From rxpgnews.com
Mayawati moves to end 'transfer industry'
By IANS,
May 14, 2007 - 8:57:34 PM
Lucknow, May 14 - Aiming to stem corruption, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Monday resolved to end the 'transfer industry' by taking action against those who helped government officers in getting desired shifts at a charge.
On Day 2 in the office, she sacked the heads of at least 30 state undertakings appointed by the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav regime.
Mayawati, who rattled the state bureaucracy on her first day in office by effecting a major administrative shake-up across the state, was out to send the message that play of money that had become rampant in transfer of government officials would now be brought to an end.
Ironically, like many other chief ministers, she was herself accused of giving fillip to the 'transfer industry' in her three earlier stints as chief minister.
To ensure that none was able to raise a finger at her anymore, Mayawati took a policy decision at her first cabinet meeting here Monday to relinquish her own powers to order transfers of officials.
The move is seen by critics as yet another discernable change in her style of functioning to prove that providing 'good governance' was on the top of her agenda in her fourth tenure now.
Briefing media persons, Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Secretary Sheshank Shekhar Singh said: 'All key appointments and transfers would be routed through the services establishment board and the chief minister would not deal with cases of officers below the rank of principal secretaries and additional directors general of police.'
While the board has been part of the government system, it has lost its sanctity and was virtually forgotten over the past two decades as transfers were often ordered at the highest political level.
'Transfers of departmental officers would be handled by their respective ministers while those of junior Class I and Class II officers would be decided by principal secretaries, secretaries and heads of departments only,' Singh said.
'The chief minister has taken this decision essentially with a view to nipping the 'transfer industry' that had been thriving in the state.'
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