Times they are a-changin!
Nobody knows when someone’s time changes. The higher-ups in the government were angry with a secretary-rank officer. After the formation of the government, the plans to send him to the loop line were afoot. Although he was not holding any important position then, there were efforts to render him out of action. A powerful officer came to his rescue, or else he would have been in major trouble. When Sahib was posted in a city, a politician, the most powerful now, got angry with him. The cycle of fortune has changed, and now, he has become very powerful in the government. A few months ago, the officer was making rounds of the offices of the powerful bureaucrats for his posting. Now, many officers are seeking his help for posting. He is also enjoying his power. There are reports that, together with the important department the officer is heading, he wishes to take the additional charge of a plum posting and is lobbying for it.
Reel craze
The reels of a collector of a district are going viral these days. The collector is making videos of whatever he is doing and wherever he is going. Then he is making those videos viral. Social media is presenting him as a hero. Sahib got a posting as a collector in a district for the first time. He is working hard and solving people's problems. The officer is also meeting people, but going viral on social media does not augur well for him. In a similar case, the videos of a promotee officer used to go viral on social media during his posting in a district. So many videos of this officer went viral that his seniors got angry with him. The new Sahib may face the same problem. The collectors of many districts are unhappy with the officer’s videos. They say they are also doing work in their respective districts, but they are not publicising it. It is difficult to maintain a high profile for a long time in the district where he is working.
Feeling sad
A retired IPS officer is feeling sad these days. He was hopeful of getting a position in a commission after his retirement, but the government has yet to take a decision on his appointment. The head of state wants to appoint some other officer as a member of the commission. He is posted in an important department. The officer is on good terms with the head of state. Earlier, there were talks about extending the tenure of his service in the department where he is working now. Because the government could not do that, there has been a consensus to appoint him a member of the commission. The officer is soft-spoken and maintains good relations with everyone. For this reason, there is no debate over his appointment. Before this officer, there were two options for appointment, but he showed keenness to join the commission. Besides his qualities, his caste equations are also helping him in getting an appointment to the commission.
Selfish officer
How selfish an officer may be is anybody’s imagination. This officer has the charge of a department in the capital only to save his government house. He espouses all means to keep the government house. Sahib has another posting in a different city. There are some government houses under it. There are reports that Sahib has become active to get those houses vacated. A powerful politician, too, has a government house. Sahib also sent a notice to the politician to vacate the house. In his previous posting, the officer acted the same way. Then also, he pressured his junior officers to vacate the houses which came under the organisation. He forced junior officers to vacate houses. The officer is making all efforts for a posting in the state capital, but the government is not ready to do it.
Who will go there?
The officers are not interested in posting in a department. So, this issue has become intricate. An additional chief secretary has been given additional charge of the department. Sahib is not keen on going there. He is trying to get rid of the additional charge of the department. Sahib is ready to go to any other department but wants to get out of the department. On the other hand, some officers have declined to join this department. Thus, the government is forced to run this important department with an officer by giving him additional charge. When the government gave additional charge of the department to the Sahib, it decided to permanently post him there in a few days. Seeing the ACS’s unwillingness to join the department, the government is mulling over the names of some senior officers again to post one of them to the department. The name of one of the officers is under consideration for the second time for posting in the department. The government could not take a decision on posting an officer in the department when it released the previous list of transfers of officers. But now, it may do so before issuing the next transfer list.
Officer tense
An officer holding an important position is tense about his next posting. Sahib is posted in an important position, but he knows he may have to go out of it anytime. So, he is lobbying for a plum posting; in fact, the officer is keen on going to the Centre on deputation. The most important part of the transfer is that despite being posted on deputation to the Centre, an officer will stay in Bhopal. Although Sahib tried for the posting, he was unsuccessful. Now, he has become active in getting transferred to an important department in the state. The speciality of this officer is that he is just like a potato. He becomes a favourite of any politician or officer. The present head of the government and that of the administration like him. Ergo, he is set to get a posting in a department of his choice. On earlier occasions, when the government and head of the government changed, it could hardly affect his posting.
