The Chief Secretariat in Puducherry will see key changes at the lower level cadre if the draft transfer policy is adopted. | Photo Credit: T_Singaravelou more-in “The attempt here is to evolve an even-handed transfer policy,” says Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar. Pointing out that the new transfer policy is still a work in progress, he says even within departments there are likely to be “sensitive” and “non-sensitive” tasks. Hence, a broad brush could not be used to categorise sensitive and non-sensitive functions. “At the same time, no officer should be deemed indispensable,” Mr. Ashwani Kumar said. For instance, however efficient or capable an officer has proven to be, a prolonged tenure potentially opens up scope for vested interests to come into play, he said. “Contentious provisions, if any, will be addressed by an officer tasked with the project... From experience, I see that it is not the rules that are problematic but the people exercising them,” Mr. Ashwani Kumar said. “In any case, the vetting process is on and eventually the policy proposals, including the points of concern raised by employees, will go to the government,” he said. Sources in the bureaucracy, including those who have served in Delhi and other AGMUT postings, say one of the major challenges for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the cadres controlling authority for the AGMUT bureaucracy, is to get staff to serve outside Delhi.

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