If everything goes all right, Sumit Bose is likely toreplace Ajit Seth as the next cabinet secretary. According to unconfirmedreports, this 1976 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer who presently servesas revenue secretary will be the senior most IAS officer in the country in July2013 when the UPA II completes its tenure. However, this scenario will emergewhen the UPA II decides to bid goodbye to Seth, the UP cadre IAS officer whoassumed the top bureaucratic post in May 2011.
In case, the UPA II lets Seth enjoy the fruits of power, hewill have another five months, i.e. November 2013 when Seth reaches 62 years ofage and will superannuate.
However, some senior secretaries to government of Indiabelieve that Seth will demit in July 2013 itself. Seth is an honest andstraightforward officer and Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has been very muchcomfortable working with him. However, Seth has never served as secretary togovernment of India, which is why he does not seem to enjoy the confidence ofsenior secretaries. Although as the resident commissioner of Uttar Pradesh,Seth had rendered remarkable service to the State government.
Meanwhile, a fear psychosis resulting in lack of actioncontinues to have the entire bureaucracy in its grip. According to unconfirmedreports, no important decisions have been taken and no file notings have beenmade by the secretaries since August 2012 “ for the apprehension that theywould be landing in prison like Siddharth Behura in 2G scam. A few secretariesconceded privately that they lacked confidence in the moral strength ofpolitical leadership and did not expect ministers to stand up and defend them(babus) in sensitive policy matters. Despite a serious push by the governmentfor reforms, confidence of bureaucracy in their political masters is yet farfrom restored. A senior secretary to the government of India said on thecondition of anonymity that he felt bad for being paid just for pushing filesrelated to leave applications of class IV employees and replying to RTIqueries.
Promotions of 62 IAS officers approved: Meanwhile, cabinetcommittee on appointments (CCA) has approved promotion of 62 IAS officers of1993 batch as joint secretaries to government of India. The highest quota hasgone to Andhra Pradesh from where seven IAS officers have been promoted asjoint secretaries. Next on the list are Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh “ fiveofficials each from both states have made it to the list.
Intriguingly, UPA2 is not announcing promotion of 1979 IASofficers as secretaries to Government of India. According to reports, thoughthe list is ready, there is no one to push it to the CCA. The officers,presently additional secretaries in various ministries, are eager to know aboutthe file’s progress and its journey to the prime minister’s office. However,these officers do not have confidence in the establishment officer or personnelsecretary or for that matter also the cabinet secretary. Many of them maintainthat they will stand up and argue for the empanelled list to be made public.More interestingly, the 1983 batch IAS officers are yet to be promoted asadditional secretaries. Sources in South Block say this is likely to happen inDecember.
