Babus hope new I&B minister will overturn decisions taken by Irani

NEW DELHI: The association of Indian Information Service (IIS) officers wants the new information and broadcasting minister to reverse the orders of mass transfers of the cadre that was initiated in November last year by the then minister, Smriti Irani, a functionary of the association said on condition of anonymity.

The association is likely to meet new minister Rajyavardhan Rathore next week to urge him to revisit the decision that saw hundreds of officials transferred across departments.

“We are hopeful that the minister will consider our request to revisit the decision, as mass transfer of officials has led to weakening of institutions and has led to wastage of human resource,” said another official who is part of the association.

The association, which had written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), drawing attention to the mass transfers of the cadre, had alleged these posting were carried out in contravention of rules and established practices.

“There are senior officials who have been sent to smaller centres where there is little work; in some place officials have been sent to states where they cannot speak the local language; this has resulted in under-utlilisation of manpower,” said the official quoted above.

The association had earlier complained that the transfer orders were issued without consulting the heads of the media units or taking into account their requirement.

“Information dissemination and functioning of many divisions such as the press information bureau, the directorate of audio visual publicity, news production in AIR and Doordarshan have also been impacted by these transfers,” another official who is part of the Press Information Bureau said on condition of anonymity.

While issuing the orders, officials in the ministry had said the transfers were announced to enhance the government’s outreach, particularly in smaller towns and cities such as Agra, Moradabad and Shimoga.