Is Gujarat chief secretary’s ban on bureaucrats’ leaves a tool to please Modi?

SOME bureaucrats in Gujarat have wondered whether state chief secretary Achal Kumar Joti, a 1975 batch IAS, is going overboard to please chief minister Narendra Modi and cancel their leaves during this summer.

The recall of Arti Kanwar, 2001 batch IAS and project director of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, from Canada and the cancellation of leave application of Hasmukh Adhia, 1981 batch IAS and principal secretary of education department, as a part of the government’s attempt to ensure compulsory attendance of bureaucrats for Golden Gujarat festivals, starting May 1, have created unhappiness among many bureaucrats. As has been reported in media, the diktat of “no leave for bureaucrats” could remain much beyond the current mega show, as chief secretary issued an order saying that the bureaucrats’ presence in crucial festivals, to take place in May-June, will be mandatory. Two such programmes, Krishi Mahatsav and Kanya Kelavni school enrolment drive, may continue till June, implying that no bureaucrat will get any leave during this summer when their children have school vacation.

As was reported in a national newspaper, chief minister while addressing secretaries during the last Cabinet meeting simply requested that officials should avoid leaves as far as possible, but chief secretary went beyond a point to put a blanket ban on leaves.

Action and Appointments

a) Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia, Judge of the Supreme Court, will be the new Chief Justice of India with effect from May 12, 2010.

b) Justice Hemant Laxman Gokhale, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Smt. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra, Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, and Justice Anil Ramesh Dave, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court in that order of seniority, have been appointed as Judges of the Supreme Court of India.

c) The ACC has approved the proposal of the ministry of home affairs (MHA) for inter-cadre transfer of Vikas Pathak, a 2008 batch Tamin Nadu cadre IPS from Tamil Nadu to Rajasthan.

d) Extension of deputation tenure of Sanjay Sinha, a 1978 batch MP cadre IPS as minister (personnel and community Affairs) in the Embassy of India, Washington DC (joint secretary level) June 30, 2010 has been approved.

e) Jawaid Akhtar, a 1989 batch Karnataka cadre IAS, has been appointed as chairman, Coffee Board, at Bengaluru (joint secretary level) under the department of commerce.

f) The ACC has approved the appointment of Rajiv Takru, a 1979 batch Gujarat cadre IAS as Director General, National Institute of Fashion Technology, in the rank and pay of additional secretary, on in -situ elevation.

(In Picture on Right: A delegation of CPWD Officers Wives Welfare Association called on the Vice President, Mohd Hamid Ansari, in New Delhi on April 30, 2010)