CM meets Chidambaram to discuss transfer of IAS officials

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to seek a review of the Centre's decision to transfer several top IAS officials of her government.

After the meeting, Dikshit said the issue has been "sorted out". However, she refused to answer whether the transfers will be revoked by the Home Ministry.

Sources in the Delhi government said the Home Minister indicated to Dikshit that transfer of officials who have not completed four years' tenure will be reviewed.

Dikshit is also believed to have conveyed her protest to Chidambaram for not consulting the Delhi Government before transferring the officials.

The Chief Minister earlier had written a letter to Chidambaram demanding a review of the decision on the ground that their transfer would seriously affect the budget-making exercise.

The Centre had on Friday last transferred five top officials including Principal Secretary (PWD) K K Sharma, Delhi Jal Board CEO Ramesh Negi, Commissioner of Trade and Taxes Jalaj Srivastava, Transport Commissioner R K Verma and Industries Commissioner Chetan Sanghi out of Delhi.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later in the day.

Dikshit had yesterday said the city government was facing a shortage of officials and the situation will be more serious when a large number of officials will retire in the next three-four months.

A senior official in the Chief Minister's office said Dikshit was unhappy as the Home Ministry did not consult her before transferring the officials.

The transfer of Sharma comes at a time when the Prime Minister-appointed Shunglu committee, CVC and CAG are probing various alleged irregularities by the PWD into the CWG projects.

While Verma has been transferred to Goa, Negi has been posted to north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Sharma has been appointed as Adviser to Lt Governor of Chandigarh, while Shrivastava has been moved to Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Three IAS officials -- Nutan Guha Biswas, Satya Gopal and Ved Prakash --- have been brought to Delhi.