Bhopal:
Thakur Saheb
The caste pride of a senior administrative officer called ‘Thakur Saheb’ was suddenly kindled in him. His saying ‘no’ to a proposal made by none other than the chief minister at a meeting surprised everyone present at that gathering. Though the CM spoke about the proposal thrice, the ‘Thakur Saheb’ was in no mood to listen to him. Amazed at his conduct, the CM must have thought there was something wrong with him. In fact, the ‘Thakur Saheb’ told his colleagues that implementation of the said proposal, despite his being at the helm of affairs, would hurt his ‘Thakur pride’.
As it is, the ‘Thakur Saheb’ was in his elements and took on the head of the state, knowing well that it might cause loss to him. Yet, he took the risk to show his caste pride. Nevertheless this incident has brought his critics who are now appreciative of his courage close to him. Though the officer was angry about that particular proposal, it is not easy to set his back up.
Smart couple
Picture the young bureaucrats portray is generally clean. A couple belonging to the IAS category has recently raised a storm in their respective departments. They are known for simplicity. Yet, the ‘Saheb’ does not sign any file without asking for commission. Due to his conduct, the work in the department has almost stopped.
The minister of the department concerned is worried, but since he has no say in the government, he cannot take any action against the officer. Madam, too, gets her work done through a select group. Though the staff in the department generally talks well about the couple, suppliers know the truth. The couple has occupied many important posts, after all. Accordingly, they work, that no one can point the finger at them.
Expenses
An officer in a federation is making all efforts to remove a managing director (MD) of the department. The officer has reportedly given some money in advance to another powerful officer to remove the MD from the federation. The truth is: both officers in question are trying to get a bureaucrat, charged with corruption, posted as MD to the federation. Once close to the MD, the officer who was involved in a scam wanted to stop any inquiry against him by mollifying his boss. After the MD’s refusal to meddle in the affairs, the officer is out to get him shifted. The officer concerned has been shifted from the capital, though. Yet, he is spending money to get his boss shifted from the post.
In a bind!
Well-known for keeping any work pending, an officer of the principal secretary (PS) rank is caught in a cleft stick, these days. The department which the PS is in-charge of has been on government’s priority, because it has to run an important election campaign, and the PS has been given the responsibility for it.
Since the higher-ups in the government know the working style of that PS, they have deployed an additional chief secretary to collect a progress report from the department about the work. And the ACS is seeking report about it daily. Since both ACS and PS are competent, they do not gel with each other. The ACS has changed all the pro-forma made by the PS.
The ACS has told the PS to do as he says. The problem with the PS who has been shifted from one department to another for committing irregularities is that, if he makes a mistake, the axe of transfer may fall on him again. Otherwise also, his name does not figure on the list of officials favourite to the government.
Efforts
Two officers posted to an important department are in collision with each other in their attempt to stay in the department, and one of them has pulled all the stops to remain there. Since he has always occupied important positions, he is using his friends in the corridors of power to stay in that department.
The woman officer, who also wants to stick to the department, is trying to use all her resources to meet her purpose. The department concerned has suddenly become very important, because a big budget has been sanctioned for it. It so happened after the department concerned was merged with another. Since important functions are held in the department, people in corridors of power are associated with it. In an administrative shake-up that might happen in the coming days, it would be seen, out of the two, who emerges the most powerful.
The real work
A minister who has been recently inducted into the cabinet was made to feel why he was installed into office. That happened when the minister had gone to meet the chief minister. When he was about to talk to the CM about his work, he was told to hold meetings of the community he belongs to, in every district of the state. The chief minister also asked him to take part in those meetings.
On hearing this, the minister who went to the chief minister to discuss about his problems quietly returned to his office. He realised what was the aim of installing him into the ministry. Though two months have passed since he was inducted into the office, he has not held any formal discussion with his officers on any issue. With the minister all is not well. Recently, a firm related to his department held a function but another minister was made the chief guest at the function in his place.