Inside The Secretariat: Japan At Gate, Bids Run Late, And Officers Miss The Date

Retirement Rulebook May Get A Reboot In Gujarat

With better healthcare and rising life expectancy, Gujarat is considering raising the retirement age for its employees from 58 to 60. The shift, long requested by employee unions, gained traction after the 7th Pay Commission was implemented. Now, the Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission (GARC) has reportedly supported the move. If approved, the new age limit would bring the state in line with the central government and many other states. Currently, several officers are brought back on contract after retiring. Officials say extending their service instead could improve efficiency.

TCGL Reopens Tender Trail For Key Sites

After several rounds of unsuccessful bids, Gujarat’s tourism department is giving tenders another go. Previous efforts stalled due to stringent eligibility conditions, but this time Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL), under its Managing Director Prabhav Joshi and Secretary Rajendrakumar, is making a renewed push. The tendering process for several sites have been initiated, aiming to find developers for tourist properties. Sites include a hotel in Junagadh, a Tera Heritage Village in Kutch, a resort near the Statue of Unity, a Toran Restaurant in Gandhinagar, and a hotel in Saputara.

GAD Chief’s Exit May Mean Double Duty?

There is no big shake-up expected in Gujarat’s bureaucracy right now, but the state continues to rely on the old formula—giving additional charge when top posts fall vacant. Last month, after  Tribal Development Department’s Additional Chief Secretary J.P. Gupta retired, Water Supply Principal Secretary Shahmeena Husain was handed extra duties. Now, with General Administration Department’s Additional Chief Secretary Kamal Dayani retiring at the end of July, another temporary handover may be on the cards. But GAD handles the entire state’s administration, and doubling up may soon become unmanageable.

Dholera Beckons Japanese Investors

Much like GIFT City’s rise in Gandhinagar, Dholera near Ahmedabad is now drawing strong investor interest, especially from Japan. They appear more enthusiastic about launching projects in the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR). A Japanese delegation, joined by Ambassador to India, Keichi Ono, recently visited for two days and met National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation’s CEO and MD Rajat Kumar Saini to discuss projects ranging from semiconductor plants and smart city planning to hospitals, mixed-use development, hospitality, water systems, and canal-front zones. The delegation’s visit comes even as Taiwanese company Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation partnerswith Chacha Electronics on a semiconductor facility in the same region.

Traders Fume Over GST ‘One-Line’ Notices

Traders in Gujarat are upset over GST registrations being cancelled by officials at the Gujarat Tax Commissionerate without prior notice or detailed explanation. Many received abrupt one-line reasons, leaving no room to clarify. At a recent GST conclave, tax officials indirectly warned traders with the message, “If you stay within the law, you’ll benefit from the law.” But tax practitioners say surprise cancellations after spot visits violate GST norms, which require proper notice and reasoning.

I.P. Gautam Targeted In Social Media Fraud

Fake social media profiles of senior IAS and IPS officers in Gujarat are turning into a pattern, despite earlier police alerts. The latest target is former IAS officer I.P. Gautam, currently Chairman of the Sabarmati Riverfront Development and Trustee & Chairman of the Gandhi Ashram Redevelopment Executive Council in Ahmedabad. A fake Faebook account in his name has surfaced weeks after s similar incident involving the state’s Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi. Though Gujarat Police has earlier issued advisories urging officers to verify their profiles with a blue tick, impersonators continue to slip through. Officials worry these polished and convincing accounts could be used to extract money or mislead the public.

Government Cracks Down On DCC Absenteeism

With key officers repeatedly missing District Coordination Committee meetings, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has finally taken a note. Held on the third Saturday of every month, these meetings are meant to review on-ground progress, flag local issues, and coordinate across departments. However, over time, quite a few senior officials, whose presence is key to these discussions, have started skipping them. Their absence hasn’t just gone unnoticed; it’s begun to slow things down. Delays in decisions, missed follow-ups, and growing frustration on the ground eventually pushed complaints all the way to the CMO. Now, the government has stepped in with a clear message: Attendance is not optional. District Development Officers, Superintendents of Police, and other senior administrators are expected to show up just like the MPs, MLAs, and panchayat leaders who have continued to make time for these meetings.

Gujarat IPS Body Gets New Leadership

IPS officer Manoj Agarwal may have missed out on the DGP post following senior IPS officer Vikas Sahay’s extension, but he now leads the Gujarat IPS Association as its new President. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Gyanendra Singh Malik steps in as its Vice President. Both officers were in the running for the state’s top police post. At a recent meeting of IPS officers, a new executive committee was constituted of 11 IPS officers. Home Department Secretary Nipurna Torwane was named its Secretary. With 194 officers currently serving out of the approved 208, Agarwal’s new leadership role comes as he nears retirement in September 2025.