2 IAS ARE EVEN IN SIMILAR SECRETARY RANK ALIKE CURRENT COMMISSIONER OF ULB DEPTT
Face2News/Chandigarh
This past Saturday on 19 August 2023, the Personnel Department of Haryana Government gave the additional charge of Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Faridabad to A. Mona Sreenivas, a 2006 batch of IAS who was earlier posted as Additional Resident Commissioner, Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi. Also 2009 batch IAS, Ashok Kumar Garg has been posted as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Manesar & 2010 batch IAS, Jitender Kumar has been posted as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Rohtak.
Meanwhile, an Advocate at Punjab & Haryana High Court, Hemant Kumar, told that nevertheless the postings/transfers of IAS officers in the State is the sole discretion (read prerogative) of the Competent Authority ( read the Chief Minister) however while exercising such power certain things ought to be kept in mind.
While sharing an interesting but significant administrative point on Yash Pal's posting & continuance as Director, ULB, the Advocate told that as on date, of the total 11 Municipal Corporations in the State, which administratively and statutorily (legally) come under the State ULB Department i.e. in other words, Commissioners of Municipal Corporations administratively & statutorily come under Director, ULB Department
It has been four months since on 20 April 2023, Yash Pal, an IAS officer of 2011 batch, was posted as Director cum Special Secretary, Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Department, Haryana.
While sharing an interesting but significant administrative point on Yash Pal's posting & continuance as Director, ULB, the Advocate told that as on date, of the total 11 Municipal Corporations in the State, which administratively and statutorily (legally) come under the State ULB Department i.e. in other words, Commissioners of Municipal Corporations administratively & statutorily come under Director, ULB Department
Now four IAS viz. PC Meena of 2004 batch, A. Mona Sreenivas of 2006 batch, Ashok Kumar Garg of 2009 batch & Jitender Kumar of 2010 batch and also one Anju Choudhary of 2011 batch are posted as Commissioners of Municipal Corporations of Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar, Rohtak & Ambala respectively. Hence, to post an IAS of 2011 batch as Director, ULB i.e. above four senior IAS who are however posted as MC Commissioners and one IAS who is of his similar batch year of IAS raises serious questions.
Hemant told that the erstwhile/previous Director (General) of ULB Department, DK Behera, an IAS of 2007 batch who was also in Secretary rank had to be transferred because in April, 2023, Vikas Gupta, an IAS of 2001 batch and who is also in Secretary rank got posted as Commissioner and Secretary, ULB Department, Haryana. Since both the above officers viz. Behera and Gupta are in Secretary rank, hence one can't be posted as Commissioner & Secretary and other as Director (General) in the same ULB Department since administratively the Director of ULB comes under the Commissioner,ULB Deptt.
Now as on date, two IAS viz. PC Meena of 2004 batch & A. Mona Sreenivas of 2006 batch are also in Super Time Scale of IAS thus in Secretary rank & status alike current incumbent Vikas Gupta, a 2001 batch IAS posted as Commissioner & Secretary, ULB Department.
Hemant has urged the Haryana Government to immediately redress the aforementioned anomaly/discrepancy by posting a senior IAS of appropriate rank as Director/Director General ULB Department and also a senior IAS of Principal Secretary/Additional Chief Secretary rank as Administrative Secretary of ULB Department.