Meghwal and Gudha’s choice of 2 RAS officers with ‘questionable’ past as Special Assistant surprises everyone!

Jaipur: Questions are being raised, in the bureaucratic circles of the state these days, on the posting of two RAS officers, with a ‘stained’ image, as Special Assistant (SA) to two ministers. Issuing order in this regard, DoP appointed Brajesh Kumar Chandoliya as SA to minister Govind Ram Meghwal and Bansidhar Kumawat as SA to MoS Rajendra Singh Gudha.

Both the RAS officers have been controversial figures and their image is somewhat questionable. Chandoliya, a 1997 batch RAS officer has had 20 postings and in his 23 years of service during which he has been put on APO thrice. In the past, he has served as SA to former minister, Late Bhanwar Lal Meghwal.

In January 2021, he was appointed as Additional CEO of Greater Jaipur Municipal Corporation (GJMC) and after ACB’s recent raid on GJMC, Chandoliya has come under ‘limelight’. Chadoliya also had the charge of Fire DC and fingers were raised as to why were the files related to giving Fire NOC being released after a huge wait.

His signatures were also required for issuing the payment on challans of tenders and files of Health and Garden section and word is that he may have come under ACB’s radar, but Chandoliya went on a leave and then ‘managed’ his transfer as minister’s SA, perhaps on the thought that through this he will be out of ACB’s ‘radar’.

However, Bansidhar Kumawat’s ‘story’ is extremely serious as he has been nabbed by the ACB once. In his 22 years of service, 1998 batch RAS officer Kumawat has been transferred 17 times, has been suspended 7 times and put on APO of two months.

In September 2019, the ACB had nabbed Kumawat red handed when he was serving as Joint Secretary in Mines Department, while accepting a bribe of Rs 4 lakh. He was subsequently put behind bars.

But later, for reasons unknown, the state government did not give ACB a permission to present challan against Kumawat in court.

Later in January 2021, Kumawat was reinstated and posted as joint secretary in Minority Affairs ministry department and now has been appointed as SA to MoS Rajendra Gudha.

It is a widely known fact that the DoP appoints the Private Secretaries, SAs and OSDs of ministers on the desire and choice of the ministers themselves, which means that both Chandoliya and Kumawat must have been preferred by both the ministers in their staff.

Therefore, million dollar question is: Why, by violating the normal principal of administrative propriety, did the ministers choose these two officials when RAS cadre has a good numerical strength?

It may be that the ministers may have preferred their ‘talents’ of which they have shown several glimpses in their career.