NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in the big bang theory. For the massive bureaucratic shuffling, appointments seen in the last 100 days, apparently six criteria were diligently followed—quick decision-making capability, initiative in improving governance module with reform-mindedness, ability to develop synergy between the government, the academic world and the industry for job creation, political neutrality, trustworthiness and pro-people orientation.
In other words, there is a method being followed to create a new template which is not only shaking up and scaring the system plunged in sloth, but also sends a strong message—“it can’t be business as usual’’.
The biggest-ever shuffling affected by Modi before he left for the US trip, it seems, is part of an ongoing exercise to revamp officialdom. But the sheer numbers involved in the latest round of changes took everyone’s breath away—eight secretaries and over three dozen joint secretaries were appointed in one go. And it’s “not any one time exercise” of its kind.
According to high level sources, “this is just the beginning”. The next on the line are the Additional Secretaries.
Another massive shuffling could be expected of ASs along with half-a-dozen or more JS-level appointments and shifting. This is likely after the PM returns from US.
Many of the NDA-I tenure Director-level officials, a top-level source said, would get promoted to JS-level in the next round of shuffling/appointment, which officials believe “is also rid the new government of UPA sloth’’. “Those with proven track record or showing merit and initiative will get their due,’’ the source added. It is, nonetheless, as much a politically mandated move as it is a bureaucratic shake-up. Though many feel that Modi did not ignore the need for continuity, thus Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth was given extension.
In fact, Principal Secretary Nripendra Mishra has told people that he has spent most of his career serving under Congress governments which was not seen as a drawback by the PM. “It is what you bring to the table in terms of ideas, ability or keenness to deliver” and of course eagerness to toe the line, a senior official said, “that matters to him (Modi).”
But what has worrying many is not the scale of the recent shuffling and in some cases, what is characterized as “dumping”. Sources close to the exercise say, the intention was not just to shake up the system but also send a message across—that a “certain work ethos” has to be espoused.
For instance, 1979-batch Gujarat cadre officer Rajiv Takru who once manned the financial services was moved to National Minorities Commission as Secretary, from the current posting at Department for Development of North-East Region (DoNER). His position will be taken up by 1979-Tamil Nadu cadre R.Vijayakumar.
Similarly, Satyanarayan Mohanty, an Andhra Pradesh cadre officer, has been surprisingly appointed Secretary, High Education, moved from National Disaster Management Authority, despite some misgivings.
JOINT SECRETARY
1. TVSN Prasad
1988 batch Haryana cadre IAS, appointed joint secretary in the Water resources, River Development and Ganga rejuvenation Ministry.
2. Varsha Joshi
1995 batch UT cadre IAS, now Director, Census, appointed JS in New and Renewable energy Ministry.
3. Satbir Silas Bedi 1986 batch UT cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of School Education and Literacy.
4. Surina Rajan
1985 batch Haryana cadre IAS, appointed JS in department of Defence.
5. Sandeep Pondrik
1993 batch Bihar cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
6. Hitesh Kumar S Makwana
1995 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, now on compulsory wait in Shipping Ministry, appointed JS in the Union Home Ministry.
7. Shashi Prakash Goyal
1989 batch UP cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of Higher Education.
8. Rakesh Ranjan
1992 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS, on compulsory wait in the Ministry of Culture, appointed JS in the Department of Higher Education.
9. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
1988 batch Uttarakhand cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of Higher Education. He comes in the place of Jagmohan Singh Raju, 1985 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, now prematurely repatriated to his cadre on June 30, 2014.
10. Urvilla Khati
1986 batch IRPS officer and JS in the Ministry of Water Resources, appointed as JS in the Ministry of Steel.
11. Amita Prasad
1985 batch Karnataka cadre IAS, appointed JS in the ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga rejuvenation.
12. Nisha Singh
1987 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre and JS in UD Ministry, appointed JS in the department of atomic energy.
13. Dilip Kumar
1995 batch Punjab cadre IAS, on compulsory wait in the Ministry of External Aaffairs, appointed JS in Union Home Ministry.
14. M Ariz Ahmmed
1995 batch Assam cadre IAS, now a director in the Department of School Education, appointed JS in the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
15. Ashok Pal Singh
1986 batch Indian Postal Service officer, now deputy director in UIDAI, appointed JS in the Department of Disinvestment.
16. Himanshu Kumar
1990 batch UP cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of Defence.
17. Niranjan Kumar Singh
1987 batch Gujarat cadre Indian Forest Service officer, appointed JS in the Ministry of Mines.
18. Sudhansh Pant
1991 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
19. Chintamani Manohar Sane
1993 batch Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer, appointed JS (Finance) in Department of Space, Bengaluru.
20. UP Singh
1985 batch Odisha cadre IAS, JS in Steel Ministry, appointed JS in the Petroleum Ministry.
21. IS Chahal
1989 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS, now JS in MHA, shifted as JS to the Ministry of WCD
22. Arti Bhatnagar
1990 batch IDAS officer, JS (Security) in Cabinet Secretariat.
23. Manoj Kumar Singh
1988 batch UP cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
24. Bharat Harbanslal
Khera, 1995 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS, appointed JS, Department of Defence Production.
25. Guruprasad Mohapatra
1986 batch Gujarat cadre IAS, appointed JS, Department of Commerce.
26. Ali Raza Rizvi
1988 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
27. Gopal Krishna Dwivedi
1993 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, now on compulsory wait in the Ministry of Commerce, appointed JS in the Union Home Ministry.
28. Manisha Prasad Panwar
1990 batch Uttarakhand cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Ministry of WCD.
29. Heera Lal Samariya
1985 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Department of Fertilizer.
30. Ranjit Punhani
1991 batch Bihar cadre IAS, appointed JS in the Union Home Ministry.
31. RA Rajeev
1987 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS, appointed JS (Finance) in the Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai.
32. J Rama Krishna Rao
1985 batch Bihar cadre IAS, appointed as JS in the Department of Defence Production.
33. Sudhir Kumar
a CSS officer, appointed JS (Administration) in CBDT under the Department of Revenue.
34. Praveen Prakash
1994 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, new JS in Department of Higher Education, shifted to UD Ministry JS.
35. Rakesh Kumar Singh
1989 batch Kerala cadre IAS, JS in Petroleum Ministry, shifted to Department of Agriculture and Cooperation as JS.
36. Uday Singh Kumawat
1993 batch Bihar cadre IAS, on compulsory wait in Agriculture Ministry, appointed JS in Department of Revenue.
37. Anil Kumar Singh, 1995 batch UT cadre IAS, presently on compulsory wait in the ministry of youth affairs and sports, has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of power.
38. G Anupama
1991 batch Haryana cadre IAS, on compulsory wait in Culture Ministry, appointed JS in the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.