Gujarat babus rush to Delhi, leave vacuum
AHMEDABAD: Never in the past bureaucrats in Gujarat were as keen to work on Central deputation. With Narendra Modi being the Prime Minister, bureaucrats who worked under him in Gujarat are eager to join his team in the national capital.
However, senior babus making a beeline to go to New Delhi has created a vacuum in bureaucracy in the state where key departments are being handled with additional charge due to shortage of senior officials.
“We have shortage at senior level so additional charges are given,” a senior official in the CMO said. “We will not allow any senior officer to go on deputation now,” he added.
At present, two crucial departments -- home and revenue -- are being handled as additional charge given to JN Singh, who is additional chief secretary (finance) and GR Aloria, who is ACS (urban development). Singh is in charge ACS of revenue also while Aloria handles home.
Besides, there is no full time managing director of several Gujarat government owned blue chip companies like Gujarat State Petroluem Corporation ( GSPC), Gujarat Mineral Development Cor poration (GMDC), Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Corporation (GNFC).
More than half a dozen senior officials from the state have moved to centre after Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister following thumping victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Latest to move in Delhi was Hasmukh Adhia, 1981 batch Gujarat cadre IAS, who has taken over as secretary financial services.
Two 1980 batch IAS, Rajesh Kishore and HK Dash also moved to the central government as secretary interstate council and director general of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) respectively.
Not only IAS, even police and forest service officials are keen to work in Delhi.
“Surat police commissioner Rakesh Asthana is likely to be appointed in the CBI while joint commissioner of police, Ahmedabad, AK Sharma is also shifting to Delhi shortly after his formal order is issued in the government of India,” a senior police official said.