Inside The Secretariat: Kalpasar Project Back On Track Again?

Kalpasar’s Green Test Begins Again

After the multi-purpose Narmada project, Gujarat’s ambitious Kalpasar Project, considered the state’s largest infrastructure initiative, is once again gaining momentum after nearly three decades of waiting. In an effort to expedite the project, a fresh application has been submitted seeking environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The new application aims to obtain approval for conducting a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study before large-scale construction activities commence. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively assess the potential environmental impacts of the project prior to its implementation. For this exercise, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has been appointed as the accredited consultant responsible for carrying out the assessment. The Kalpasar Project is estimated to cost approximately ₹1,33,246 crore. According to the current plan, construction is expected to begin in 2028 and the project is targeted for completion by 2035.

Shift From Queues To Online Services!

To free ordinary citizens in Gujarat from standing in long queues, the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with  Meta Platforms Inc.. Under this arrangement, 20 public services—including income and caste certificates, EWS certificates, ration card-related services, and others—will be available from a single number and can be accessed from home. In essence, the agreement aims to eliminate the hassle of visiting offices and waiting in lines. The recommendation to bring these services online was made by the Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission (GARC) to the state government. These services are linked to five key government departments and have been integrated through a WhatsApp chatbot. It is claimed that citizens will no longer need to search across multiple government portals or spend hours waiting at government offices to avail these services. However, concerns about fraudulent or scam links cannot be entirely ruled out, and citizens may face difficulties if such malicious links begin circulating.

Gujarat Struggles In IFoS Selection

Candidates from Gujarat who aspired to join the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) have faced disappointment, as not a single candidate from the state has made it to the final list of the UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2025. Although five candidates from Gujarat had successfully cleared both the Preliminary and Main examinations and reached the interview stage, none of them secured a place among the top 148 candidates selected in the final results. Notably, a high cut-off in the Preliminary examination, relatively lower scores in the written papers, and the psychological pressure associated with the interview stage are believed to have contributed to the poor outcome for Gujarat candidates. Among the selected candidates, 42 belong to the General category, 52 to OBC, 21 to EWS, 22 to SC, and 11 to ST categories. It is worth noting that Gujarat had performed significantly better in previous years. In the results of the examination conducted in 2024, six candidates from Gujarat featured among the top 100, while in 2023, five candidates from the state had secured success.

Promotion Deadlock Ends After Years

Officers and employees of the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) Group, which functions under the Energy and Petrochemicals Department of the Government of Gujarat, have finally received relief after long-pending promotion orders were issued. The move has addressed an issue that had remained unresolved for nearly two decades. It is being discussed that in the past, some officials had managed to secure promotions through influence, while the promotions of more than 300 officers and employees remained stalled for years. A representation regarding the matter was submitted some time ago to Avanitika Singh, who is serving as the Managing Director of the corporation. Following the representation, a cross-verification exercise was undertaken. Upon finding evidence of injustice, the corporation cleared the pending cases and granted promotions to all remaining eligible officers and employees. With the resolution of one of the corporation’s longest-pending demands, those who had allegedly been denied their due promotions have expressed happiness and satisfaction. It is noteworthy that Singh, who was serving as Additional Principal Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, was appointed as the Managing Director of GSPC in December last year.

Officials Told To Ditch Official Ride

Amid the ongoing fuel crisis, the Gujarat government is gradually tightening its austerity measures. In particular, officials are being encouraged to give up their dependence on government vehicles and adopt public transportation wherever possible. The government has also begun discouraging the practice of calling district-level officers to Gandhinagar for collective meetings and has instead directed departments to conduct such meetings virtually. Some time ago, the General Administration Department had issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as part of its cost-cutting initiative. However, with reports of inadequate compliance, several fresh instructions were issued to ministers and senior officials during the last Cabinet meeting. Officials have been advised not to participate in training programmes, conferences, seminars, or study tours outside their districts except under unavoidable circumstances. They have also been instructed to avoid travel as far as possible and make greater use of digital platforms for official interactions. 

Sanskriti Kunj Set For Year-Round Revival

Sanskriti Kunj, the cultural complex built at a cost of several crores in the ravines of the Sabarmati river in Gandhinagar to preserve and promote folk arts, is now set to become a more vibrant and useful platform for artists. The state government has recently directed that the venue be utilized for artist performances during weekends, ensuring more regular activity at the site. Until now, the venue was typically opened for only about ten days a year during cultural festivals, while remaining largely deserted for the rest of the year. According to a recent order issued by the Department of Cultural Activities, Sanskriti Kunj will be made available to artists for performances at a token rental rate. In addition, the government has approved an expenditure of ₹2 crore for organizing camps, cultural programmes, and exhibitions at the venue. The plan also includes a special provision for awards and incentives to artists, with prize amounts of up to ₹50 lakh being earmarked under the initiative.

Central Doors Open For Three IPS Officers

The Central Government has recently approved the empanelment of 68 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers for appointment as Inspectors General or at equivalent positions in the Central Government. As part of the empanelment process for the 2008 batch of IPS officers, three officers from the Gujarat cadre have been included in the list. The Gujarat-cadre officers who have been empaneled are Sarah Rizvi, Shobha Bhutada, and Pradip Sejul. Their empanelment makes them eligible for deputation to the Government of India in New Delhi. At present, several Gujarat-cadre IPS officers are serving on central deputation in various ministries, departments, and agencies in the national capital. Over the years, senior Gujarat-cadre IPS officers have also been entrusted with key positions in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Currently, Manoj Shashidharan is serving as the second-in-command at the Central Bureau of Investigation. He has previously received promotions within the agency and has served as both Joint Director and Additional Director in the CBI.