CM takes administrative observers by surprise with his firm decision-making

Eighteen months after the change in government, the Bhajan Lal administration has finally reshuffled the leadership of the Finance and Home departments.

- Rajendra Chhabra

Vaibhav Galriya has been entrusted with the responsibility of the Finance department, while Bhaskar Sawant will now head the Home Department.

By defying speculation and making these new appointments, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has taken many administrative observers by surprise. The sweeping changes reflected in the transfer of 62 IAS officers issued on Sunday, clearly signal the Chief Minister’s willingness to make firm and bold decisions.

The scale of the administrative overhaul can be gauged by the fact that departments of eight Additional Chief Secretaries, seven Principal Secretaries and three Secretaries have been reshuffled. Experts consider such a sweeping change at the top bureaucratic level highly significant. In addition to the Home and Finance departments, new IAS officers have been assigned to lead key departments including Energy, Industries, Forest and Environment, Urban Development and Housing (UDH), Local Self Government (LSG), Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Technical and Higher Education as well as RIICO, Rajasthan Housing Board and RTDC.

A closer analysis of the transfer list reveals clear shifts in bureaucratic influence, highlighting which IAS officers have gained prominence and authority in the reshuffle.