Bureaucratic reshuffle on the cards in state

However,there are many in the bureaucratic circles who feel that senior IAS officer from Punjab,DS Kalha,who is currently in Delhi,would replace Dubey. A very competent officer,Kalha had served in the Planning Commission for several years before he returned to Punjab,his parent cadre. Soon after his coming back to the state he went back to Delhi and is now the Resident Commissioner,Industrial Liaison,a sinecure post of the Punjab government in Delhi. Senior bureaucrats in the state feel that Kalha’s competence is being wasted by the state.

NS Kang,Financial Commissioner Development,is being tipped to be the new Home Secretary in case Talwar is chosen to become the FCR. Kang held the post before he was replaced by Talwar. The name of DS Bains,currently the Financial Commissioner Forests,is doing the rounds for the post of the FCD. There are no names floating about who will replace Bains.

The state government will have to look for officers for other posts as well. Secretary Irrigation Arun Goel,a favourite of the Akali government,is leaving for Delhi on a posting to the Central government. His approval by the state government was signed a couple of days ago.

The state will get bureaucrat Karan Avtar Singh back from the Centre. Karan Avtar was posted as Secretary Finance when he went to Delhi last year to join the department of NRI Affairs. Sources say that Karan Avtar asked for a six-month leave from his department but was told that for a long leave he would have to go back to his parent state.

Though Karan Avtar would soon be back in Punjab he will not be available for posting as he would be proceeding on a long leave. Sources close to Karan Avtar say he has an offer from the University of Michigan to teach,which he is considering seriously. Karan Avtar was earlier a student at the University of Michigan.

Romila Dubey was to retire in April this year but had resigned this month. She would be replacing Jai Singh Gill as Chairman of Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission. Informed sources add that Dubey was to be relieved some days ago but she is awaiting the arrival of the Chief Minister from USA,who is expected to administer the oath of office to her.