiraj Srivastava is serving as resident commissioner in the office of Shubhra Singh.
Mining menace for Subodh Agrawal
Additional Chief Secretary Subodh Agrawal has been a ‘go to' officer for Gehlot government. He was handling the sensitive mines department along with drinking and ground water. Now the government has taken mines department from him while retaining the drinking water and adding water resources to his portfolio. The chief minister and mines minister, both were said to be happy with the functioning of Agrawal. However, reports of alleged scams in the department has something to do with this transfer. The record revenue of Rs 6,378 crore in fiscal 2022-23 also could not save his departure from the department.
Meanwhile, mines minister Pramod Jain Bhaya succeed in seeing the back of mines director Karan Singh. In last 5 years, the department has seen 7 different mines director so far. Sandesh Nayak, who is handling the post of managing director RSMM will double up as director mines till further orders. Nayak is known for his fast execution and quick decision making. He is one of the brightest young officers in bureaucracy with unblemished record.
Ministers' wrath presses transfers
Dinesh Kumar, principal secretary Agriculture refused to fall in line with Agriculture minister Lal Chand Kataria and he paid the price in the form of transfer. Earlier also, he was transferred from energy department for ‘refusing' to adhere to the diktat from top. Kumar, a no-nonsense officer has been upright and upfront with clear mindset. He has been transferred to General Administration, which is held by chief minister Ashok Gehlot himself. It's said that no minister was willing to take him in his department. Gehlot, who also holds General Administration department taken him as his principal secretary. Kumar is close relative of senior Congress leader and former chairman of National Commission for Schedule Castes.
Another such case is Naveen Jain, who has shown his dissent towards his minister Ramesh Meena's working style. He had requested the Chief Secretary for transfer from rural development. Now he has been sent to a more relevant department of school education as secretary.
Fall guy of Right to Health
Dr. Prithvii Raj has to pay the price of disaster which hit government's most ambitious Right to Health bill. Despite being a medico himself, he failed to handle the protest of doctors against the bill. The government ultimately had to down its guards to reach to a compromise which has took away the essence from the motive. Dr Prithvi Raj has been given a less important department now
Good work lands Jogaram at JDA
One of the most dynamic officers Jogaram earned his place in Jaipur Development Authority after good show at Local bodies and Jaipur Collectorate. His fast decision making and a deep understanding about urban development will help the government complete projects at faster pace. The incumbent Ravi Jain also has good grip over action in JDA but he fell out of favour from the minister Shanti Dhariwal who wanted progress at astronomical pace
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