New Delhi: Barely 4 days after he was granted extension, the Centre on Friday (May 28) evening sought services of West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and requested the state authorities to relieve the officer instantly with a course to him to report in Delhi by 10 am on May 31.
Bandyopadhyay, a 1987-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, was scheduled to retire on May 31 after completion of 60 years of age. However, he was granted a three-month extension following a nod from the Centre.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12, urging him to grant Bandyopadhyay an extension for at the very least six months in view of his expertise of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a communique to the state authorities, the Personnel Ministry on Friday mentioned the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has accepted the position of the services of Bandyopadhyay with Government of India as per provisions of the Indian Administrative Service (cadre) Rules, 1954, “with immediate effect”.
While asking the state authorities to relieve the officer with rapid impact, it additionally directed Bandyopadhyay to report to the Department of Personnel and Training, North Block, New Delhi by 10 am on May 31. The IAS cadre rule says a cadre officer could, with the concurrence of the state governments involved and the central authorities, be deputed for service below the central authorities or one other state authorities.
“Provided that in case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the central government and the state government or state governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the central government,” it says.
Bandyopadhyay took over because the chief secretary of West Bengal after Rajiva Sinha retired in September final yr.
The order got here on a day when the Prime Minister visited Odisha and West Bengal states to evaluation the scenario and damages attributable to ‘Cyclone Yaas’.
Mamata had a short assembly with PM Modi on the Kalaikunda airbase the place she handed over a memorandum on the post-cyclone scenario. The BJP leaders later accused her of reducing brief the deliberate evaluation assembly.
The Personnel Ministry order could depart the West Bengal authorities fuming as CM Mamata had sought his extension on the grounds for serving to the state authorities in dealing with the pandemic. “Our chief secretary has got an extension for three months. We are happy because he has got the experience of working during last year’s Amphan as well as during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” CM Mamata had mentioned earlier this week.
This is the second time that the Union authorities has invoked the All India Services Rule in the final 5 months. Earlier in December, the Centre had directed the West Bengal authorities to instantly relieve three IPS officers in order that they might be part of their new assignments on the Centre.
The officers, Rajeev Mishra (1996 batch), Praveen Tripathi (2004 batch) and Bholanath Pandey (2011 batch), have been directed to report on central deputation in December final yr after the West Bengal authorities refused to ship its chief secretary and police chief to Delhi to talk about the legislation and order scenario in the state.
The three have been chargeable for the safety of BJP President J P Nadda throughout his go to to the state for build up momentum for electioneering when his convoy was attacked at Diamond Harbour.
However, in accordance to the officers, these three officers have been by no means launched by the state authorities.
