Inside The Secretariat: Gaps, Gains, Governance Moves In Gujarat

Extension Formula In State Health Policy Too

The condition of Gujarat’s Health Department is deteriorating. There is a severe shortage of specialists, general physicians, and paramedical staff across medical colleges, civil hospitals and health centres.

Due to the unavailability of regular doctors, the government has been forced to recruit personnel on 11-month contracts at high salaries. The latest report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has issued serious criticisms of the health department.

The audit agency has repeatedly recommended that the state needs a well-defined health policy to improve healthcare services. However, the state has yet to implement one. The last health policy was framed in 2016 and has long expired.

As per the National Health Policy, each state is mandated to draft its own policy, but Gujarat still operates on government resolutions (GRs). Recently, the government extended two GRs related to the establishment of brownfield and greenfield medical colleges until March 2027. The Health Minister has claimed that the state is operating according to a health policy, even if it is not formally codified.

Pressure To Remove BRTS Routes

In several Indian cities, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) projects are being phased out due to traffic obstructions. Gujarat’s cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, and Rajkot are facing similar challenges.

Reports suggest that cities like Delhi, Bhopal, and Jaipur are removing BRTS corridors from the middle of roads. Gujarat is also considering reducing BRTS corridors in a phased manner. Increasing population and vehicle numbers are making median-lane corridors impractical, prompting suggestions for rationalisation. In Ahmedabad, the Metro rail has reduced the necessity of BRTS, as AMTS buses also cover major areas.

The BRTS journey began in 2009 following a decision made in 2004. Now, at several points in the city, the corridor is causing traffic congestion. Senior Urban Development department officials stated that suggestions to reduce corridors in Ahmedabad and Rajkot have been received and deliberations are underway.

Gujarat Seeks New GIFT City MD

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) is progressing as a premier national project, attracting several domestic and international finance companies. Its management is thus of great importance.

Currently, Hasmukh Adhia, the Chief Advisor to the CM, is the Chairman, and retired IAS officer Tapan Ray is the MD. IAS officers T Natarajan, Ashwini Kumar, and Ramya Mohan are board nominees. Independent directors include Chetan Vaidya, Anjali Bansal, Ajay Tyagi, Rajat Moona and Debjani Ghosh.

Tapan Ray’s tenure as MD ends in June. He was repatriated from his role as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and appointed in 2019. If not granted an extension, a new IAS officer may be appointed to the post. With many senior officials retiring in the last two years, it remains to be seen if one of them will be chosen.

MLAs To Get New ‘Sarkari’ Residences By 2026

Gujarat’s MLAs are likely to move into new government accommodations next year. In Sector 17, luxurious 4-BHK residences are expected to be ready by December. The state government demolished old houses to build new ones at a cost of approximately Rs 310 crore.

In Sector 21, 168 houses across 14 blocks were rented out to MLAs for a nominal Rs 37.50 per month, but these are no longer deemed adequate. The new 216 residences, spread over 12 nine-storey towers, each span 1,860 sqft. The complex will feature an auditorium, walking track, kitchen-dining hall, drivers' quarters, garden, playground, health club and gym.

The original members' quarters were built in 1970 after Gandhinagar's establishment. As they had become dilapidated, the government undertook this redevelopment. Before construction began, the Roads and Buildings department conducted 42 soil tests to ensure earthquake-resistant design.

Amid Controversy, Tourism Secretary Moves Into Judges' Bungalow

In 2011, the Gujarat High Court had allotted seven units from the Judges' Bungalows in Bodakdev to the government to accommode IAS officers. The HC has now taken a strict stance to take them back.

The dispute has been going on for the last 8-9 months. Earlier, the HC had ordered the Roads and Buildings department to tell its secretaries to vacate the 7 bungalows within a month, following which, the department had issued written notices to the senior IAS officers living in these bungalows.

However, there was anger among the officers as the time of vacating the bungalows coincided with the beginning of the new school/college year. Notices were given 2-3 times.

In the mean time, IAS Rajendra Kuma, who went on deputation to Delhi last year, and returned to Gujarat as the Secretary of Tourism, asked to be allotted a Judges Bungalow in Bodakdev, as he did not have a house. The government allotted him the vacant Bungalow Number 16. But Kumar did not move in immediately, as he demanded several changes to it, to the extent that even the engineers assigned the task were riled. Finally, the IAS officer moved in a few days ago.

Mango Season In Full Swing Inside Secretariat

As kesar and alfonso mangoes flood Gujarat’s markets, the Secretariat is enjoying mango season, even though the common man is still dissuaded by the high prices. Corporate representatives and special visitors are gifting boxes of mangoes to Cabinet Ministers and preferred officials, along with proposals and appeals.

Although rules prohibit civil servants from accepting gifts on duty, VIP visitors directly send mango boxes to ministers’ and officers’ residences. The General Administration department has ordered that no official may accept gifts while on duty, but these rules are often ignored.

During Diwali, gifts like sweets and dry fruits are accepted widely. Now, with summer in full swing, the beloved fruit is once again being exchanged freely. In some cases, Agriculture department officials themselves gift mangoes to their favourite ministers or bureaucrats.

Two IAS Officers Head To Berlin For Urban Mobility

The state government usually sends senior officials to international conferences, but their department or city often misses out on development benefits when afterward, they get transferred.

Recently, the government sent Rajkot Municipal Commissioner Tushar Sumera and Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal to an Urban Mobility Conference in Berlin. Discussions will cover city buses, BRTS, Metro, and public transport systems.

Of the 10 IAS officers selected from India, two are from Gujarat. If these officers are tasked with implementing projects upon return, it will benefit their cities. However, if transferred, their departments may miss out on insights gained.

Candidate Who Failed GPSC Clears UPSC

In the recently announced UPSC results, 26 candidates from Gujarat have passed. Among them, Harshita Gohil came 2nd, Margi Shah 4th, and Smit Panchal 30th. The written exams were held in September 2024, with interviews conducted from January to April 2025.

Selected candidates will now undergo training at various academies. All three top candidates trained at SPIPA (Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration). A surprising case is that of Vipul Chaudhary, 25, from Santalpur taluka in Patan, who had earlier appeared for the GPSC and received 429.25 marks in the Mains, but was given only 20 out of 100 in the interview, as a result of which he failed to qualify.

But Chaudhary came 348th in the UPSC, raising questions about GPSC’s evaluation process. Another proud moment comes from Anshul Yadav, son of a head constable in Ahmedabad Police, who secured 473rd rank in the UPSC.

New Aviation Policy was presented to the CM by the Industries Department

For the first time, the Gujarat government is introducing an aviation policy, a process that has been ongoing for the past three months. Reportedly, the government wanted to announce the policy during the budget session, but failed due to lack of time.

Now it's back on track. The policy document was presented to the CM by senior Aviation department officials in the presence of Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi and other top officials. The document includes plans for starting flights to and from small cities in Gujarat, reducing travel time between cities by increasing frequency of flights, and how building new airstrips could attract big players.

Overall, it is being said that the CM, who was satisfied by answers to some questions he had asked, liked the presentation, indicating that the new policy will be announced soon, once finalised by the Aviation and Industry department. 

(with inputs from Gautam Purohit and Sanjay Vibhakar)