Inside The Secretariat: Swift Action, Additional Charges, And Bureaucratic Missteps

Where the Suspended Four Stand Today!

Discussion is underway among Secretariat employees about what the four IAS officers suspended over alleged irregularities in government recruitment are currently doing. In particular, K. Rajesh, the then Collector of Surendranagar from the 2011 batch, has been under suspension since July 2022. It is said that he has been making frequent visits to Delhi. Similarly, D.S. Gadhvi, the former Collector of Anand, remains relieved from duty and is due to retire next month. During the suspension period, an officer is required to mark attendance at the headquarters designated by the government, as a suspended officer continues to receive subsistence allowance amounting to roughly half of the salary. Ayush Oak, the then Collector of Surat, is also under suspension, and his headquarters has been fixed at Patan. In addition, Rajendra Patel, the former Collector of Surendranagar who was suspended in connection with the case, has not been granted bail. All four officers are required to submit a monthly certificate declaring that they are not engaged in any other profession or business activity. If they wish to travel outside their designated jurisdiction, they are also required to obtain prior permission from the government.

Tamil Nadu CM’s Imprint on Gujarat Police

Some police officers in Gujarat, instead of serving the public, end up siding with accused persons because they often stand to gain more from them than from complainants. Recently, when newly appointed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay was addressing a press conference regarding the rape of a young girl, three IPS officers were seen laughing and joking among themselves. Taking serious note of their conduct, the Chief Minister ordered their immediate suspension. Following this incident, Gujarat's Home Minister and the Director General of Police (DGP) have reportedly begun keeping a closer watch on the behaviour of police officers. In Ahmedabad, a case that brought disrepute to the khaki uniform came to light when a visually impaired middle-aged man was allegedly assaulted by a woman police officer. She was subsequently suspended. Such swift action is not usually seen within the police force. However, after the Tamil Nadu incident went viral, the Gujarat government too appears to have become more sensitive to issues involving police conduct. If one examines allegations of police excesses in the state, instances of misconduct or high-handedness can be found almost every day.

Temporary Charge, Permanent Practice!

The tradition of assigning additional charge continues in Gujarat's administrative system. In Secretariat departments and government offices, instead of making fresh appointments to replace retiring officers, additional charge is assigned to existing officials, which often has an adverse impact on governance and administration. Recently, the state government assigned additional charge to four IAS officers and two officers from the GAS cadre. A major question is how an officer handling the responsibility of two or more departments simultaneously can do justice to all the departments under his or her charge. Additional charge arrangements continue even in key posting departments of the state. These include the posts of the Director General of Police (DGP) and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, besides nearly half a dozen other departments. The practice is most prevalent in the district administration, where vacant posts of Collectors, DDOs and other officials are being managed through additional charge arrangements. Moreover, eight more officers are due to retire by the end of June, which could further increase the dependence on additional charges.

Bureaucratic Missteps, Political Fallout

In government, there are many instances where the mistake is committed by an official, but it is the minister heading the department who is forced into the spotlight and has to face the government's displeasure. Such situations commonly arise during the Chief Minister’s online grievance-redressal system, when a citizen publicly expresses dissatisfaction with the administrative system and raises questions about governance. In such cases, the concerned minister often finds himself in an uncomfortable position. The government's relatively weak grip over district-level administration has resulted in several ministers having to endure reprimands. Similar situations also arise during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly. When an opposition member exposes shortcomings within a department, ministers are sometimes caught unaware of the issue and are unable to offer an effective defense because the matter had never been brought to their attention. As a result, ministers are often left embarrassed due to mistakes or lapses committed by officials. In response, some ministers have now begun pulling up bureaucrats and warning them that every development and issue within the department must be brought to their notice, ensuring that they remain fully informed about the functioning of their departments.

Gujarat Rolls Out Jan Kalyan Camps

The Gujarat General Administration Department has directed the organization of Jan Kalyan Camps in both urban and rural areas. The objective of these camps is to ensure that government welfare schemes reach the maximum number of beneficiaries. Officials have been instructed to maximize registrations under schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Vay Vandana, PM Surya Ghar, PM SVANidhi, Lakhpati Didi, and VB Garima during the camps scheduled from June 12 to June 20. The government will spend ₹50,000 on each camp. To monitor the initiative, three committees have been constituted—headed by the District Collector at the district level, the Prant Officer at the taluka level, and the Deputy Municipal Commissioner/Regional Commissioner at the city level. The urban and rural administrative machinery has been assigned a three-day task to publicize and promote welfare schemes of eight government departments that are directly connected with citizens.

Vibrant And Votes Drive Policy Revival

With the Gujarat Global Vibrant Summit (GGVS) scheduled for the beginning of next year and the Assembly elections due towards the end of the year, the state government has already started its preparations. Among the top priorities is a review of expired policies, policies that have not yet been announced, and discussions on what new policies can be introduced. It is likely that the government will announce its pending policies by the end of this year so that they can be presented before the corporate sector at the Vibrant Summit. According to sources, nearly a dozen policies are expected to be announced, including a new Industrial Policy, Agro-Business Policy, Shipbuilding Policy, Data Centre Policy, Tourism Policy, and others. Departments whose policies have expired have already been assigned fresh tasks, and as a result, officials in those departments have become busy with back-to-back meetings. There are several policies whose validity expired years ago, yet the government has not paid attention to them. Industry representatives say setting up projects without a clear policy framework is risky, as MoUs signed without defined rules often get stuck in departmental red tape and prolonged file movement.

If Retirees Can, Why Not Serving Officers!

Whenever discussions on environmental conservation and tree plantation take place in any state, every bureaucrat gets an opportunity to contribute towards the cause. Yet, serving government officers often find little time to devote to preserving natural beauty and protecting the environment. Interestingly, retired officials are now stepping in to set an example. Concerned about the declining number of trees and the growing impact of climate change, a group of retired officers has formed an eco-club and launched a tree plantation drive in the Secretariat premises. By planting native, endangered, and fruit-bearing tree saplings, they are contributing to society and promoting environmental awareness. Their initiative demonstrates that the spirit of environmental stewardship is far from dead. The passion for tree plantation and conservation remains alive in the hearts and minds of these retired bureaucrats. In a sense, they are now doing what they could not accomplish during their years in active government service.