Must Read

Reading between lines: Secretary-level reshuffle indicates consolidation and entry of 1990 batch of IAS

By Rakesh Ranjan- 30 Dec 2021
3479

reading-between-lines-secretary-level-reshuffle-indicates-consolidation-and-entry-of-1990-batch-of-ias

New Delhi (30.12.2021): The secretary-level reshuffle of eight IAS officers effected on Monday is seen to show a significant trend. 

First and foremost, the reshuffle opened up the opportunity for upward mobility for 1990 batch IAS officers who have been waiting for Secretary-level postings at the Centre.

Pankaj Jain, an Assam-Meghalaya cadre 1990-batch IAS officer became the first beneficiary of the reshuffle from his batch. His appointment as Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, might have enthused his batchmates because the ministry is viewed as an important one. His elevation from the rank of Additional Secretary in the Department of Financial Services, another key ministry, may be indicative of the administration's confidence in his ability. 

Further, even as several officers from the 1989 batch have been awaiting their turn for Secretary-level posting, Manoj Joshi (a Kerala Cadre IAS) was named as the successor to Durga Shanker Mishra who was set to hang his boots coming Friday as Secretary of the Housing & Urban Affairs but in a sudden move, the Centre on Wednesday evening announced Mishra’s repatriation to cadre as state chief secretary. To help familiarize Manoj Joshi with his new assignment, he was first appointed as OSD before taking over the charge from Mishra who made a sort of record of serving for the eight consecutive years in the Ministry as Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, and Secretary. Joshi was earlier working as Special Secretary in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Further, Joshi’s batchmate Rohit Kumar Singh, a Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, was appointed as Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs. Singh has also spearheaded the newly carved-out special-purpose Secretariat for ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ as Special Secretary.

Singh has replaced Ms. Leena Nandan who was laterally appointed/shifted to the key ministry for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Ms. Nandan joins the batch of three secretaries given new responsibilities on a lateral-shift basis. Ms. Nandan will take over from the outgoing Secretary (MoEF&CC) Rameshwar Prasad Gupta retiring this coming Friday.

Further, Sanjay Kumar Singh, a 1987-batch MP cadre IAS officer, was appointed as Secretary of the Ministry of Steel. This post has fallen vacant after the appointment of his batchmate Pradeep Kumar Tripathi as DOPT Secretary. While moving to Steel, Singh will hand over the charge of Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, and Department of Pensions & Pensioners Welfare to V Srinivas, a 1989-batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, working in the same department as Special Secretary.

Rajeev Ranjan (lAS:1989:MP) has been appointed as Secretary, National Commission for Backward Classes in the rank & pay of Secretary to the Government of India at a time when the backward classes issue is politically hot. Currently, he is Special Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. 

The appointment of former Chief Secretary of Punjab Ms. Vini Mahajan, a 1987 batch officer, as Union Secretary for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has drawn attention for a few reasons. First, she is the only one in the lot to be brought from the cadre state as a fresh entrant. Secondly, ever since Capt Amrinder Singh’s Govt was toppled and Capt joined hands with BJP, it was presumed that the Centre would induct Ms. Mahajan into the next round of secretary-reshuffle as she has been close to Captain. It may be noted that her husband Dinkar Gupta, ex-DGP of Punjab, maybe the next whom the Centre may draft as DG in a Central Paramilitary Force or a Central Police Organization.  

Among all, Bharat Lal's appointment was very interesting. The 1988-batch Indian Forest Service officer was picked up as the next Secretary of the Lokpal Secretariat vice Brij Kumar Agarwal who is set to complete his term of the contract this coming Friday. Interestingly, among all the appointments, the notification on Lal’s was full of officialese.

It didn't escape anyone's notice that Lal got a fresh lease of career a month ahead of his retirement (i.e. 31.12.2021). His contractual appointment was done for a period of one year beyond the date of his superannuation on usual terms and conditions applicable to re-employed Central Government officers.

Interestingly, Lal's appointment was contrary to what officials generally believed. Many have expected him to become the next Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation where he worked as Additional Secretary for a long and handled the most ambitious programs of the drinking water pipelines. However, it is pointed out that Lal had often missed out on opportunities for better placement. Considering the Lok Pal institution is an important one, there is enough reason for Lal to be happy.

free stat counter