L-G Najeeb Jung transfers Delhi government’s top officials; Kejriwal hits out at PM Modi

Raj Niwas: L-G the authority for transfers and postings of IAS, Danics officers.

After the Delhi high court ruling that lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung was the administrative head of the national capital, Raj Niwas for the first time effected major bureaucratic reshuffle in the city government. The court clarified that the L-G was the competent authority to clear all service matters including transfer and posting of senior government officers.

Raj Niwas has now made it clear that the L-G would be the appointing authority for transfer and postings of IAS, Danics, All-India Service officers and equivalent officers of Central civil services. But for DASS Grade I/II, principal private secretary, senior personal assistant, the chief secretary will be the approving authority. Besides, secretary (services) has been appointed as the approving authority for transfer and postings of DASS Grade III/IV and Grade II/III (stenographer) while administrative secretary/head of department will look after transfers and postings of other employees of cadre/ex-cadre within the department concerned.

Despite deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s request that health and public works department secretaries should not be transferred as this could severely affect some of the AAP government’s flagship projects – setting up of mohalla clinics and construction of new school buildings — the L-G transferred two key bureaucrats on Monday night.

While 1992-batch IAS officer Ashwini Kumar has been appointed as the PWD secretary in place of Sarvagya Srivastava, who was given charge of the same by the AAP government, a 1996-batch officer Chandrakar Bharti has been posted as the new health secretary.

Both health and PWD secretaries had hogged limelight as the AAP government had appointed two non-IAS officials as principal secretaries. Dr Tarun Seem, an IRS official, and Mr Srivastava, an engineer, were appointed in February as health and PWD secretaries respectively. These posts were earlier held only by IAS officials.

Even Delhi Vidhan Sabha secretary Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara has been relieved by the services department and repatriated to his parent organisation with immediate effect. In a letter to the Delhi government’s services department, Prasar Bharti had stated that the official should be repatriated with immediate effect as the department had been facing a crunch of “experienced professionals like P. K. Suryadevara”.

The letter was sent on July 20 by deputy director, administration, V. Sripathi, who had written that since Mr Suryadevara’s deputation period was over, he should be sent back to the All India Radio (AIR).

As per the Raj Niwas order, Mr Ashwini Kumar, who is currently holding the charge of secretary, social welfare and secretary, women & child development (WCD), has now been assigned the job of the PWD secretary. He will also be holding the additional charge of secretary (vigilance) and director (vigilance). The post of secretary (vigilance) was earlier held by IRS officer Sukesh.

A 1993 batch officer, K.R. Meena, has been given charge of commissioner of food supplies and consumer affairs. He will also hold an additional charge of secretary-cum-commissioner (industries). Mr Meena was earlier holding the charge of member, VAT appellate tribunal.

Secretary environment and forests, Chandrakar Bharti, a 1996 batch officer, would now hold the charge of health and family welfare secretary. Secretary-cum-commissioner (transport) Sandeep Kumar, a 1997 batch IAS officer, has been given additional charge of secretary, irrigation and flood.

Ms Dilraj Kaur, a 2000-batch IAS officer, has been given charge of secretary, social welfare and secretary, women and child welfare. She would also hold the charge of director, social welfare.

A senior bureaucrat said that all these and transfer and postings have been approved by the Civil Services Board which was recently constituted by Raj Niwas. Assistant legal advisor Manish Kumar, presently posted in the education department to the L-G secretariat, has been sent back to the law, justice and legislative affairs department.