Overheard In Bhopal: IAS Officers Jostle For Posts, Transfers Delayed Amid Tussles

Gathering files

As the time for an appointment to an important position is nearing, the race among IAS officers for the post is deepening. Two senior IAS officers posted in the state are also making efforts for the position. In this situation, a few people have prepared files of these two IAS officers. They have gathered information about one of the officers. Those who have collected the information are searching for a person to send the files to the right person in Delhi. There are reports that some cases concerned with the Sahib have been sent to the RSS. But the investigation about this officer by the people working against him is still on. On the other hand, some people have gathered information about another officer who courted controversies earlier. Some documents against him surfaced a few years later, but those documents were swept under the carpet. Now, some people are again sifting through those documents. They are preparing to send these documents to Delhi.

Dispute over transfer

A fight over transfers is going on in a department. The last date for transferring officials is near, but because of a controversy between the minister and an officer of a department, the transfer list could not be issued. Sahib wants the transfer of some officers according to his choice, but the minister is not ready for it. The minister wants all transfers according to his wishes. The minister has changed most of the names proposed for transfer by the department. When the officer prepared the list, he changed some names proposed for transfer by the minister, who was in a fume. The minister said that if any name proposed by him was changed, he would take the matter to the head of state. The officer knows the minister has to sign the transfer list before the last date, or else the minister will face problems. If the file remains stuck in the department because of the dispute between the officer and the minister, the issue will go to the chief minister. In the same way, the lists prepared by some ministers were stuck in the department last year.

PS craves for posting

A principal secretary-rank officer wants a transfer from his present department. He has always got an important posting. But the PS is unable to stay at one place for some time now. In the past few years, he got two important departments, but he failed to keep them for one reason or another. Now that a long time has passed since the PS worked in one department, he wants a transfer to a department related to infrastructure. He tried to go to a department, but his efforts came to nought. The PS sought the support of Bade Sahib for transfer. He is also making efforts to ensure that the file related to his transfer gets the clearance from the head of state without delay. The PS feels his name will be on the next transfer list. People in the corridors say he is not on good terms with many of his colleagues. So, he is often caught in controversies.

MLA in trouble

An MLA is in trouble in his home district because of the collector. He says the collector Sahib has become the topmost politician in the district. The collector participates in any event in the district. The way he is working, it seems he will fight the next election. The legislator complained to the head of state about it. The head of state, after listening to the legislator, has given a piece of advice to the collector; however, the legislator's plan to remove the collector from the district fell through. The collector is working on his own without giving any importance to the politicians of the ruling party. The collector gives priority to those works that he wants or to those works for which he gets instructions from Mantralaya. The collector has developed good relations with many people. So, people in the district invite the collector even to their private functions instead of politicians. This has upset the legislator so much that he wants to shift the collector from the district. But he cannot realise his dreams for the time being.

PS's plan fails

Bade Sahib has refused to relieve a principal secretary who wanted to go to Delhi on deputation. The state government has said 'no' to his plea for deputation to the central government. There are reports that the government has told the PS it does not matter whether he stays in Delhi or in Bhopal. Bade Sahib has made it clear that since there is a shortage of PS-rank officers, they will not be allowed to go on deputation to Delhi. After Bade Sahib's order, the PS's plan to go to Delhi has fizzled. The PS holds the charge of several important departments. Keeping the present condition in mind, the PS has begun to pay attention to his departments. The officer has recently pulled up the officials posted in one of the departments functioning under him. Because of the attitude of the PS, the officials realised that he would not soon leave the department.

Just appreciation

People often judge an officer by his behaviour, but they do not understand the amount of work he does. Three IAS officers work in a department, functioning under an additional chief secretary. Out of these three officers, two are directly recruited, and the other is a promoted officer and on the verge of retirement. Sahib says to many people that the promoted officer's way of drafting, handling files, and taking decisions is better than that of the directly recruited officers. Even a few days ago, the promoted officer was handling important departments. Then he himself used to think about the reasons for giving the promotee officer important positions. Now that the latter is working under ACS, he has realised that his getting important positions was not without reasons. Because the promotee officer is simplehearted, many officers do not give him much importance