Bhubaneswar, Oct. 14: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has adopted a carrot and stick policy to run the administration in the state.

While Naveen has taken tough measures against some IAS and IPS officers who did not fall in line, he has not forgotten to reward post-retirement senior bureaucrats who have willingly cooperated with the government.

Some have been given charge of statutory bodies just before retirement so that they continue to enjoy privileges. “It was an allurement to babus so that they would do their work and leave inhibitions behind,” said National Congress Party leader Arun Dey.

In such a move, the government rehabilitated senior IAS officer and former member of the Board of Revenue Satya Prakash Nanda as chairperson of the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) one year prior to his retirement.

Senior BJP leader Suresh Pujari said: “We are not pointing fingers at Nanda’s capability. Our contention is why is the Naveen Patnaik government giving appointments to bureaucrats alone and not people from the civil society.”

Most of the officers who worked with the chief minister’s office during the last 10 years were rehabilitated after their appointment. Besides, the chief secretary and the director general of police, who had also worked fairly and maintained a balance, were rewarded.

Soon after his retirement, former chief secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra was made chief information commissioner. One of the senior officials in the CMO, Pramod Mohanty, was made information commissioner. Former chief secretary Ajit Tripathy got the job of the state election commissioner after his superannuation.

Similarly, former DGP Gopal Chandra Nanda was chosen to head the Orissa Staff Selection Commission (OSSC). After his retirement, the state government roped in senior IFS officer Suresh Chandra Mohanty for the job. D.P. Dhal, a powerful official of the CMO, was appointed as a member of the OSSC.

Another senior IAS officer and former development commissioner R.N. Bohidar was appointed as member of the State Human Rights Commission.

After his retirement, senior IAS officer Chinmoy Basu was appointed chairman of the Orissa Public Service Commission (OPSC). Another member in the chief minister’s office, K.C. Mohapatra, was appointed as member of the OPSC. Bijay Shankar Deo, who had worked in the chief minister’s office before his retirement, was also absorbed as member of the OPSC. Manoranjan Saran, who had served in the chief minister’s office, also got an opportunity to work for the OPSC. Former chief secretary Pratip Mohanty after his retirement also got the opportunity to head the OPSC. Another powerful official in the CM’s office, Dhiren Das, was rehabilitated and is now heading a land cell.

Asked about Naveen’s “dole” to retired babus, former chief secretary Sahadev Sahu said: “This is not something new. But whenever the government does it, it is done within the parameters of law.”

Those officers who did not toe Naveen’s line have been thrown out of the secretariat and posted as officers without duty. Some of them have not even got the chance to come back to the state secretariat. Chief secretary cadre officer Arun Samantray was kept out of secretariat and retired as the chairman-cum-managing director of the Orissa State Road Transport Corporation.

Another senior officer Rajalaxmi, who had challenged the government decision for ignoring her, was posted as chief administrator of KBK region. The other unfortunate officers at the chief secretary level were Ardhendu Sekhar Sarangi, Yogendra Patra and Madhur Sarangi.