In bureaucracy, when it comes to promotion or advancement in career, tangible benefits such as increased pay or posting to a higher position count. Otherwise, the thrill of elevation would abate soon. In Telangana, four of the 10 officers conferred IAS in February continue to hold their respective positions despite their elevation. A. Nirmala Kanthi Wesley continues to be the Managing Director of the Telangana State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation. For newbies, the officer is the wife of late ASC Wesley, combined AP’s former chief minister late Y S Rajashekar Reddy’s then chief security officer, who was also killed in the September 2009 chopper crash that claimed the CM’s life. Kota Sreevatsa continues to be the Additional Collector of Warangal. EV Narasimha Reddy continues to be TSIIC MD. However, one of the most discussed conferred IAS continues to be P. Katyayani Devi, who continues to be OSD to K T Rama Rao. Whispers in the corridors of power are about the mystery element around the IAS officer continuing to be there, apart from the diversity quotient.
Finance Secretary not picking calls
Money that flows through a channel is regulated, monitored, disbursed, and audited. Within the administration of a state, usually the Finance Secretary watches this money tap, opening it as per requirements and strictly in line with directions from above, provided there is money flow in the first place!
Finance Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Dr. KVV Satyanarayana is in a peculiar situation. This much-misunderstood secretary is accused of ‘not picking calls’ by many circles. Irked by his prolonged lack of response, a senior official raised the issue in CMO. A little bird told us that Satyanarayana, who got to know that his (mis)behaviour was the subject of discussion, called up the official and explained that he did not mean to disrespect him, or anyone for that matter, by not picking the calls, but that his ringing phone rendered him speechless as the caller would invariably be someone who wanted his help for money. With the state being cash-strapped, he did not have a plausible answer to people making him requests for clearing funds or dues. So, he has a difficult choice: taking a call or being mistaken.
4:00 am Commissioner of GHMC
Like it or not, new GHMC Commissioner Ronald Rose has got cracking quickly. Hardly a week into his new role, the officer was seen doing the rounds at the ground level at 4:00 am, wearing the orange safety jacket. In casuals, wearing jeans and a polo, the Commissioner was monitoring sanitation, pictures of which went viral. Netizens are abuzz with the high points of the officer’s work during his previous postings in districts. While some recalled his simplicity and how he had stood out among collectors, others guessed rather ominously that he would be ‘silenced’ soon. For a change, even those supporting opposition parties did not stint in praising his work in the past. They only hoped that he would leave his mark in GHMC too.
Why Sarfaraz Ahmed was sidelined
Sarfaraz Ahmad, IAS, Director Prohibition and Excise who has been transferred and posted as the Joint Chief Election Officer, must have taken the warm farewell given to him as a left-handed compliment. For, Musharaff Ali Faruqui, who has replaced him, was welcomed literally with garlands — pudine ka haar to be precise. Sarfaraz’s unease lies in the fact that the corridors of power see his new role as unvarnished punishment posting. The buzz is that he has been sidelined for dancing to the tunes of a senior official in babudom, which did not go down well with others in a group. Besides, some of the additional portfolios of another officer from the group in question were also realigned in the recent shuffle.
Mixed bag for babus awaiting transfers
The upcoming Telangana Assembly elections has brought a mixed bag of delight and disappointment to babus awaiting posting for long. With the Election Commission directing the state government to complete the process of transfers of officials being drafted for election duties, in all 31 IAS officers have just been reshuffled. As part of the process, the state government has given posting to IAS officers who had been awaiting posting, including those waiting for months together. Thanks to the Election Commission’s directive, the transfers were effected by 31st July to accommodate some officers in important positions. In the process, some have got posting without having to wait for months. Of course, there are other officers who are unhappy because they did not get ‘good posting’ (read in line with what they had been expecting).
