Inside Raisina Hill: SIR Observers, Sunset Clauses, & UN Environmental Honour

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".

In TN, IAS Officers Take On Role Of SIR Special Observers

Amid objections raised by the DMK government in Tamil Nadu over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission (EC) has appointed four IAS officers as ‘Special Observers’ to monitor the exercise across the State till the finalisation of the voters' list.

As per the EC order, these officers will supervise key activities, including verification of enumeration forms, consideration of claims and objections, and quality checks before the release of the final electoral roll. The EC, in an official statement, said that the objective was to ensure that neither eligible voters were left out nor ineligible persons included in the final list.

Sunset Clauses For Centrally Sponsored Schemes

The Ministry of Finance has issued a directive to all Central Ministries and Departments to introduce mandatory sunset clauses and fixed timelines for every new and existing centrally sponsored scheme (CSS).

The new fiscal discipline framework will come into force with the 16th Finance Commission cycle, starting April 1, 2026, officials said, adding that every scheme must carry a sunset clause that evaluates the fiscal burden on the exchequer, a defined outcome roadmap, and a strict timeline for achieving measurable results.

The Ministry of Finance aims to prevent schemes from continuing indefinitely without any performance check. 

A senior official said that the government intended to ensure “smart spending" instead of "more spending”.

The sunset clauses would enforce periodic review and accountability. The Ministries have been asked to submit additional disclosures along with scheme appraisals. The disclosures must include the rationale for the continuation of the scheme, actual expenditure, and budget allocations of the past five years, among others.

IAS Officer Opts For VRS

Senior IAS officer Anamika Singh (UP cadre) has opted for voluntary retirement (VRS) after she was denied Central deputation. 

According to sources, the senior officer did not get an NoC from the State government for Central deputation, following which she opted for VRS, even though her retirement is scheduled only for 2038. 

Anamika Singh has served as Director, NITI Aayog, and held key administrative positions across Uttar Pradesh.

DoPT Repatriates IAS, IRS Officers On Central Deputation 

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) recently issued notifications ordering the premature repatriation of senior IAS and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers from Central deputation. 

According to sources, this is part of the routine administrative realignment. 

Sandhya Bhullar, an IAS officer of the 2003 batch from the Gujarat cadre, was serving as the Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT). She has been prematurely repatriated to her parent cadre.

Lochan Sehra, an IAS officer of the 2002 batch from the Gujarat cadre, was holding the position of the Joint Secretary at IN-SPACe, Ahmedabad. The officer has been repatriated to his parent cadre.

Vinit Kumar, IRS C&CE officer of the 2013 batch, was serving as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at NEPA Ltd., Nepanagar (Madhya Pradesh). Kumar has been repatriated to his parent cadre on personal grounds.

UN Environmental Honour For Supriya Sahu

Supriya Sahu, Tamil Nadu's Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, has been conferred with the "2025 Champions of the Earth Award" by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The senior bureaucrat received the UN’s highest environmental honour, which is given to individuals whose actions have had a transformative impact on the environment.

Over the past few years, Supriya Sahu has spearheaded several transformative initiatives. These include Operation Blue Mountain, an anti-plastic campaign in the Nilgiris.