#Bureaucratic Update
When the orders for the new BMC Commissioner were issued and a few other changes were announced, many expected a much bigger shake-up in the IAS cadre — and the long-awaited IPS reshuffle in Maharashtra.
However, in Mumbai, reliable sources indicate that there will be no major changes in the coming six months in key agencies such as MMRDA, MSRDC, SRA, and MHADA.
Although names like Anup Kumar Yadav were doing the rounds for MHADA, he did not make the cut. Sanjeev Jaiswal is set to continue as Vice President & CEO of MHADA for at least the next six months, if not a full year, to complete the Chief Minister’s ambitious vision for housing. Similarly, in the SRA, Kalyankar is expected to remain in place, along with his counterpart in the MMRDA, Sanjay Mukherjee.
In CIDCO, Vijay Singhal is likely to be replaced and given a better role. I know the front-runner for the post, but I won’t divulge the name here — anything can change at the last minute. The person in question is currently serving as an Additional Commissioner somewhere in Maharashtra.
UD-1 and ACS Housing continue to be held by Aseem Gupta, who lost out to Ashwini Bhide in the race for BMC Commissioner. However, in the next 6 to 8 months, Aseem Gupta could be moved as Housing Secretary (if not Vinita Singhal). In that scenario, Sanjay Mukherjee (currently UD-1) may replace Aseem Gupta at UD-1.
Vinita Vaid Singhal was all set to become ACS Housing, but for reasons unknown, the move did not materialise at the last minute. She was instead appointed as Principal Secretary, Soil and Water Conservation.
Lokesh Chandra’s elevation to the CMO in place of Ashwini Bhide has been viewed as a good move, though not everyone took it in the right spirit when Chandra was made CMD at MSEDCL because his wife, Aabha Shukla, is the Secretary of the same department.
Couldn’t gather much information as to why the orders were STAYED when Shweta Singhal was appointed as the MD of Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd just few days back…
On the IPS front, transfer orders are expected soon. Promotions have largely been cleared all across states and it is expected here to be done anytime now. Horse-trading has become the norm elsewhere, but there may be little room for it here with CM & HM Fadnavis and ACS (Home) Manisha Mhaiskar firmly in charge.
The Police Games are scheduled in Mumbai from the 19th to the 26th of this month. My gut feel is that the transfer orders will either come this week or in the last week of April. If issued now, the new Joint CPs and Additional CPs would have to run around for field preparations, sponsors, and accommodations. It would make sense for the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, to request the CM and ACS (Home) to wait until the games are over. Nevertheless, this month is likely to see significant changes in the IPS cadre.
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
