Admin reshuffle: Dhumal keeps everyone guessing

Some of the Deputy Commissioners,whose performance have been below average,despite being hand picked for being the BJP favourites,are expected to be shown the doors to give chance to few newly-inducted Himachal Pradesh Administrative officers into the All India Service (IAS).

The band of newly-inducted IAS (promotee) officers,who have performed quite satisfactorily,may be allowed to serve the districts.

Officials in the state’s Personnel department confirmed they have been flooded with requests for new postings after induction of at least 20 HAS officers. Yet,a few not eyeing for DCs posts have shown preference to serve at the state capital as head of departments or MDs of PSUs.

Even in the top bureaucracy,changes are on the cards except in Forest,Power,Finance,Home,Health,Education and Tourism. However,if the Centre finally clears the return of senior bureaucrat Ajay Mittal,former principal secretary (Power),there can be changes in the top echelons of the bureaucracy.

A few principal secretaries are also keen to get relieved of their departments.

Decision of the Chief Minister to appoint Rajwant Sandhu,a secretary-level IAS officer in the Central government,whose repatriation is on the cards for chief secretary’s post in July end,is likely to affect the career prospects of three IAS officers,including two additional chief secretaries — Avey Shukla and Harinder Hira. Both were slated to succeed Asha Swaroop as chief secretary in July end and later in December 2010 respectively. Now neither Shukla nor Hira will get opportunity to serve top bureaucratic post in the state even after they had preferred to stay in Himachal against Central deputation.

The elevation of Shukla as chief secretary could have vacated an additional chief secretary’s post for promotion of P Mitra,senior most principal secretary in the state.