Himachal’s bureaucratic overhaul: Winds of change are blowing
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The Newz Radar
Opinion:The bureaucratic landscape in Himachal Pradesh, comprising approximately 110 officials currently in service with a handful on Central deputation, is on the brink of a significant reshuffle.
Speculations abound that certain bureaucrats occupying pivotal positions in the state government may soon find themselves in field roles, while others from the field could be elevated to key positions at the top.
Since assuming power, the Congress government has shown restraint in initiating transfers, a move that, by political calculations, has undoubtedly garnered favour for Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu among a faction of senior bureaucrats, though not universally.
Bureaucracy, often referred to as the steel frame of the state, occasionally appears to be rusting and developing fractures. The Central deputation of Bharat Khera, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, has triggered discussions about the void left by the absence of a seasoned bureaucrat who was steering the affairs of the state.
There is speculation within the power corridors with names like IAS officers Sudha Devi, RD Nazeem, Abhishek Jain, and Ram Subhag Singh as potential candidates to fill this gap. Simultaneously, political maneuvering is underway, with murmurs of an “operation lotus” post the LS polls.
In light of recent incidents involving letter bombs and the court’s verdict on the Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) issue, a section of the state bureaucracy is responding in two ways: some are opting for flight (Central deputation), while others are choosing hibernation (maintaining silence and waiting) as their strategy.
It is learnt that a few bureaucrats on Central deputation are hesitant to return due to the uncertainties surrounding the outcome of the upcoming LS polls. Meanwhile, those serving within the state bureaucracy are adopting the flight mode to steer clear of potential hurdles in their promising careers.
Simultaneously, some are in a state of hibernation, perched on the fence, awaiting more favourable conditions before making their move. They hold firm in their belief that change is the only constant and are hopeful for a better tomorrow.
The rift within the top bureaucrats became evident during the last government’s five-year tenure.
In present regime, young and aspiring entrants in the bureaucracy express disappointment, feeling that their superiors are helpless.
While every bureaucrat acknowledges the Chief Minister’s resource mobilization initiatives, inquiries about the blueprints for economic or tourism policies often leave them with a sense of blank uncertainty.
Critics argue that transfers and postings have become ad hoc, subjected to the whims and fancies of top political figures. Some bureaucrats lament that career planning has become a relic of the past.
