Hooda done with show of strength, promotion hope floats for 7 babus

Not only Congress leaders but bureaucrats also had crossed their fingers over the success of Sunday's Delhi rally where Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda staged a show of strength by creating a sea of pink turbans. The reason: With Hooda busy preparing for the rally, postings of babus were on hold.

Now, with Hooda free for the state, promotion of seven IAS officers and transfers, which have been pending for over two months now, may finally be cleared. While there has been no postings and transfers in a few departments several for years now, there are a few which have witnessed frequent transfers.

Since these promotions are likely to create spaces for others at plum posts, the bureaucrats are anxiously waiting for Hooda to take the call.

Top of the list is the post of managing director of Haryana Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC). Incumbent to the post, Rajiv Arora, is due to be elevated as financial commissioner. He had actually steered major projects during his tenure in the corporation, including the much-awaited KMP Expressway and industrial model townships. Hooda gave him a long tenure to ensure that the projects progressed unhindered. Arora is slated to go to central deputation and his wife Jyoti Arora is already in Delhi as the joint secretary (Power).

All eyes are also set on the possible choice for the post town and country planning department head as current director general Trilok Chand Gupta is slated to be promoted as financial commissioner. Gupta is the one who had defended the government on the issue of Robert Vadra land deals post the expose by former director (Consolidation), Ashok Khemka.

Devendra Singh, who has recently returned from central deputation and holding the charge of both the power distribution companies, is also due to be promoted as financial commissioner. Other officers in queue are Avtar Singh, Amit Jha and Sidhi Nath.

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