NEW DELHI: Strong resentment prevails in bureaucratic circles of the Delhi administration over the Sheila Dikshit Government's inclination to accommodate "retired bureaucrats'' by appointing them in some extra-constitutional capacity in violation of rules and without caring for the austerity code of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

A close look at recent accommodation of bureaucrats and some proposed for the future hints at attempts to undermine the administrative set-up by ensuring appointment of many such retired officers in places that would allow them not only access important Government matters but also allow them to use Government accommodation, retain staff and other facilities.

The trend was started with the appointment of Ramesh Chandra, former Principal Secretary (Finance), considered close to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, as member secretary of the VAT Empowered Committee. This ensured the VAT Committee would have its secretariat in Players' Building also known as Delhi Secretariat.

Mr. Chandra's rehabilitation was only the beginning of this process. Soon the former Delhi Vidyut Board Chairman, Jagdish Sagar, joined this list. Mr. Sagar was heading the DVB when the controversial privatisation took place. It is another matter that privatisation as a whole has come under severe scrutiny by the citizens as well as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Delhi Assembly headed by Congress MLA, S. C. Vats.

Insiders in the Delhi Government informed that Mr. Sagar was appointed as Consultant (Infrastructure) after strong objections by Raj Nivas. However, in the final notification the Delhi Government without the knowledge of the Lieutenant-Governor also gave another portfolio of power to him. Similarly, Principal Secretary (PWD), T. T. Joseph, was rehabilitated as consultant State Subordinate Service Selection Board.

This at a time when the SSSSB does not even have a regular chairman It is also learnt that the present Chief Secretary, S. Regunathan, due to retire in June next year, the Chief Minister is interested in appointing him as State Information Commissioner to oversee the Right to Information Act in Delhi.

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