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Raje appoints two overseas Indians as OSDs

JAIPUR: Two overseas Indians have been appointed Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) in the office of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. One of them, Anita V. Bhatt, is a US citizen while the other, Gautam P. Patel, holds British citizenship.

Though there are experts from the private sector among the 11 OSDs in the CMO, this is the first time in the State that NRIs have been appointed to this all-powerful office.

“They are not NRIs but OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India),” explained Sanjay Mehrotra, Secretary, Department of Personnel, when contacted by this correspondent. The appointment order of March 3 also clearly mentions their citizenship and their status as Overseas Citizen of India. Obviously the appointments have been made under the provisions of the amended Indian Citizenship Act 1955 (Amended in 2003) under Section 7(B)(2).

In the case of Miss Bhatt, who has a Bangalore address, she will have to produce her OCI certificate before joining the office. Both the new OSDs have been offered the status of Deputy Secretaries in the Rajasthan Government and would be entitled to a monthly pay of Rs.18,000, along with an entertainment allowance of Rs.5,000 and house rent if overnment accommodation is not provided to them.

Interestingly, their tenure is not stated in the appointment, which says they would be in service till further orders.

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