STUCK IN BIHAR

Like Didi, his feisty counterpart in West Bengal, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is reluctant to allow IAS officers in the state to go on Central deputation. Sources say that out of the sanctioned posts of 141 IAS officials from Bihar cadre for appointment on Central deputation, only 41 are posted at the Centre. Among these lucky few are Girish Shankar, secretary, ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises; Navin Verma, secretary, ministry of development of north eastern region; C.K. Mishra, additional secretary, ministry of health and family welfare; Amarjeet Sinha, secretary, ministry of rural development and Sandeep Poundrik, joint secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas.

However, for the majority of officers, who are empanelled in the GoI in additional secretary rank, the door seems to be closed for Central deputation. Applications for Central deputation are always pending with the state government. Sources say that unless the official has high-level connections in the office of the chief minister or chief secretary or at least in the general administration department there is little chance of the application being cleared.

It is pointed out that much of the deputation blues of babus in Bihar could stem from the bureaucracy being split between those close to Mr Kumar and those allied with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Besides, there is a shortage of IAS officers at the senior level in the state, and the state government therefore is keen to retain senior and efficient officers.