Despite tiff with bureaucrats, government to mark Civil Services Day
On one hand, the AAP government is at loggerheads with a large number of bureaucrats, but on the other it is all set to celebrate the Civil Services Day. The event on Tuesday will see addresses by none other than chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia.
In Delhi, a section of the bureaucrats have been at loggerheads with the AAP government over a host of issues concerning policy-making and day-to-day governance. Delhi also earned the distinction of becoming the first Union Territory where civil servants went on a half day leave on December 31 in protest against the AAP government’s order to suspend two special secretaries of the home department for not toeing its line. A former chief secretary said: “The strike by civil servants is a very serious issue. It is also a rare occasion that they have en-mass gone on strike in any state or in the Centre in the past 68 years.”
Another senior officer said that the AAP government has been humiliating bureaucrats (both IAS and Danics) and giving prime postings to other cadres. “For instance, the AAP government has appointed officers from IRS to handle vigilance department; engineering services engineer to handle PWD and a doctor to head the health department. This has happened for the first time in the national capital.”
Deputy secretary (general administration department) Amitabh Kundoo issued a circular about Tuesday’s event. “The Civil Services Day is celebrated on April 21 on each year. As part of the celebration, a function is being held on April 19, where the chief minister and deputy chief minister have graciously agreed to share their insights with the civil servants of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.”
Asked why the AAP government was celebrating the Civil Services Day on April 19, a senior bureaucrat said that the officers will be attending a programme organised by the BJP-led government at the Centre on the Civil Services Day on April 21. This will be the second occasion when the city government is celebrating the Civil Services Day.
The Civil Services Day is being celebrated on April 21 every year since 2006.
