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How Goa decided on its Chief Secretary. An exception instead of the norm

On August 9, 2012 Goa Government appointed B Vijayan, IAS as its’ next Chief Secretary. Vijayan’s appointment would go down in history as the first time when a Chief Minister rejected the panel of all names for Chief Secretary submitted by the Home ministry, and appointed someone from within the state without seeking any approvals.

Withthe tenure of Sanjay Srivastava coming to an end the the government of Indiasent a shortlist of three names to the State namely D M Sopolia (79 batch), LTochong (79 batch) and G S Patnaik (80 batch). The Chief Minister rejected allthree and appointed B Vijayan already posted here as Principal Secretary(finance) as Chief Secretary. 

In his internal note on this subject, Chief MinisterManohar Parrikar said “I have gone through the bio data of all three. Whilethey are competent officers, they will need time to know the state. 

Thegovernment therefore wishes to appoint someone who will be able to meet thechallenges of a new government. Hence B Vijayan is appointed as ChiefSecretary”. Publicly however the CM maintained that two of these were retiringin two years and the third was reluctant to come to Goa. 

“Officers about toretire may not deliver and a reluctant chief secretary is of no help,"Parrikar had said.

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"You don't need any permission from the state government. Just leave"

Does the Home ministry use this language anywhere in a transfer letter of a cadre officer?

Team Goan
Published Sep 8, 2012, 7:32 AM IST
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Daysafter he was sworn in as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was left aghast when theUnion Home Ministry asked DIG Ravindra Yadav to relinquish his charge and moveout of the state. An Under Secretary in the Union Home Ministry wrote to DIGRavindra Yadav, without sending a copy of the letter to the Chief Secretary/the Goa government.  “You stand relievedwith immediate effect. You do not need any permission from the state governmentto be relieved. Relinquish charge…

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