OFF THE RECORD review on IAS tranfers!

Wow, CM Devendra Fadnavis does it again! Last year when he transferred 80 odd IAS officers in the biggest reshuffle of bureaucratic world of Maharashtra, we all thought this will be the benchmark which no one would break! But yesterday, CM Fadnavis has done it again himself. 60 odd IAS officers got transferred yet again. Just day before, when I think every IAS bureaucrat got some or the other award at a function held at Sahyadri guest house, yesterday all hell broke loose for some them.  Lets do some math here to understand how some of them have had their way in getting themselves posted, while the others still in the hope of getting one shot at a plum posting, remains a distant dream now for at least a year . 

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Felt bad for Tukaram Mundhe who had got marching orders from is post as the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation just two months ago. CM Fadnavis could have waited for this moment to transfer him in routine course than doing it out of turn, inspite of having major public support and backing of all the good work he did. I thought Greater Mumbai Collector Ashwini Joshi would face similar embarrassment when she took on WTC, elite clubs in Mumbai head on without caring for anyone. But finally she fell to (allegedly) the power clutches pulled in by Manukumar Shrivastav to get her out of the Collector office & she got selected as Excise Commissioner. Thank God that rumour  (April fool Joke) of her been transferred as Collector Washim died its natural death, else CM couldn’t have handled one more embarrassment after Mundhe. Now the fun begins. Her Principal Secretary will be Valsa Nair Singh. Finally after “travelling business & first class” through MTDC on work, Valsa Singh will surely be in the radar of non-corrupt & BJP lover Ashwini Joshi.  Valsa ji, just for a recall, please take some advice how to handle Joshi–from Deepak Kapoor as he was the secretary in Food & Civil Supplies when Joshi was Controller of Rationing. The war between them had resulted in downfall of then Excise Minister Anil Deshmukh. Bawankule ji–Don’t worry I remember you had asked for Tukaram Mundhe for that post, CM has just fulfilled your wish by sending someone same. 

Shocker was SVR Sriniwas been given the job as OSD Dharavi Redevelopment Project. In Mumbai when the Road Scam of Rs. 350 crore was exposed, Sriniwas was abruptly transferred alleging his role in the scam. Now the same officer will be in this important Dharavi Project. I have no clue what was the performance of Sriniwas at SICOM. But one journalist working for Mumbai Mirror use to tell me about how Sriniwas was framed in this whole road scam. But I don’t go on the hearsay–next I know that the journalist is close to all AMC’s (even today) because of the newspaper ID he carries & the father who is known to be friends (as per his whimsical ways) with all. I have seen their autographs in the books at the residence of these father-son journalist when they came for Ganpati Darshan at their house. Now I know, how Mirror gets all their breaking news from the BMC.  

CM Fadnavis has again played a master stroke. When he used Girish Mahajan (& his close IAS officer friend) to finish off Khadse, Mahajan is now getting too big for his boots for the CM, informs an insider. Hence to keep a check on his activities in Nashik, Fadnavis has appointed Mahesh Zagade as Divisional Commissioner. Another PS of then CM Ashok Chavan Milind Shambharkar is Ceo ZP there. I shall come to Ashok Chavan & his associates team a bit later below. But yes, finally when Zagade asked for getting himself transferred out as Trasnport Commissioner–to even his surprise he was given a new task of developing PMRDA. Zagade took it with a pinch of salt (just as Tukaram Munde did) and started working on something new. Mind you, he did not even have a office when he resumed at Pune. Kirankumar Gitte will now take charge of that side posting now. So Zagade is back and how. Mind you all Collectors & ZP CEO’s, this man means business!

One of my favourite, though he is an old friend of my father, Chandrakant Dalvi has been given the reigns of Pune Divisional Commissioner. That post which was rotted & misused by the likes of one of the richest bureaucrat I think Maharashtra has seen, Prabhakar Deshmukh, has fallen in the lap of non-corrupt and extremely straight forward Chandrakant Dalvi. Though Chandrakant Dalvi’s replacement as Cooperation Commissioner is surely not Jagdish Patil (a Brahmin by the way). Jagdish Patil— was GM BEST till now–was with MTDC and he along with his friends from Co-operative Department, were not one bit impressive even there. Now also, where Patil will leave his charge BEST— it is all doldrums. Hence the important Co-op Department falling in Jagdish Patil’s lap is someone’s blessings for sure. Mysteriously Satish Soni whom I have known since 1987 has got himself transferred to the Marketing Federation from the MTDC. His boss is Shivaji Pahinkar who helped a masala king to evade duty worth crores. The whole Co-op department including the officers are best friends and their leader is none other than our Thane Collector, Dr. Mahendra Kalyankar–I hope Kalyankar saheb– you have paid your thanks to Prakash mehta & Mungantiwar for this plum post–I think either its the wish of Minister Subhash Deshmukh to get people like Shivaji Pahinkar, Satish Soni & Jagdish Patil under one roof of Coperative Department or friends I’m promising you–Subhash Deshmukh is surely the next one in line to get his a** fired. All my eyes, nose and ears are on you, friends!!

Another PS to ex CM Ashok Chavan. Since both ex PS (Shambarkar & Kalyankar) to CM Ashok Chavan have managed to plum postings all this while, one of them whom actually I’m fond off–Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar still is in some or the other ghats of Vidharbha. From Gondia where he served as ZP CEO he has been made Collector of Buldhana now. Mr. Pulkundwar, your own brother (Shrikant Pulkundwar) is PS to Prakash Mehta–Minister who had managed/brokered the deal for your then colleague Mr Kalyankar, why have you stayed behind then? I think its the old thing called “principles” you still carry with you even today– when you were PS to Suresh Shetty! Good old days Doctor!

An absolute Bollwyood hero type looking Abhijit Bangar’s friendship with then Kokan Div Commissioner (Now MSRDC boss) Mopalwar & “I know everything” attitude just went against him. From being closer to Thane now the stud man will be in soldering heat of Amravati. Again Fadnavis sends one of the best he has, to his opponent  (Ashok Chavan’s) hometown. G. Shreekant known for his unique way of administration is appointed as Nanded Collector. I’m sure like Akola–Nanded will see his mayhem! All the best boss! By the way Arun Vidhale, welcome back to Mantralaya-known for his antics when he was PS to Bunty Patil (ex state Home Minister) a Departmental Inquiry  is long pending on Vidhale. Welcome–I shall pursue it via RTIs.

People like Astik Pandey, Rubal Aggrwal who were impressive in Jalgaon are been thrown here & there. Just day before Astik Pandey was felicitated  for his contribution as  ZP CEO -Jalgaon along with then Collector Rubal Agrawal …Astik Pandey has been sent to Akola as Collector and Rubal Agrawal has been side posted at Shirdi. 

Im sure the 12 newly promoted IAS officers including Nivatkar, Ajay Gulhane, Kailash Jadhav & Avinash Dhakne just a week ago, give your best shot friends!! This is where you will impress the CM who has (OFF THE RECORD) devised a new plan & strategy to monitor your performance. If the CM has made some strategy the Anti Corruption is not behind. In a fortnight two IAS officers have been caught by the ACB recently. So be careful and do the hunting!

Have lots to write about these bureaucrats but space & time are constraints. In my OFF THE RECORD blogs will continue exposing some deeds of these. Till then CM one honest & sincere request–AVOID TRANSFERRING any bureaucrat before they complete their term. It breaks their momentum & creates void in decision making for the government. 

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