The deadlock arising out of non communication between state minister Rekha Arya and IAS V Shanmugam (IAS:2007:UK) continues with both writing letters to Uttarakhand’s chief secretary (CS) Om Prakash (IAS:1987:UK) on to explain their respective stands.
Earlier, when senior bureaucrat and director of women empowerment and Child Development, V.Shanmugam was in Covid-19 related self isolation, the state minister of the same department Rekha Arya had reported this case as that of gone missing, probably due to kidnapping. Taking cognizance of the situation, CM Trivendra Singh Rawat had ordered a high level enquiry by additional chief secretary Manisha Panwar (IAS:1990:UK). However, Arya has expressed her apprehensions over the fairness of the probe, in an inquiry by an IAS officer involving another IAS officer. She Said, ” A retired High Court judge would have led the probe in a fairer manner.” A closer look brings about the tussle between political and bureaucratic powers.
In her letter to the CS, Arya has highlighted the issue of a tender process to finalise an outsource agency which provided jobs to 350-400 persons in different projects of the women empowerment and child development department. The minister maintained that the department did not take the matter seriously and though the time period of the selected agency expired in May 2020, the process of finalising an agency could not be completed timely.
On the other hand, sources pointed out that Shanmugam too has written a three-page letter to the CS apprising him of various facts, including his decision of self-isolation.
