An attempt on the part of Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister-designate, Arvind Kejriwal to call upon the “honest” and “dynamic” bureaucrats to contact him for future assignments is not only at variance with the past, but has also set the corridors of power abuzz with speculations about the set of officers likely to be appointed on key posts in Delhi government.
“I would request them to contact me through SMS or email. We will depute good people at good places. I don't have a magic wand to solve all the problems in one go, but if good, honest and dynamic people join us nothing is impossible,” Mr. Kejriwal told journalists during the “Janta Darbar” outside his Kaushambi residence in neighbouring Ghaziabad on Thursday, adding it could help giving a corruption-free governance to the people.
Asked how the AAP would verify whether somebody is honest or not, Mr. Kejriwal said “we have a network and we will find out.” Senior officials in Delhi government said, they have already been getting calls from officials in other departments to take feedback about officers they have worked with in the past.
While the Mr. Kejriwal’s appeal received mixed reactions in bureaucratic circles, sources in the government said some names, who are front runners to hold key posts soon, are already doing the rounds. While speculations are rife about a complete overhaul of the government machinery with a series of transfers at key positions, officials said changes are likely to happen only at certain vital posts in the immediate run.
“The immediate changes at the secretary level are likely to happen in the Chief Minister’s Office, the power department and the Delhi Jal Board. It could be followed by change of Chief Secretary and the chief vigilance officer. All other transfers would be consequential which would require some time,” a senior Delhi government official said.
While the former Power Scretary Rajendra Kumar is all set to take over as the Principal Secretary in the CMO, sources said, the former Chief Secretary of Goa, Sanjay Srivastava, is one of the front runners to replace incumbent Chief Secretary D.M Spolia.
Mr. Srivastava is a 1980 bacth IAS officer, currently serving in the capacity of Special Secretary (Health) with the Central government, was also the vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority in the past.
Officials said another official being considered for the post of Chief Secretary is Vijay Shankar Madan, an UT cadre Indian Administrative Service official of the 1981 batch, currently serving as Director-General of the Unique Identification Authority of India. The officials, however, said their appointments at the top post would require a nod from the Union Home Ministry.
The officials claimed Mr. Kejriwal won’t have much of a problem in finding honest and efficient officials, if the new government works with a positive agenda.
“If the new government works with a negative mindset to target a certain section of the political establishment, then it would become difficult for the officials as they would not like to be seen playing in the hands of the government as they might be victimised later. However, if the political executive works with a positive agenda to bring changes in the system for a larger good, the officials would not have any hesitation in making their contribution,” said an official.
The real challenge of the new government would be to curb corruption at the lower rung which was in direct interface with the common man, the official added.
