BHOPAL: The first major administrative reshuffle was made after the 15 months of Congress rule late Saturday night.
Honest officers have been posted to most of the departments which have courted controversies. Nevertheless, there are a few exceptions, too.
Posting of Manoj Govil to commercial tax department, Ashok Shah to women and child welfare department, DP Ahuja to water resources department, Nitesh Kumar Vaish to urban development and Rajiv Dubey as commissioner of excise indicates that the government wants to change its image.
The efforts to post honest officers began with the appointment of Manish Rastogi as principal secretary of chief minister. The efforts are still on.
The reshuffle indicates that the officers against whom there were allegations were sidelined.
M Gopal Reddy, chief secretary during the Congress rule, was sent as chairman of revenue division in Gwalior.
Reddy was close to former chief minister Kamal Nath. Principal secretary Manu Shrivastava was removed from the commercial tax department during the Congress rule itself.
The present government has made its intention clear by making Shrivastava a member of the revenue division.
Principal secretary of health, Pallavi Jain Govil, who was afflicted with the coronavirus, was shifted from the health department.
She has, however, been made in charge of SC welfare and ST welfare departments because of her clean image.
Deepali Rastogi, who was asked to look after the labourers who were coming from Maharashtra, was shifted to MSME department after the death of 16 labourers. Her wings have been clipped.
Principal secretary Rajesh Rajaura has been sent to a less important department.
It is clear that the officers, close to the previous government, will not be given postings on the basis of their old contacts.
