Ranchi, March 31: Rajbala Verma, a 1983-batch IAS of Jharkhand cadre and wife of former bureaucrat-turned-politician J.B. Tubid, today took charge as the new chief secretary from her predecessor Rajiv Gauba, becoming the second woman civil servant to hold the top bureaucratic post in Jharkhand.
Recently elevated to the rank of additional chief secretary, Verma has apparently been picked among a host of senior bureaucrats, including U.P. Singh (1984-batch) and Amit Khare (1985-batch) whose names were apparently under consideration for the top post till last evening.
But, the chief minister ultimately opted for the senior most officer, Verma, who has the reputation of being a "hard taskmaster", drawing an end to all speculations that were doing the rounds in the administrative corridors.
Present home secretary N.N. Pandey, a 1983-batch IAS who will retire on December 31, 2016, and Board of Revenue member Vishnu Kumar, also a 1983-batch IAS who will attain superannuation on April 30, 2016, were apparently not considered. There are a few other senior officials of 1983 or earlier batches but they are currently on central deputation, serving various government departments in Delhi.
Gauba formally handed over charge to Verma in the first-floor office of chief secretary at Project Building, Ranchi, around 12.15pm.
Present during the occasion were development commissioner Amit Khare, forest and environment secretary Sukhdev Singh, rural development secretary N.N. Sinha, drinking water and sanitation secretary A.P. Singh, energy secretary S.K.G. Rahate, cabinet co-ordination secretary S.S. Meena and IT secretary Sunil Kumar Barnwal, among others.
After the ceremony, Gauba left on an afternoon service flight for Delhi, where he is slated to take over as a secretary in the urban development ministry.
"My main priority as the chief secretary will be to ensure that benefits of development reach even those from the lowest social strata," she said after taking charge.
If everything goes well, Verma will get almost two years to serve the chief secretary because her retirement is due on February 28, 2018.
Originally from Rajasthan, Verma is married to J.B. Tubid, a 1983-batch IAS who opted for VRS in 2014 and unsuccessfully fought the Assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Chaibasa seat the same year.
She has served in various departments, including finance, road construction and home, among others, of the state government in the rank of either secretary or principal secretary.
Sources said Verma, who had been in-charge of the state road construction department since January 2014, had ensured better funds utilisation in the sector during her tenure. The budget for road construction has witnessed a substantial increase in the last two years from a meagre Rs 700-800 crore to over Rs 3,000 crore in a fiscal now and maximum credit for this goes to Verma, they added.
After Laxmi Singh, who had served as chief secretary of the state during 2003-04, Verma is the second lady IAS to hold the top bureaucratic post in Jharkhand.
In other reshuffles, Khare has been promoted as additional chief secretary and given full charge of the development commissioner. So far, he has been holding the additional charge of development commissioner along with his main responsibility of the principal secretary of state's planning-cum-finance department. He will, however, continue to serve the planning-cum-finance department as additional charge now.
Outgoing divisional commissioner of South Chotanagpur K.K. Khandelwal (a 1988-batch IAS) has been transferred as principal secretary of the commercial taxes department while examination controller of JCECEB (Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board) Pradeep Kumar will replace Khandelwal as South Chotanagpur commissioner.
Commercial taxes secretary Nidhi Khare will be the new secretary of personnel, administrative reforms and rajbhasa department, replacing Ratan Kumar who retired today along with another senior IAS Sajal Chakraborty, a former chief secretary rank officer. Nidhi Khare will also hold the additional charge of transport department secretary.
