Inside The Secretariat: Driving Reform, Director Hunt, And DGP Buzz

Police Reshuffle Picks Up Pace

After weeks of silence, IPS officers are finally seeing light at the end of the transfer tunnel. Two major posts—CID Crime and Intelligence Bureau—have remained headless for far too long. These posts are currently being managed by in-charge officers. That is expect to change soon. 

Meanwhile, several other positions in the police department are also being managed through additional charges. The government is looking to fill these posts as well. But all eyes are on the DGP’s office. According to sources, a decision could come within days. Current DGP Vikas Sahay retires on June 30. Talks of an extension are in the air, but a fresh appointment isn’t ruled out. Senior officers are also under consideration. The final call, however, will be taken by the High Command.

Biotech Lab Looks For New Brain At The Top

At the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), the government has finally opened up the long-vacated post of Director. The role became particularly significant during the pandemic, when GBRC played a key role in large-scale testing across the state. The government has now invited applications for the position. 

The post is deputation-based appointment for three years, extendable up to five years, and candidates must have a PhD in biotechnology, life sciences, or a related field. At least 20 years of experience in related areas like genomics, bioinformatics, and marine biotechnology are preferred. The new Director will lead scientific research, develop institutional collaborations, and help raise funding from national and international sources.

Transport Dept Bets On Bots

In the Transport department, reform is taking a high-tech route. The state government has announced plans to introduce AI-based driving test tracks at RTOs, beginning with Gandhinagar. The idea is to eliminate human discretion and tackle long-standing allegations of corruption. Using AI and video analytics technology, the unmanned system will monitor every aspect of the driving test from speed and halts to traffic rule compliance. Transport Commissioner Anupam Anand is overseeing the initiative and is expected to expand it to other cities once the pilot shows results.

Tax Appeals Hit 15,000. Urgent Review Call

The backlog in GST appeal cases is finally getting attention. State Tax Chief Commissioner Rajiv Topno will hold a key review meeting on June 30 with senior officials across the department. With 15,000 appeals pending statewide, he wants answers. Many of these relate to input tax credit delays or penalty disputes. The main agenda includes a review of disposed appeals, actions taken post-High Court or tribunal judgments, and the formulation of an action plan for pending appeals.

Field Visits, Not File Visits: CM Reminds IAS Officers

The Chief Minister has once again reminded IAS officers of a directive many departments seem to have taken lightly: get out of offices and into the field. A review meeting involving nine departments flagged serious lapses in monitoring 21 development projects worth ₹18,000 crore. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi, CM’s Advisor SS Rathore, Additional Chief Secretary MK Das, Principal Secretary Avantika Singh, and senior bureaucrats. The Chief Minister underlined the need for consistent field monitoring to ensure timely completion.

Green Farming Finds Roots In Govt Quarters

Inspired by Governor Acharya Devvrat’s green experiment at Raj Bhavan, Gujarat is now taking natural farming to government residences. Around 100 quarters, including those in Ministers’ Enclave and IAS Housing, will soon have their own kitchen gardens. A private agricultural agency will oversee the rollout. The idea is to promote chemical-free farming and give ministers and senior officers access to fresh produce grown right at home. Interestingly, during former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel’s tenure, ministers and officers were encouraged to keep cows at their residences to support natural farming—but that directive eventually faded away.

Gandhinagar Joins Bond Club With ₹25 Crore Issue

Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) has entered the municipal bonds market, issuing ₹25 crore worth of bonds listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) at GIFT City. It becomes the fifth Gujarat city to do, joining Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot. The bond issue is part of a larger finance strategy. According to NSE Chief Business Development Officer Ramakrishnan, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2016 call for urban bodies to access market capital, 17 muncipalities across India have issued bonds worth ₹3,359 crore. Gujarat accounts for ₹925 crore of that, which is nearly 27 percent. Thanks to the listing, GMC will now receive an interest subsidy of ₹3.25 crore from the Centre.

Data Could Save ₹300 Crore A Year: Dr Adhia

Dr. Hasmukh Adhia, Chairman of the Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission, has made a strong pitch for developing a comprehensive rural database—something that could save Gujarat around ₹300 crore annually. A senior commission official revealed that nearly ₹3,000 crore may have been wasted over the past decade due to poor data. Southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu already have such systems in place helping them to plug leakages. Gujarat government has now accepted the recommendation and will begin GIS-based data collection on government assets and public services at the taluka and village levels. Dr. Adhia emphasized that such data is essential to accelerate the development of the 55 percent rural population in the state and to eliminate duplication of government schemes.

No Proof, No Vote: EC Launches New Drive

In a bid to clean electoral rolls, the Election Commission has asked voters not on the 2003 list to prove where and when they were born. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has ordered this special revision under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act. A signed declaration and documents are required, especially for those born before July 1, 1987. The campaign starts with Bihar and will soon roll out in Gujarat.