Gathering Properties
A Principal Secretary (PS) is searching for a house in a posh locality in the state capital. Several property dealers are working to translate Sahib’s dreams to buy a house of his choice into reality. The price of the house the PS yearns for ranges from Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore. He is, however, ready to pay any price for the house he is keen to buy in that particular colony. Sahib has collected the required money through his own income and through backhanders. There are murmurs in the corridors of power that the number of properties the PS has bought in the past few months is more than that of his colleagues. Since these properties have been bought in the name of other people, the chances of his being caught for gathering such huge chattels are bleak. Now, he wants to buy a house in his name. Once he was considered an upright officer, but now, because of his family’s pressure, his outlook has completely changed in the past few years. Consequently, in the past five years, the PS has gone much ahead of many of his colleagues in terms of gathering assets.
Back To The Wall
An IAS officer posted in an important department is at the end of his rope these days. An agency has recently registered a case against him. Before registering the case, the authorities concerned did not inform him about it. Now, he is moving from pillar to post to get rid of the case. The bureaucrat reportedly sought the help of a senior person of the agency that registered the case. He clearly told Sahib, that because a case had already been registered, he would be of no use. The IAS officer, against whom the case has been registered, is soon going to retire. If the issue lingers, he may have to face a lot of problems in the coming days. He has also approached a powerful Principal Secretary (PS) to rid him of this situation. Though the PS has assured him help, he is unable to do anything. Against this backdrop, Sahib does not know what to do to get out of this mess, so he is feeling despondent.
Two-Facedness
Hypocrisy of a female IAS officer is evident in her functioning in a department that has been given to her as an additional assignment. Although the government has given her additional charge of the department, she never attends any of its meetings presided over by the Chief Minister. Meetings connected to the department are also held in a division. But no such divisional meetings have been held this time. So, it is clear that madam does not want to do any work for the department. On the contrary, she is not averse to avail of any facility she gets for holding the additional charge. She has already availed of the staff and vehicles provided by the department. The officials say if madam has not declined the facilities, there should not be any reason for her to avoid taking responsibilities. There are reports that whatever her Sahib at home wants, he gets it done through the department.
Tale Of Plots
There are many tales about the plots of a divisional commissioner. He is involved in land dealings in the division where he is posted. Many politicians are also associated with land dealings there. This is the reason that the Sahib is involved in land-related affairs. Some of his agents have become active in the division. So, he is getting those dealings done through his agents. These backhand land trades are going on in the name of those politicians. The Sahib gets his underhand dealings done along with those of the politicians. Because he enjoys political patronage, none can say anything against him. Otherwise also, wherever he had been posted, he only dealt with land. He is an expert in land settlements.
Height Of Sycophancy
“Jo tumko pasand ho wahi baat kehenge, tum din ko agar raat kaho raat kahenge (I will say only what you want me to; if you ask me to call the day the night, I shall only do that…)” An IAS officer is following in letter and spirit the song sung by Mukesh in the film, Safar. A BJP leader recently wanted feedback on the party’s prospects in the upcoming election. Sahib said the Ladli Behna Yojna had created an atmosphere in favour of the BJP. He, however, did not stop there. To please his political boss, the officer said, “Since the Congress is not strong enough, whatever comes off, the BJP will form the next government.” A few days after the event, a Congress leader called up the IAS officer. During the interaction, he wanted to know the prospects of his party in the ensuing polls. Sahib replied that the atmosphere was against the ruling party, and that the Congress might form the next government. Afterwards, the Sahib said there were changes in the air for the Lok Sabha election, too. The bureaucrat himself related these stories to an officer of his department. He also told the officer, “It hardly matters who forms the government, but their future should be safe.”
In Trouble
The officials of a department are worried about a project of the government. The department was asked to finish the project, so that it might be inaugurated in a grand function before the assembly election. The Prime Minister will be invited to launch it. Nevertheless, the way the work is going on indicates that the project may not complete before the election. Interestingly, the minister of the department is mounting pressure on the officials to finish the project. On the contrary, the minister herself has got into the way of finishing the project before the assembly polls. As far as the project goes, nobody connected with the project put a single brick without the minister’s consent. She also selects the firms that supply equipment for the work. A close aide of the minister harasses the officers and the contractors concerned with it. But the officials of the department get a dressing-down from the minister at review meetings. The minister’s policy to make money by any means has caused a huge loss to the project. The officials are worried about the fact that because of madam, the higher-ups have put a question mark on their style of working.
