As the D-Day fast approaches, the bureaucracy is digging deep into the bifurcation act to take up new tasks which were so far unknown to it.
The latest in the series is an authorisation from the Finance Department to a senior secretary to enter into an agreement with the Reserve Bank of India for opening of the government account in favour of the Governor of Telangana State for carrying on ordinary banking business as well as meeting public debt from June 2 when the State will come into existence.
The IAS officers are excited about rarest of rare opportunities coming their way and giving them an opportunity to write history. The secretary was among them because he will be involved in finalisation of an agreement with the Central bank of India to open an account which will consist of a consolidated fund, contingency fund and public account of the State.
CEOs and their style of functioning
At election time, the Chief Electoral Officer occupies the centre stage of bureaucracy because all election related dos and don’ts go from him. He comes into such sharp focus that every act of his is viewed with a microscope.
The officials, in this context, are comparing the style of the incumbent with his predecessor who in the last general elections in 2009 kept them on their toes right from morning by himself reaching office at 10 a.m.
This had helped them in calling it a day not too late. However, the present CEO started late and wound up late which told on the misery of officials as they too had to hang around.
Lobbying for sincere and honest officials
It’s not over yet.
While senior officials of the Government are super confident that most of the administrative work for bifurcating Andhra Pradesh will be completed by June 2, the process of sending officers, especially those belonging to the All India Service (AIS), is getting complicated with conflicting claims and rule interpretation.
Several meetings have been held here and also in New Delhi on ‘distribution’ of officers between the two States, including conferred and direct recruit IAS and IPS officers.
Whatever be the public posturing, politicians spanning across the regions have already started lobbying with officers considered to be “sincere”, “honest” and “hardworking” to either stay back or urge to move immediately to the new State.
“Strange, isn’t it? During our service, we were never posted in our native districts and worked in the other region. Now the scene has changed,” remarked an official.
