Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):
Just three months old!
An Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) took three months to reach the CM’s Secretariat. The plot for his joining this place scripted in March has flowered into a story in June. An order for transfer of this ACS was to be issued on March 14, but it could not be done for some reasons. Because the ACS was not keen on his own posting at that juncture, he was posted to the CM’s Secretariat after three months. Now that he has been posted in the CM office, he is set to become the next head of the state bureaucracy, the acme of the administration. For the Sahib, it may take three months more to reach that point. The plot for the next story about this Sahib, set to unfold after three months, was drafted when he was to be sent to the CM’s Secretariat. The Sahib will be handed over the key to the door of the top job, and a Principal Secretary (PS) given the charge of CM office. It, however, happened for the first time that only those officers, whose names had been in discussion, were posted to the CMO.
Lobbying for rehabilitation
An about-to-retire IAS officer has begun to make efforts for rehabilitation. The officer is using the clout of a Union Minister for his rehabilitation in any department in the state. The minister, considered very influential, is on good terms with the state government. The Sahib is hopeful of getting rehabilitated in any department through this minister. The officer, also in contact with the RSS to fulfil his desires, has set his eyes on two key posts. He knows if the government wants, he will get one of them, but luck is not favouring him. The officer’s name was discussed for some important positions several times, but he failed to court Lady Luck, and get an important position he longed for. Now, the Sahib yearns for rehabilitation in some important departments after retirement to keep the honour of his cadre.
Efforts continue
A commissioner who was removed from a division and a collector who was shifted from a district are taking a crack at posting in new places. Both maintain a low profile and are always ready to stand before anyone with folded hands. Immediately after the Lok Sabha election both of them have become active to get plum posts. The collector, who wants to return to a district, is in contact with some senior officers. Because of his ability to please everyone, people in the corridors of power believe that he may get posting to a place of his choice. He is also meeting some influential politicians to get rid of the loop line where he is now. The Commissioner-rank officer is also lobbying for posting. He thinks his caste card will play an important role in it. So, he is using all resources to get a plum post.
Ready to buy post
A bureaucrat who has held many important positions wants a new place of posting. When the government was changed, he wanted to go to an important division, but his desire remained unfulfilled. Now, he has set his eyes on some posts and is ready to part with a huge amount of dough to achieve his target. He offered cabbage to some people. Since he is connected with some high-profile people, he thinks he will get an important position. But he is in trouble, after his name cropped up in a rip-off. The higher-ups in the government are not giving him any weight, because of controversies which have always dogged the officer. In his halcyon days, he grew a lot of carrots through underhand deals. Now, he wants to use it to get back his good old days.
Issue of Rs 55L
A Principal Secretary (PS) and a minister have locked horns over Rs 55 lakh. The PS has given some funds to a few districts before the lifting of the Model Code of Conduct. The deal continued for several days. Afterwards, there was an agreement with some suppliers on 5% of commission on the total amount of funds. A supplier gave Rs 55 lakh to the PS against the release of funds. The minister has, somehow, come to know of it, and now, he wants his share for releasing funds. The minister called up the officials of the districts for which the funds were released, asking them not to issue any supply order without his consent. Now, the supplier, who gave sweetener to the PS to get his work done, is moving from pillar to post. The minister is not ready to listen to anything without getting his share of sugared pills. This has provided feed to the officials of the department to discuss the fight between the PS and the minister over the ill-gotten dosh.
Basking in happiness
Two bureaucrats of the state are happy after an influential politician from MP has got two important departments in the Union Cabinet. Both are posted to the same department in the state as the minister has been allotted at the Centre. They hope that as the influential leader from the state is controlling these important departments, the state government’s projects will smoothly run. And the state will pull benefits off the Central Government’s schemes. Both these officers are on good terms with the Union Minister and have worked with him when he was in the state. One of them worked with him as Principal Secretary and another as Secretary. Ergo, as soon as was inducted into the ministry and given two departments, both plunged into action to dispose of the corked-projects of their departments. Likewise, a Principal Secretary, who recently worked with him, is also very happy. The officer feels he will draw benefits from the leader’s growing importance at the Centre.
