2 secy-level officers transferred had differences with their

In a bureacratic reshuffle, two secretary-level officers known to have differences with their respective ministers, were transferred today.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved the transfer of 1982-batch Tamil Nadu cadre officer Leena Nair, Secretary, Women & Child Development (WCD) Ministry, to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the corresponding capacity.

Another 1982-batch Bihar cadre officer, Rashmi Verma, has been moved to the Tourism Ministry as Secretary from the Ministry of Textiles.

The differences between these officers and their respective ministers are public knowledge.

Last December, WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi had in fact complained to Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh, about Nair's alleged frequent absence from work and delays in clearing files.
 

Maneka had also written a strongly worded letter to Nair, demanding an explanation on the status of 40 different issues she wanted addressed.

"When can we expect a leap forward?" she has asked in the letter, a copy of which is with the PTI.

In the case of Verma, the differences with Textile Minister Smriti Irani are well known. The two reportedly had once heated arguments in front of other officials.

Irani, too, had issued over 24 notes in two days, seeking explanations from Verma within two months of taking over the textile ministry.

According to reports, Irani and Verma disagreed over issues concerning the Rs 6,000-crore apparel and textiles package cleared by the Cabinet on June 22 last year.