Tamil Nadu: Bureaucrats, administrators make quick buck via transfers

Chennai: The adage "make hay while the sun shines" goes well with TN bureaucrats and state administrators who are now making quick bucks with department transfers. Political instability has forced the state ministries to rush with the usual annual transfers and the posts that became vacant due to retirements in March. The posts are filling up fast and promotions are happening. The recent I-T raids in health ministry has also exposed the transfer racket, an informed top official told DC. Similar is the situation with other government departments. Recently the transport department also made a series of transfers and posts of regional transport officers across Tamil Nadu, the official noted.  

Documents now available with I-T shared with DC also speaks about the money taken for transfers and postings starting office assistant post of MGR university to senior positions.  The forest department to its part had also issued a circular dated April 5, 2017 (circular no - 1/12770 /2017) to all its district forest officers insisting that all the inter-departmental transfers should be made only after obtaining clearance from the office of the principal chief conservator of forests. "Creation of more files and adding to administrative norms will only result in corrupt practices. All these days the transfer of guards, foresters and drivers within a conservator circle was handled by DFOs, now the transfer is dealt at the office of forest headquarters and this is something new", said an informed DFO.

 Highways, municipal administration and energy departments had also made hundreds of appointments and transfers in the past one-month adding to the season of 'appointments'.   

"The state after getting concurrence from the finance department appointed retired engineer V. S. Thangavel as executive director for Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation. For this post, a monthly remuneration of Rs 67,000 is fixed. "Is Tamil Nadu lacking talents or is there any dearth of engineers. Why give an extension for retired officers", asked an agitated senior engineer attached to state highways sharing a government order

"Except the recent transfer of 38 officials from police, revenue and corporation during RK Nagar bypoll, all other transfers to plum posts have some financial or political motive behind it. The government departments are now in a state of 'transfer' mood", but not all transfers are quick bucks. There are punishment posts, postings in remote areas and voluntary transfers, explained an IAS officer.