‘Controversial’ babus ‘shuffled’, young-guns given responsibilities!

Jaipur: An IAS put on APO, two IAS put on ‘punishment posting’ in Departmental Enquiry and removal of fifteen Collectors from field postings are some of the highlights of the IAS transfer list that was released on Friday. Half a dozen IAS of 2021 batch have been given posting for the first time whereas this is also a highlight of the transfer list that all 9 IAS of 2017 batch will be going in the field as Collectors together for the first time. Additionally, this has also happened for the first time that female Collectors have been appointed in seven districts.

Tarachand Meena is a promotee IAS of 2011 batch and was one of the favoured officials of the previous govt. Such was the situation that the previous govt appointed him first as Chittorgarh Collector and then as Udaipur Collector. However, what irked the bureaucrats and general public alike was that he was given the additional charge of MD - RSMML and Director - Mines at Udaipur itself. While the entire bureaucracy was surprised at this development then, the new govt has now put Tarachand Meena on APO through the transfer list released on Friday.

Anil Kumar Agrawal and OP Bairwa have been removed from their position as Dholpur and Tonk Collector respectively and have now been posted on the lacklustre posting of Commissioner, Departmental Enquiries. Anil Kumar was suspended in 2016 and remained so till 2018. In July 2022 he was posted as Dholpur Collector, however, during the elections he courted controversy. Similarly, Om Prakash Bairwa, in a desire to make his son contest the assembly polls, openly engaged in politics and complaint was made in this regard to election commission.

The previous govt also showed extra faith in Mahaveer Prasad Meena (2013 batch) and appointed him as Collector in the first go. He had reached Kota in Oct 2023 and his actions were reported against by BJP and within two months of his Kota posting, the new government has called him from Kota and appointed him on a ‘cold bag’ posting as MD of Bunkar Sangh.

Gaurav Agrawal, a native of Jaipur, is meritorious and capable official. He is the topper of 2014 IAS batch. After doing M.Tech and MBA, he had left for HongKong to work in the private sector on a hefty pay. However, he returned to India and became an IAS. The previous govt did not use Gaurav’s full capabilities and he was put on APO four times over the past five years. The new govt, according honour to Gaurav, has posted him as Jodhpur Collector. Ravindra Goswami, who has become Collector (Bundi) for first time, had carried out a stint in DoP as JS for 2 years. Then he showed his capabilities while serving as Bundi Collector last 6 months. The new govt has given him a good jump and appointed him as Kota Collector. It is considered a huge honour if an official is appointed as Collector of divisional hqs like Kota.

It is considered important as a career move for IAS that officials of one batch become Collectors together. In Friday’s transfer list, seven young IAS of 2017 batch have been appointed as Collectors. Moreover, after staying on APO for a long time, all 6 IAS of 2022 batch have also been given their first posting. Three officials have been given additional charge as well. DC of Udaipur - Rajendra Bhatt - has been given responsibility of MD, RSMML, but Tarachand Meena also has charge of DirectorMines, and this responsibility has not been given to anyone though Meena has been put on APO. Thus the post has fallen vacant.