Ousters, Transfers, Compulsory wait

Meena ouster causes shock


The sudden decision to remove Bhawani Singh Meena, a senior 1975 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, from the sensitive post of the Director General of Foreign Trade(DGFT), and put him on a "compulsory wait" has sent shock waves in the Udyog Bhawan. No one knows the reasons for sacking Meena and bringing in his place R S Gujral, a Punjab cadre IAS officer, as the new DGFT. Senior IAS officers say such summary ouster of a senior bureaucrat shows the Cabinet Secretariat in poor light.

Violations by vigilance commissioners



The violation of propriety or breach of ethics by ex-Vigilance Commissioners has left many dazed !! They are precluded from accepting any sinecure after retirement from the Vigilance Commission.

H J Dora, who was till recently the Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission, has joined a private firm GMR as its Executive Director to monitor the security angle of the modernisation of the New Delhi airport. Dora, an IPS officer of 1965 batch, has been the Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, before joining the CWC and has also worked as an additional DG of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that now provides security to the airports. Another Vigilance Commissioner, Janaki Ballabh, who was previously SBI Chairman, has accepted the job of the Chairman of the Staff Selection Board for senior officers of RBI.




Neelam Nath complains against Prof.Prahlad BasuNeelam Nath



Neelam Nath, a senior IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre, working in the Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises, has proceeded on leave complaining against its chairman Prof. Prahlad Basu in a two-page letter to the Cabinet Secretary. She has accused Basu of harassing her by assigning her "responsibilities in utter violation of the administrative procedures" and pressuring her to enhance the monthly salaries of part-time employees without the required concurrence of the Financial Advisor of the Department. She first approached the Union Minister for Heavy Industries Santosh Mohan Deb who is already having a running feud with Basu for defying his directions. Deb had even approached the Prime Minister to get rid of Basu but nothing happened. Deb therefore advised Neelam Nath to personally meet the Cabinet Secretary and complain to him about Basu's conduct.

Compulsory wait
Compulsory wait has become the norm for bureaucrats who do not toe the Ministers' line in the UPA regime. It has kept Ranjit Issar, a senior IAS officer of 1972 batch of Haryana cadre, on compulsory wait since April 2007. He is at home, drawing his monthly salary. At the Joint Secretary level there are five IAS officers on CW (Compulsory Wait) while at the Additional Secretary level, there are three IAS offices cooling their heels without proper administrative assignments.