In a major administrative reshuffle ahead of the state going to polls, the government on Tuesday transferred 25 senior IAS officers including former Gopalgarh collector Krishna Kunal, who was awaiting posting orders for 10 months now.
While additional chief secretary Aditi Mehta has been given the charge of arts and culture department, RSRTC chairman and managing director Manjit Singh, who has been facing major allegations, has been given charge of social justice and empowerment. Aditi Mehta will also be the chairperson of Amber Development and Management Authority.
Krishna Kunal will be the new land records commissioner and ex-officio director, management. Kunal was awaiting posting ever since the Central Administrative Tribunal in May 2012 had stayed the state government’s order of his suspension. District collector of Bharatpur at the time of the infamous Gopalgarh communal violence in September 2011, Kunal was suspended soon after the incident.
In the recent budget session of the assembly both the senior officers – Aditi Mehta and Manjit Singh – came under the line of fire. Allegations of irregularities in awarding scholarships to SC/ST students led to minister Ashok Bairwa assuring the house of action against the officers in the department which was headed by Aditi Mehta. A departmental inquiry was also held in the matter.
This is believed to be one of the primary reasons for Mehta being shifted out from the department. The additional chief secretary is scheduled to retire in two months. Praveen Gupta, commissioner, social justice and empowerment is also believed to have been moved for the same reason and will be new secretary, education department.
Manjit Singh, on the other hand, had become a major cause for embarrassment for the state government with the opposition raking up the issue of major irregularities in RSRTC. The opposition had demanded immediate removal of Manjit Singh over appointment of an unqualified chief manager.
Naresh Pal Gangwar, who for two years was posted as secretary, energy department, will take over as CMD of RSRTC while S K Agrawal will be the principal secretary, energy and CMD, Rajasthan State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited.
Principal secretary, medical and health, Deepak Upreti has also given charge of medical education. Tapendra Kumar will now be the chairman of Rajasthan Taxes Board, Ajmer while Tapensh Panwar will be principal secretary, revenue.
The list also includes the names of Prem Singh Mehra as principal secretary, women and child development; Ajitabh Sharma as commissioner, social justice and empowerment; Alok Gupta as commissioner, labour and Joga Ram as collector, Kota.
The transfer list also includes the names of 12 promotee IAS officers who have been given new postings. These include Vinod Ajmera as MD, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and acting director, Rajasthan Foundation; Ramkhiladi Meena as DG, registrar, stamp; Sriram Meena as director, horticulture; Sunil Dhariwal as DG, state revenue information directorate; Ratanlal Lahoti as district collector, Pratapgarh and Salvindra Singh Sohta as director, Panchayati Raj.
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