BHOPAL: The transfer orders of IAS officers were issued 68 times in 83 days after Chief Minister Kamal Nath taking oath of office and till model code of conduct came into effect on Sunday evening. Besides IAS officers, the transfer orders of state administrative services (SAS) officers were issued by the general administration department (GAD) on 30 times. In the reshuffling of IAS officers, district collectors of 39 districts have been shifted.
Nath had assumed charge of Chief Minister on December 17. The transfers of IAS officers began from December 18 which continued till March 9, one day prior to model code of conduct coming into effect. The massive reshuffling of IAS officers has broken the record of administrative reshuffling done when Uma Bharati had become Chief Minister in 2003. During Uma’s tenure, her government was called ‘Tabaadla Sarkar’ as there were frequent transfers of officers. The same scenario has emerged after a period of 15 years.
Meanwhile, leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava has termed the transfers as part of ‘Transfer Industry’. The transfers of officers and employees by the government have become talk of the town. Although, Nath giving justification of transfers, said the officers, who were affiliated to BJP, were shifted.