U'khand integrates infrastructure with finance department

Principal Secretary Finance Alok Jain today took over as the new infrastructure commissioner of Uttarakhand in a major administrative reshuffle.

This is being seen as the government’s attempt to integrate both infrastructure and finance departments in the hill state, where a series of infrastructure projects had hit the roadblocks. "It is good that the two departments would be held by one person as finance is the major component of the infrastructure projects," a top official said.

Prior to the new reshuffle, the post of the infrastructure commissioner was traditionally held by additional chief secretary. With the transfer of Ajay Kumar Joshi to Nainital where he will be holding the post of the Director General (DG) Administrative Training Academy (ATI), all the three posts of additional chief secretary have been shelved.

After the transfer of Joshi to Nainital, Subhash Kumar, another additional chief secretary Subhash Kumar of 1977 batch, has been made the new Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. Kumar would replace N S Napalchyal, who took voluntary retirement one-and-a- half month before the expiry of his extended tenure on October 31 this year. Napalchyal has now been nominated as first principal advisor to the state planning commission. He is also being tipped as the next chief information commissioner of the state.

Joshi, who stands no 2 in the All India ranking of 1977 batch list, was transferred to Nainital in what was being seen an apparent attempt by Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to clip his wings since he was hot favourite to become the chief secretary. Joshi has now challenged the move in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

In yet another move, S K Mattoo, who was also serving as additional chief secretary, has been shifted New Delhi as chief resident commissioner. Principal secretary irrigation P C Sharma would be the new revenue commissioner.