Soon after taking charge as Chief Minister,Charanjit Singh Channi made several key changes in Punjab bureaucracy which hasnow led to chaos among the officials. Amid reshuffle, many IAS and IPS officershave sought central deputation.
Former Punjab chief secretary, IAS ViniMahajan, her husband former Punjab Director General of police Dinkar Gupta andDGP Prabodh Kumar are the three big names among the officials who had soughtCentral deputation.
Notably, former DGP Dinkar Gupta decided toproceed on leave as the new government was looking forward to replacing him.Now, 1988 batch IAS, Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota has been appointed as officiatingDGP and most probably will be announced the new DGP.
Former Punjab chief secretary Vini Mahajanwas replaced by IAS Anirudh Tewari days after Charanjit Channi took oath as CM.
The former head of a Special InvestigationTeam (SIT) looking into the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing cases, DGPPrabodh Kumar is learnt to be a critic of Deputy Chief Minister SukhjinderRandhawa.
Amid reports that Randhawa was now a strongcontender for Home portfolio, therefore DGP Kumar has written to the stategovernment to make him available for central deputation.
Besides these, several IAS and IPS officerswho have close ties with Capt Amarinder Singh camp, as well as BJP, are alsotrying the same.
“Usually such bureaucratic chaos is witnessedwhen the government is changed. But in Congress, this is happening as bothparty leaders and bureaucrats were divided, with some favouring Capt Amarinderwhile others Navjot Sidhu”, said a senior party leader.
Central deputation, formerly regarded as adefinite path to promotion had almost lost its appeal for Punjab's IAS and IPSofficials as many preferred to stay in the state only. However, the change ofguard has forced them to seek this long-forgotten path.
Meanwhile, this chaos among the stateofficials can have a major impact on government functioning as the code ofconduct is most likely to be imposed by December. The new administration inPunjab is left with just around 90 days. This major reshuffle could disrupt thedevelopment projects in the state.