Overheard In Bhopal: Opportunity In Adversity, Plan For Deputation, Anxious About Transfer & More

Opportunity in adversity

Several controversies have surrounded a department these days. After the raids by the income-tax sleuths and the deaths of children in Chhindwara due to toxic cough syrup, the health department is on target of the higher-ups. Against this backdrop, some people are trying to find opportunity in adversity.

Some people in the corridors of power think turmoil in the health department may lead to the shifting of some officers in the transfer list. In this situation, some officers dream of getting a posting in the department. A officer, now in the loop line, is sparing no effort to become the head of the department. Through his associates, he is telling the higher-ups to post him there. Besides him, some other officers are trying to get the command of the department. There are reports that after the tragic incident, when the head of state was going to Chhindwara, efforts were made to remove some officers from the department. But because an officer of the department is close to the head of state, it is difficult to remove him.

Plan for deputation

There seems to be a race among the IAS officers of a batch in the state to go on deputation to the Central Government. Out of 12 officers of this batch, three were on deputation to the Centre. Two more women officers have gone on deputation to the Centre this month, though they are posted in Bhopal. Now, two more officers are planning to go to the Centre. One of them wants to join an office of the Central Government in Bhopal.

The officer has been unhappy with his posting in the state government for a long time. So, he wants to get rid of the services of the state government; besides, another officer is mulling over going to the Centre. He may give an application for deputation to the Centre in the next two months. He has always had plum positions in the state, but now, he wants to go to the Centre so that he may be in the empanelment. The officer thinks the door to the Centre should not be closed. In the coming two months, many other officers are planning to move the Centre.

Anxious about transfer

An IAS officer, posted in an important department, is anxious about his transfer. He does not want to remain in the department. He is making efforts either to go to a district from the department or to another place. He has met some politicians and senior officers for his transfer. When he was shifted to Bhopal, he was assigned the job in a corporation where he committed some irregularities, so the government sent him to the present department.

There is work in the department. But there is neither any opportunity to make money through backhand deals nor any powers. Thus, the officer is lobbying for getting rid of the department by any means. From the additional chief secretary to other officers of the department, know that he is trying to get out of this place. The ACS got a dressing down from the higher-ups because of the attitude of this officer. On the one hand, there are stories in the department that Sahib is unhappy, but on the other hand, the government is in no mood to shift him from his present place of posting.

Fourth district

An IAS officer s sudden transfer to an important district has surprised many in the corridors of power. The officer has been shifted from a small district and handed over the command of an important district. The officer has neither any political approach nor is he a high-profile person, so his transfer is in discussion. About this collector, it is said he should not have been posted to such a large district.

It has come to light that the officer may have been posted to the second district as collector in the state, but he has got the opportunity to be the collector of the fourth district. This officer s cadre has been changed. Before being posted to the state, he was an officer of the Bihar cadre. When he was in the Bihar cadre, he worked as a collector in two districts. Thus, he had been a collector of three districts before joining the present place. In fact, many officers had an eye on the district where the officer was posted. This is the reason that his posting has shocked many powerful officers.

Up the creek

The difficulties of an officer in the state are deepening even after his transfer from a department. After a dispute relating to the officer going to the court, the government transferred him. The government as well as the officer thought the case would be solved after his transfer, but the court s stand on the issue appears strong. Keeping the court s views over the case in mind, the Central Government has begun to take precautions.

To discuss the matter, all officers concerned were recently called to Delhi, and a committee of the Central Government heard their views. The committee took this officer to task. Its members also pulled up another officer. The officers of a ministry of the Central Government think they are in trouble because of these officers. There are reports that if the issue is not resolved, the troubles for the officer may increase. The officer wants to solve the problem through a powerful politician.

Failed deal!

An officer has recently suffered a huge loss. Sahib, who entered a shady deal, made a commitment to a builder relating to land. But an officer was causing difficulties for Sahib. He promised the person with whom he had entered the deal that whenever the other officer was transferred, his work would be done.

Sahib knew that the officer who got in the way of his work would soon be shifted from the department. And it happened. The most interesting part of the story is that Sahib was also transferred from his place of posting along with the officer, and the deal remained incomplete. Sahib never expected that he would be suddenly shifted. Now, Sahib is up the creek because he took backhanders in advance from the person for the work. He is asking for the money. Now, but for returning the money, Sahib has no way out.