In Akhilesh ‘babu raaj’, officers have to answer to many political bosses

Criticising the functioning of the government last week, SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav said that there were officers who held the charge of more than one important department. What perhaps did not strike him was that there are officers who report to several ministers.

Take the case of Pravir Kumar, Principal Secretary of Urban Development as well as Housing and Urban Planning, which Mulayam Singh had specifically mentioned. While urban development is the portfolio of Azam Khan, housing and urban planning are held by the CM. Obviously, Pravir Kumar reports to both.

Sadakant, who had been repatriated to his home cadre from Central deputation in 2011 following allegations of corruption, was posted by then Mayawati government as Principal Secretary of Social Welfare, Women's Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition. The present government has also given him the charge of Samagra Gram Vikas. As a result, Sadakant is now reporting to four ministers — Minister of Social Welfare Awadhesh Prasad, Samagra Gram Vikas Minister Ram Karan Arya, Women's Welfare Minister Arun Kumari Kori, and Child Development Minister Ram Govind Chaudhary.

Sanjay Agarwal is Principal Secretary of Food and Drug Administration, which is directly under the control of the CM. He is also Principal Secretary of Medical, Health and Family, another important charge, which is the portfolio of Ahmed Hasan.

Similarly, Debasish is Principal Secretary of Cooperative as well as Agriculture, both important departments, besides being Registrar of Cooperative Societies. While Shivpal is Co-operartive Minister, Anand Singh is Minister of Agriculture.

R M Srivastava is Principal Secretary of Home, Vigilance, Confidential and Prison Departments. Home, Vigilance, Confidential Departments are under the CM whereas Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya is Minister of Prisons.

Mukul Singhal is Chief Executive Officer in the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority that comes under the Industry Department, which is under the CM. Singhal is also CEO of the UP State Highway Authority (UPSHA) of which CM Akhilesh Yadav is chairman and PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav is vice-chairman. Singhal is also Principal Secretary of Small Scale Industries and Export Promotion which is the portfolio of Minister of State (independent charge) Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar.

... contd.

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