Inside The Secretariat: Guj Govt Tightens Grip On Officials

Government Centralises Transfer Cases

Many of the applications received at the Gujarat Secretariat are related to transfers of officers and employees. In some cases, money is reportedly involved. To curb this, the state General Administration Department has issued a directive to all departments and offices, stating that “making political recommendations for transfers is a disciplinary offence and should be strictly avoided”.

As a result, public representatives — such as MPs, MLAs, and party leaders — now direct their transfer recommendations to Cabinet and state-level ministers. But, except for unavoidable circumstances, even such recommendations are no longer entertained. In essence, getting a government officer or employee transferred has become increasingly difficult.

This control has been implemented based on experiences of misuse. When any public representative approaches a department head or government officer with a transfer request, it is common for the concerned official to forward the recommendation letter to the relevant Cabinet minister.

In fact, some ministers and senior officials have even put up notices outside their chambers stating: “Do not approach for transfer-related matters.”

DGP Vikas Sahay Likely To Get Extension

The possibility of extending the tenure of Gujarat’s Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay, has increased. An IPS officer from the 1989 batch, Sahay is likely to be rewarded for his recent contributions toward police reforms over the past several months.

Previously, in May 2022, then DGP Ashish Bhatia — whose term was ending — was granted an eight-month extension by the state government, largely due to the Assembly elections scheduled sometime later.

A similar situation now appears to be forming in favour of Vikas Sahay. With by-elections to the state assembly and local body elections on the horizon, the chances of his tenure being extended have strengthened.

The most significant turn in his career came when he was chosen to establish the first Police University of the country, “Raksha Shakti University”, a flagship project of the government of Gujarat.

Sahay has been a recipient of the President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the prestigious President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service. He is scheduled to retire in June 2025. Senior IPS officer Shamsher Singh, who was once considered his replacement, is currently on deputation in Delhi and is due to retire in March 2026. 

Secretariat Meetings For Increased Security

As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan with the onset of air and ground attacks, activities at Gujarat’s Swarnim Sankul and the State Secretariat have intensified. The state government has assigned responsibilities to guardian ministers and district officials, directing them to strengthen communication channels in their respective areas.

A series of high-level meetings has begun, focusing on proactive measures to ensure the safety and security of citizens. The state Home Department has cancelled all police officers’ leave and issued alerts to district administrations, especially those in border areas, to remain on high alert.

Officers have now taken on additional responsibilities alongside ongoing developmental and routine tasks. Visitor footfall at the Secretariat has noticeably declined, while meetings led by the Chief Secretary and senior departmental officials have increased significantly.

Following directions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Gujarat government is actively coordinating with central agencies to implement enhanced security protocols. Special instructions have been issued to border district administrations to stay vigilant.

Gujarat shares a 512-km land border with Pakistan, covering the districts of Kutch, Banaskantha, and Patan. Authorities in these regions have issued public alerts to maintain heightened awareness and preparedness.

SMC to Act Against Drug Sale Near Campuses

Following a major crackdown on drug trafficking near IIM Ahmedabad, the State Monitoring Cell (SMC), led by DIG Nirlep Rai, has launched search operations around prominent educational institutions located between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

These include CEPT University, Nirma University, Gujarat University, PDEU, NIFT, and GNLU. The SMC team has begun interrogating and investigating individuals suspected of being involved in drug activities near these campuses.

IPS officer Nirlep Rai is spearheading efforts to protect students from the growing menace of drug abuse. Recently, the SMC apprehended two individuals who had come to sell MD drugs. Over the past two and a half months, the team has registered more than six cases under the NDPS Act.

This intensified surveillance was initiated based on intelligence reports indicating an increase in drug trafficking around educational hubs in Gujarat. The SMC is working in coordination with local police to monitor and address the issue.

State Health Department On Alert

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, Gujarat's Health Department has been placed on high alert. The responsibilities of three key officials — Additional Chief Secretary of Health Dhananjay Dwivedi, Health Commissioner (Urban) Harshadkumar Patel, and Health Commissioner (Rural) Dr. Ratankanwar Gadhvicharan — have been reassigned with a renewed focus.

The government has directed these officers to prioritise essential medical supplies, staff, and infrastructure in civil hospitals and health centres across the state. Following central government directives, all government hospitals in the state have been placed in alert mode to ensure preparedness in case of any emergency.

Hospitals have been instructed to maintain an adequate stock of blood supplies to save lives if a crisis arises. Additionally, private hospitals have been requested to keep critical facilities on standby.

These health department officials are now frequently occupied with daily meetings to manage the situation. Notably, just like the Home and Revenue Departments, the Health Department has also imposed a ban on leaves for its officers and staff to ensure uninterrupted readiness.

Former IPS Anil Pratham Joins NGO

Several retired IAS and IPS officers from the Gujarat government have joined the corporate sector or dedicated themselves to public service. One such officer is former IPS Anil Pratham, who has started contributing to social service by joining an NGO named Citizen Setu.

This portal actively supports people by offering legal aid, assistance with police-related matters in government departments, compensation issues related to land, employment and business guidance, access to government schemes, and constitutional matters.

Anil Pratham is a former Director General of Police (DGP) of the Police Reforms Department. In his 34-year-long IPS career, he served for 15 years in various positions within the CID (Crime) division at the Gandhinagar Police Headquarters.

He is one of those officers in the Gujarat Police who spent nearly half of his service tenure in side postings. However, after retirement, he finds joy in his new line of work.

Employment Of White Stone Workers Disrupted

While large industries in Gujarat continue to thrive, many small and medium-scale industries are shutting down, leading to significant job losses among the local population. Whether it's the diamond industry in Surat or the ceramic industry in Morbi, lack of timely government incentives has forced many industries to scale back.

A similar issue is occurring in Chhota Udepur, a region surrounded by forests and stones where agriculture is not feasible. The area is naturally rich in white stones, but due to economic challenges, around 70 dolomite mines have been shut down.

As a result, 107 factories involved in producing dolomite powder are on the verge of closure, affecting over 30,000 workers now facing unemployment. The Department of Mines and Minerals has cancelled leases and approvals for these operations.

It is reported that the area contains an estimated reserve of 72 crore (720 million) tonnes of dolomite. Due to what is perceived as an anti-tribal policy by the government, unemployment is increasing.

The reasons for these mine closures remain unclear, although it is believed that the cancellation of environmental clearance (EC) certificates for the mine owners has led to the current situation. Notably, 32 of these mines had been operating continuously for 65 years.

Government Halts Cabinet Expansion Plans

Speculations regarding an upcoming cabinet expansion had been circulating for a while, but the government itself has now put a stop to these discussions. Currently, there are no talks of cabinet expansion within the administration.

According to a senior Cabinet minister, due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, there is no consideration of expansion at this time. This development has dimmed hopes for party-switchers from Congress to BJP, who were aspiring to become ministers.

However, a senior party leader suggested that with state Assembly elections set for 2027, the central leadership might greenlight a Cabinet expansion around Diwali, allowing newly appointed ministers about a year and a half to demonstrate their performance before the elections. Similar expansions have occurred in the past, so those aspiring for ministerial positions may have to wait until Diwali.

(with inputs from Gautam Purohit and Sanjay Vibhakar)