Inside Raisina Hill: Beyond IFS, Delhi's Policy Focus, And West Bengal DGP Race

As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

Beyond IFS: New Delhi Weighs Political Envoys

New Delhi’s diplomatic corridors are buzzing with speculation that the government is weighing the deployment of seasoned political leaders as India’s envoys to key neighbouring countries, including Nepal and Sri Lanka.

This follows the appointment of former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi as India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Trivedi’s appointment has already generated considerable political interest, particularly in West Bengal. 

India’s missions in neighbouring countries are expected to provide not only conventional diplomatic engagement but also timely assessments of political developments, security concerns, economic trends, and public sentiment.

While these responsibilities have traditionally rested with Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers, political appointees can bring established networks and political understanding to the table, the sources said.

At present, Santosh Jha, a 1993-batch IFS officer, serves as India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, having assumed charge in December 2023. His batchmate Naveen Srivastava has been India’s Ambassador to Nepal since 2022.

Akin To NITI Aayog, Delhi May Soon Have Its Own Policy Think Tank

The Delhi government is preparing to establish its own policy think tank, DITI (Delhi Institute for Transformation and Innovation). It is modelled on the lines of NITI Aayog.

Sources said that the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, prepared a Cabinet note seeking approval for the constitution, structure, mandate, and functioning of the institution.

DITI is expected to serve as a strategic policy and research body, providing inputs on governance while drawing up long-term development plans for the national capital.

One of its key assignments will be preparing a “Vision Delhi 2047” roadmap for the national capital, outlining the city’s development priorities and growth trajectory over the coming decades.

Gupta had announced the creation of DITI in her Budget 2026-27 speech and earmarked ₹59 crore for the initiative during the current financial year. The Planning Department has since worked on a detailed framework for the proposed think tank.

DITI will focus on eight broad sectors: economy and finance; environment and ecology; health; social sector; education; urban development and infrastructure; sustainable development goals (SDGs); and IT and data analytics.

The proposed institution is expected to bring research, data and policy expertise into Delhi’s decision-making process, with an emphasis on long-term planning and evidence-based governance.

West Bengal DGP Race Takes Shape

The race for a successor to West Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta has begun, as the 1992-batch IPS officer is due to retire on October 31. The State government has moved ahead with the succession process, forwarding a shortlisted panel of six senior IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The UPSC is expected to prepare a panel of three names, from which Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari will select the next DGP.

The shortlisted candidates include 1991-batch IPS officers Natrajan Ramesh Babu and Anuj Sharma, along with 1993-batch officers Peeyush Pandey, Praveen Kumar, Gyanwant Singh, and Ajoy Kumar. Praveen Kumar is currently serving as Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF).

With the formal process now underway, attention has turned to the likely frontrunners. Babu, one of the senior-most officers in the field and currently heading the West Bengal CID, is being closely watched in administrative and political circles.

Praveen Kumar, too, remains in the reckoning, although his candidature could hinge on whether he opts to return to the state from his current assignment in Delhi.

The final choice will emerge after the UPSC completes its panel process, setting the stage for a closely watched change at the top of West Bengal Police.

Central Vista Expansion: Offices In Shastri, Krishi Bhavan Asked To Vacate 

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has set the wheels in motion for the next phase of the Central Vista redevelopment, asking Ministries and Departments housed in Shastri Bhavan and Krishi Bhavan to vacate the buildings by September 30, 2026.

The two iconic government complexes are slated for demolition to make way for Kartavya Bhawan 4 and 5, part of the planned administrative district under the Central Vista project.

Ministries occupying the buildings have begun shifting to alternative premises and are expected to hand over the properties by October. The relocation exercise was temporarily put on hold around May, as several divisions of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) were still functioning from the two complexes.

The I&B has since been allotted space at Soochna Bhawan on Lodhi Road, while the MEA divisions have moved to the Samrat Hotel complex on Kautilya Marg in Chanakyapuri.

Several Ministries that were earlier housed in Shastri Bhavan (including I&B, Culture, Education, and Law and Justice) were shifted to Kartavya Bhawan 2 in January.

The demolition drive is reshaping the government district. Nirman Bhavan has already been brought down, while demolition of nearby Udyog Bhavan began in June, clearing the way for the next stage of Central Vista’s administrative overhaul.

IRS Rupinder Brar’s ‘Corals Bloom Again’ Spotlights Marine Conservation

Corals Bloom Again, authored by Rupinder Brar (IRS, 1990-batch), Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Coal, is scheduled for launch today (25 September 2026) evening.  

The book will be unveiled at the Prime Ministers Museum & Library, Teen Murti Bhawan, in an event centred on marine conservation, ecology, and the complex relationship between communities and the natural world.

Brar’s work examines themes of environmental preservation and resilience, while placing particular emphasis on marine ecosystems and the need to protect them. An India-Africa perspective runs through the narrative, bringing together shared environmental concerns and the enduring links between people, communities, and nature across the two regions.

The event is expected to draw readers, environmentalists, policymakers and others interested in conservation and ecological issues.

Through Corals Bloom Again, Brar explores how marine environments can recover and endure, while highlighting the role of communities in safeguarding fragile ecosystems. The book also seeks to place conservation within a wider cross-continental conversation, connecting ecological challenges in India and Africa through the shared experience of living alongside nature.