‘Hard taskmaster’ IAS officer transferred from agriculture department

The government on Wednesday finally shifted senior IAS officer Bhagwan Sahay (in pic) from the agriculture department to the general administration department (administrative reforms).

Mr Sahay, who is the additional chief secretary, was accused of employing a high-handed attitude towards employees. He had allegedly refused to grant a half-day leave to joint secretary (agriculture) Rajendra Ghadge, whose young son committed suicide last month. The son, who was suffering from depression, had asked Mr Ghadge to come home immediately, failing which he had threatened to commit suicide.

Taking serious note of this, the state government had sent Mr Sahay on a 12-day leave from August 20 to August 31. During his leave period, the additional charge of his department was handed over to additional chief secretary (finance) D.K. Jain.

The employees of the agriculture department had demanded Mr Sahay’s transfer. The class-IV agriculture department’s employees’ association had also threatened to go on a strike outside the office of the commissioner of agriculture, Pune, if this transfer was not carried out.

Now, according to the new transfer orders issued by the state, Bijay Kumar, who has been posted as principal secretary (agriculture), agriculture and ADF department, will now replace Mr Sahay.