Other Mitra: Ex-PMO official Sanjay Mitra may eventually become chief secretary

FORMER joint secretary in PMO and 1982 batch West Bengal cadre IAS Sanjay Mitra may finally get his due. According to reports, desks are being cleared for Mitra to become first an additional chief secretary and then chief secretary of Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal. Incidentally, Mitra who had worked in PMO for almost seven years was handpicked by Ms Banerjee. But he was then relegated to the backyard of Kolkata’s...
power corridor. Mitra was made health secretary thereby not getting a chance to be at the centre-stage of Kolkata’s power politics dominated by bureaucrats around all-powerful Gautam Sanyal.

The other Mitra, Amit Mitra of Ficci, was however given the right berth from day one. Amit Mitra, also handpicked by Mamata Banerjee, fought elections and became the state’s finance minister.

Sanjay Mitra’s elevation to the rank of additional chief secretary could be possible as his seniors will be allowed to go on Central deputation, which was till now unofficially vetoed by CM, according to media reports. Mitra, a Harvard Mason fellow from US, was on Central deputation, first in finance ministry, then rural development ministry and finally in PMO.

CBI arrests I-T officials

The CBI arrested IRS official and director (investigation) Kunal Singh, additional director (investigation) Ratan Singh after raids were conducted in their residences. The agency said it recovered Rs 30 lakh from Kunal Singh who was also holding additional charge of I-T commissioner, Kanpur. Pankaj Bajaj, Managing Director of realty firm Eldeco, was also arrested in the same case.

Action and Appointments

a) ACC has approved the extension of tenure of Ms Snehlata Kumar, a 1979 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS, as consultant in the Planning Commission for a period of three months with effect from May 14, 2012. The Planning Commission was also directed to make suitable arrangement for assigning the issue being handled by Ms Kumar to some other officer, within this period.