Karnataka IAS men make a beeline for Capital’s pastures

From September 1, 1993, there have been seven such instances, not counting the two IAS officers who took up the assignment in the specially created post of additional resident commissioner.

These frequent changes, State Government sources say, is a drain on the exchequer. Each time an IAS officer is shifted out of Karnataka to take up the resident commissioner’s post, the State will have to shell out up to a lakh of rupees as transfer-related expenses.

While Basu lasted just four months, his predecessor lasted even less; 11 days. Brahm Dutt served probably the longest term in recent years — 16 months. He joined the Industry Ministry as a joint secretary.

His successor, Shantanu Consul’s stint was for four months. He lost little time in joining the Department of Chemicals as joint secretary.

The next IAS officer to travel to Delhi from Karnataka was Sudhakar Rao. After a brief one-and-a-half month stay in Karnataka Bhavan, he joined the Power Ministry.

In February this year, Rao left the ministry to serve as a minister looking after economic affairs in the Indian Embassy in Washington. Dhirendra Singh fared marginally better by staying for a month more before moving over to the Cabinet Secretariat as a joint secretary.

The next in line, Subir Hari Singh, did much better serving as resident commissioner for a year. He went over to the Department of Electronics. Anup Pujari took over from him on December 26, 1996 before relinquishing charge on January 6, 1997 to join Union Law Minister Ramakant Khalap as personal secretary.

There have been two instances of two IAS officers occupying the specially created post of Additional Resident Commissioner in the Bhavan. The one doing the stint now, Falguni Rajkumar, joined the Bhavan on May 22. He too is likely to take up a Central assignment shortly.

While IAS officers from the State are making a beeline to the Capital, there are no takers for the post of Deputy Director of Information lying vacant for a year now. Ironically, Deputy Resident Commissioner Shalini Rajneesh, also of the IAS, took additional charge of the Information post last month.