UT asks Haryana to give panel for home secy’s post

The Haryana government is expected to respond to the UT Administration’s request with the name of officers by the first week of next month. The Chandigarh Administration’s request for the panel of officers for the post of home secretary has put an end to speculations on whether the present Home Secretary Ram Niwas would be getting an extension.

Sources disclosed that ever since a former lot of top UT bureaucrats got embroiled in controversies and a few of them were booked on charges of ‘misuse of official position and corruption’ by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has categorically said “No” to any extension requests for bureaucrats posted on deputation to top positions in the Chandigarh Administration.

Besides numerous initiatives including making mid-day meals a success,strengthening of government schools’ infrastructure and launching of new initiatives in the fields of art,culture and tourism,Ram Niwas’ tenure with the Chandigarh Administration was mired in numerous controversies too.

Be it the infamous teachers’ recruitment scam,in which Ram Niwas’ subordinate officer Samwarthak Singh Khangal,a Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officer,is in the dock and had to be repatriated for his questionable role in teachers’ recruitment; or the ‘open war’ between the Chandigarh Administration and the private schools lobby in Chandigarh,Ram Niwas stirred the way the city administration functions.

On the other hand,it was during his tenure that certain cases pertaining to medical negligence in Government Multi Speciality Hospital,Sector 16 (GMSH-16) came to the fore and he maintained a tough stand in such cases and recommended registration of criminal cases on charges of medical negligence against those allegedly responsible.

After the former UT Advisor,Pradip Mehra,took away the charge of chief vigilance officer from Ram Niwas,the charge of education secretary too was taken away from him. However,he was given various other important portfolios including Urban Planning and Development.

Asked to comment on the UT’s latest request to the Haryana government,Ram Niwas said,“I have always worked hard with full honesty and dedication and shall continue to do so. My tenure on deputation with the Chandigarh Administration ends in September and I shall be joining my parent cadre.”

Two dozen portfolios already in HS’s kitty

Besides the all-important Home Department,the UT home secretary has to take care of around two dozen portfolios including Health,Tourism,Hospitality,Employment,Industries,Law & Prosecution,Transport,Revenue,Labour,Housing,Local Government and Personnel. The home secretary is also the Chief Administrator,Capitol Project,besides being chairman of various boards and corporations.