Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):
Without Boss
A corporation dealing with projects worth crores of rupees has been without a boss for two months. The absence of a boss has slowed down the work. An officer posted in the corporation has left for Delhi on deputation. The government has yet to appoint an officer to the corporation. The government issued a list of officers it had transferred. Yet it sent none of them to the corporation. The higher-ups have yet to reach a consensus over the name of an officer for the corporation.
They have decided on the name of an officer. But he is awaiting an order. The department also dispatched a note sheet to the government, recommending the name of an officer. He, too, has yet to get the charge. Many important decisions in the corporation are pending without a managing director. An additional chief secretary already burdened with work has to go through the files. He, however, has to take each decision with caution, for he lacks a formal order for doing this work.
No comeback
The central government has recently made changes in the postings of officers from Madhya Pradesh. People are chin-wagging about these postings. Many such individuals say MP’s dominance has increased. A few disagree. They say the central government should have given them more important departments. There are speculations that some officers wish to come back to the state.
But it is clear that none of them want to return to the state, at least for now. There are reports that the central government will assign important departments to two of these officers. The reshuffle has had a fine impact: the two batchmates are handling the same department. One is the handling department on behalf of the centre. The other is working on behalf of the state. The department is important to the state. The RSS also considers it important. The assignment may be highly rewarding for the officer.
Officer pulled up
The head of state has recently dressed down an officer holding an important position. The department's additional chief secretary was not in Bhopal. A secretary-rank officer was representing the department. The head of state was discussing an important project. He was keen to invite some senior central leaders to an event relating to the project. At the meeting, all officers were talking about the work of their respective departments. The secretary was also reading out a list of works.
As he was reading out the list, the head of state stopped him. He also pulled up the secretary. The head of state said none of the projects the officer was talking about are suitable for inviting the Prime Minister. The head of state then told the officer about the projects in which the central leaders might participate. Many people are talking about corruption in the department the secretary is working for. It does not augur well for him.
Changes ahead
Preparations are underway to change divisional commissioners. One of the commissioners is retiring this month. The government is planning to send an officer to the division. Another divisional commissioner is retiring after two months. The division is big and politically important. The government has to send an officer to this division, too. The government is also mulling over changing a commissioner in the most important division of the state.
The present commissioner of the division will retire after two years. He has links with the higher-ups in the government. The government may shift him from the division and give him an important assignment. Still another divisional commissioner is retiring after three months. The bosses have decided on the name of an officer for the division. There are complaints against the commissioner of another division, for he got into some dubious land dealings. The government still sustains him because of a shortage of officers.
Waiting for PS
For the first time, the government is mulling over posting a principal secretary (PS) to a department. The state is waiting for the return of an officer working in a constitutional institution. The higher-ups have failed to reach a consensus over the name of an officer for transferring to the department. They decided to post the PS to the department. His return is taking time. The government had expected to call him back anytime it wished.
But the officer is in a constitutional organisation functioning not under the state government. So, the state's plan fell through. The PS is also keen to return to the government. Meanwhile, the officers have cast their eyes on Sahib’s return. The higher-ups have recommended the names of these three officers for the constitutional institution. two of them, posted in the loop line, wants to join the institution. On the other hand, another officer, who is in the mainstream administration, fears lest the government should transfer him to the institution.
Fatless milk
The state government may say a pact with the milk sector will bring about a revolution. But it has entailed a major loss to a secretary-rank officer. He was in a corporation functioning under the Milk Federation. Before the accord, the government used to say it would not remove anyone. But soon after the agreement, it shifted the officer who prepared all the documents for the MoU. The Sahib has become the secretary of a department. The amount of his work has also reduced.
The government posted him from a district to the corporation three months ago. Before joining the corporation, he was the collector of a district. His powers decreased in the corporation. The officer is soon retiring. As such, he wants some independent work before retirement.
