DIDIGIRI: Mamata may ask West Bengal cadre IAS, IPS on deputation to return home

WEST Bengal chief minister designate Mamata Banerjee may ask Bengal cadre bureaucrats to return home while engineering a major bureaucratic reshuffle in the state. According to local media reports, the process of identifying senior bureaucrats who are expected to play key roles in the next few years has already begun.

A leading newspaper from Kolkata said that some IAS officers working with the Union ministers from Bengal could also be given new assignments in the state. The Telegraph said Jawhar Sircar, the current union culture secretary, is among the officers the Trinamool leadership is keen to bring back to the state. Despite the euphoria about the end of the 34-year-old Left rule, many secretary level officers are unlikely to show interests in going back to Kolkata at the fag end of their career.

There are about 30 Bengal cadre IAS and IPS officers who are on deputation in Delhi.

Significantly, during her stint as Union railway minister, Mamata Banerjee was very keen in not sending railway officers to other Central departments on deputation. Also, she wanted her officers on Central Staffing back to the railways as soon as they complete their tenure.

Action and Appointments

a) Andhra Pradesh  government on Monday did a major reshuffle of IAS officers. Among others, the government swapped the roles of Busi Sam Bob, principal secretary, industries and commerce and T S Appa Rao, principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development. It is expected to improve municipal administration as municipal administration minister M Mahidhar Reddy and Appa Rao have reportedly differed on many key issues.

b) Raja Ram Sah, a 1995 batch IRS (IT) officer, has been appointed as director in cabinet secretariat, New Delhi.

c) Ms Asha Rani Rungta, a 1994 batch IPTA officer, has been shifted as Controller of Finance in Dr BR Amberdkar University.