Overheard In Bhopal: A Tale Of Two Corporations, Pending Files, Away From Office, Accumulating Properties & More
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):
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A tale of two corporations
A scam in the state has triggered a confrontation between a state corporation and a central corporation. Interestingly, an MP-cadre IAS officer manages the central corporation that the state bureaucrats have targeted. When state bureaucrats blamed the central corporation for the scam, it worried the officer, forcing her to give an explanation. After the media highlighted the irregularities, people blamed the state government for the rip-off. Just as the media revealed the scam, the officials of a department clarified that it had nothing to do with the irregularities. In this situation, it necessitated the officials to mention the names of those responsible for the irregularities. Then the officials began to say a central corporation orchestrated the scam. But because the officers from the state manage both corporations, they began to blame some private parties for it. Now, together with this, the officers have swung into action to ensure that the central corporation remains unblemished.
Sahib has started…!
A principal secretary (PS), soon after his posting to a ‘creamy department’ a few days ago, began to make money through underhand deals. A few cases were pending in the department. As soon as he joined his place of posting, the officer spoke to those whose cases remained incomplete and signalled to his subordinates to bring such issues to him. The officer’s aides have begun to do the work of some people, taking bribes from them. The officer wants to make money hastily. As he worked in an unimportant department for many days, he lacked opportunities in making backhand deals. He tried to please the higher-ups for a posting to an important department. He got a department of his choice through an influential person. Now, the officer is trying to please every influential person in Bhopal as well as in Delhi to make money through a big deal. People in the corridors of power say if the officer continues to act in this way, he may be in trouble.
Pending files
A few bureaucrats sit over files, but an officer sleeps on them. A file sent to Sahib holds little chance of returning. He sifts through a file several times and analyses its contents from different angles. But, instead of disposing of the dossier, the officer begins to pore over the pages of another file. The officer’s indecisiveness worries the minister of the department and the additional chief secretary. The minister of the department recently tried to persuade the officer that his failure to dispose of files has delayed many important cases. The officer’s inability to settle certain cases pertaining to his constituency enraged the minister. People in the corridors of power say that despite the minister and ACS’s advice, the officer remains unwilling to dispose of the files. The officer opts for only one formula: work less to avoid dispute.
Away from office
The government has enforced a stricter rule for attendance of IAS officers in Mantralaya as well as in other offices. The chief minister and the chief secretary have advised the officers to come to office on time. On the contrary, those who work outside the state capital enjoy freedom from the strict attendance rule. Two IAS officers posted in two important departments hardly stick to office timings. One of the officers stays away from the office throughout the day. He comes to his place of work in the evening or sits in the rest house, where he calls his subordinates and discusses the issues. Sahib, though a young officer, lacks interest in sitting in the office. Another officer faces the same situation as his colleague does. He comes to the office at the beginning of a week, but as the weekend nears, he begins to lack interest in coming to the office. The government has started a five-day week system, but the officer sticks to a three-day week formula. Both officers simply repeat the same act as they used to do in other departments during their posting.
Accumulating properties
An officer, despite his short tenure in his career, has accumulated a lot of wealth, which his attitude indicates. As a result, a few close aides of Sahib have started searching for properties for him. The cost of properties near Indore has appreciated so much that they have begun to explore plots of land near the state capital. People in the corridors of power say that the officer syphoned off a lot of money through a major deal. A few people also took the carrots from the deal, but the officer had a lion’s share in it. The process for making money still continues. In this situation, he wants to spend it on properties near the state capital. Those searching for properties for the officer have started talking to the land owners near the state capital. The officer’s close aides revealed his plans to purchase properties. On behalf of Sahib people go around saying to others that they have any work to do with him. Reports about the officer making money and his plans to invest it have reached the higher-ups in the government.
In a bind
An IAS officer, harassed by his senior colleague, secured a posting to another place. The senior officer wanted his junior to do some illegal deeds. Because the upright junior officer did not want to do any such things, he transferred himself from the department. The officer, who joined the place now, started feeling bitter with his senior counterpart within a few days of his posting. The senior officer has directed the junior officer to complete certain difficult assignments. He, too, avoids doing those tasks because they may put him in trouble in the future. In this situation, he, too, feels edgy. The senior officer made several devious dealings. For such shady affairs, he made several commitments. Now, to fulfil his promises, he requires the help of his juniors to handle a few files, but the honest officers barely get ready to deal with such affairs.
Nitendra Sharma
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