New Delhi (12.08.2021): It came as a bolt from the blue for 1989 batch IAS officer Mrs Shubhra Singh when the Centre on Wednesday enacted a major reshuffle of over a dozen senior IAS officers. But all others may be termed as routine except the one. The Government replaced Mrs Singh with Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer Kamlesh Kumar Pant of 1993 batch by drafting him as the new Chairman of the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA). The NPPA is an independent Regulator under the Department of Pharmaceuticals (Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers) responsible for drug pricing and ensuring availability and accessibility of affordable medicines. He abrupt repatriation surprised almost everyone in her service fraternity as she is considered among the brightest lot of officers.

This too was not much unusual as fresh appointments and frequent lateral shifts of officials are a new normal in the Narendra Modi Government. What was surprising was Mrs Singh’s repatriation from the Centre to her cadre state that too at a time when her turn for empanelment for holding Secretary level posts in Govt of India was being talked about, the opportunity that she missed in the first list.

It is a convention that while replacing/shifting/repatriating senior officers, the top establishment takes the officer into confidence. Like many other prevailing norms, this one too no longer prevails in the NaMo administration yet the officers are generally informed a little earlier in person. Sources said that she did not have any idea whether she was being replaced or repatriated till the order came. It may be recalled that another senior IAS officer from the state too was repatriated abruptly in May 2018; a move that too had left him flabbergasted.