Delhi L-G transfers over dozen bureaucrats in first reshuffle

New Delhi: In his first major bureaucratic reshuffle, lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Thursday transferred over a dozen Delhi government officials. Among these are 1998 batch IAS officer V. Abraham, secretary (art and culture), who will now hold the additional post of secretary (languages). He has also been given additional charge as aecretary, Sahitya Kala Parishad.

P.R. Meena, a 2002 batch officer who is special commissioner, trade and taxes, has now been entrusted with the job of special secretary in the Public Works Department, that undertakes development-related projects in the city. Garima Gupta, who was the deputy director Delhi municipal corporation has been brought back as the director (higher education) and secretary (education). S.K. Bhandari, special commissioner, trade and taxes of the 2004 cadre has been re-patriated as the additional commissioner in the North Municipal Corporation.

Mukesh Prasad of 2007 batch, who was looking after Tihar as additional inspector general, has been posted as special secretary power, replacing Ashok Kumar. Among other officers transferred and posted are – JP Agarwal as CEO-cum-special commissioner, disaster management, Juhi Mukherjee as deputy commissioner NDMC Smart City Limited, Shiv Kumar as DC West in the revenue department and Sachin Shinde as additional secretary, health and family welfare.

Earlier, senior IAS officer, S.S. Yadav, considered close to AAP leadership, was transferred as financial commissioner. Soon, after he returned from his three-month sabbatical, he was assigned the new job. Mr Yadav used to head the crucial VAT department, responsible for generating the maximum revenue for the state exchequer.

The government in its budget had put a target of  Rs 24,000 crore as VAT collections. But due to poor collections, this was revised to Rs 21,000 crore for the current fiscal. Mr Yadav has also held important portfolios. He headed the crucial food and supplies wing and was responsible for launching mega-advertising campaigns as the director, information for the AAP government.