Efforts for posting on
An IAS officer, who was in the Higher Education Department (HED), is waiting for a plum posting. During the election, Sahib was shifted from the department and sent to a district as its collector. Because the officer has already been collector in three districts, he is keen on going to an important district, for which he has pulled out all the stops. The officer hopes that he will get a posting to a place of his choice through his connections. It is said that when he was posted to HED, he was on good terms with the minister who is now holding the reins of power. Ergo he is hopeful of getting an important position. Another advantage of this officer is that the BJP organisation is in favour of him, because when he had been the collector in an important district, he kept the party office-bearers happy. But he will face a tough competition to get the district of his choice. Now, it is to be seen if hits the jackpot.
PS faces the music
People in the corridors of power are trying to find the reasons for sudden removal of a principal secretary-rank officer. Some of them are attributing his shifting to a case relating to procurement, and a few others are saying that a scam in a department entailed his transfer. But the actual reason for the PS’s removal is said to be a woman IAS officer whom the PS took lightly. The PS thought the female officer, holding an important position, would be on the post only for a few days, so he did not give her enough importance. The story did not end there: his way of talking also hurt her, but he could never imagine that it would weigh heavy on him. Miffed by the PS’s conduct, the female officer shunted to such a place where posting is considered punishment among the bureaucrats. In the process, another female officer waiting for a plum posting got the lottery.
In a tight spot
An IAS officer and his wife, who were very powerful in the bureaucracy, may be in a tight spot in the coming days. A few days ago, Sahib was removed, but he did not get any posting, and there are reports that he will be sent to the loop line. He may be sent to the revenue board where transfer is considered a punishment, and his wife will also be shifted from the department she is working for. The departments she is handling may be taken from her. In the administrative reshuffle, Madam may be shunted to the loop line, but keeping in mind the present situation, she and her husband want to go to Delhi. She has been trying to go there on deputation for a long time, but her efforts came to naught. People say her husband will be posted to Delhi earlier than madam.
High hopes
Two IAS officers of the same batch have high hopes about their posting after the change of government. Both these officers were sent to the loop line for different reasons. One of them, who was in an important department, was removed from the mainstream administration for committing some irregularities. Because of this, his efforts to return to the middle-of-the-road administration fell through. Another officer was removed for sulking work. The files sent to this officer piled up on his table. After their removal, both were waiting for a change in the government, so that they might get important postings. Accordingly, they have been making efforts to get a posting in Mantralay. To get a concrete outcome of their efforts, they are waiting for a full-time Chief Secretary (CS). Once the government appoints a full-time CS, they will pull out all the stops to meet their purpose. One of the two officers is posted in such a place from where it will be difficult for the government to remove him.
Post-accident shock
The government’s action after a road accident in the state has rattled many officers and a politician. None of them could imagine that the government would act in such a manner. Immediately after the tragedy, four officers, including a collector and a superintendent of police, were removed. The collector and the SP got their postings on the recommendations of a senior leader of the BJP, who, too, was shocked by the government’s action. There are reports that the politician was against shifting of the collector and the SP, but by the time the politician’s message about it reached the Chief Minister’s door, the action had been taken. Now the politician is worried about his dwindling influence in the state. The way the government acted after the accident may have fetched pats on its back from the public, but it has scared the officers who think the axe may fall on them anytime even for a minor error.
Bleak chances
There is little hope for a better tomorrow for two IAS officers who are in the loop line. They expected the Congress to form a government and rescue them from their current situation, but the party’s miserable performance in the assembly election disappointed them. When the BJP changed the chief minister and a new regime took over power, they were happy, thinking good days are ahead, but the chances of their getting important positions look dim. An officer, who is now very powerful, frowns on both of them. Likewise most of the bureaucrats dislike one of them, and they are aware of how close he was with the Congress leaders; and how he was working for them. Ergo chances of his returning to the mainstream administration appear bleak. Another problem with these two officers is that the Centre will not accept them, and, considering that, they are likely to remain in the loop line for a long time.
