Chidambaram agrees to review transfer order

NEW DELHI, FEB 15
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today agreed to review the transfer of several top officials of Delhi Government following a request by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Chidambaram gave the assurance to Dikshit when she called on him seeking review of the transfers on the ground that allowing the top officials to go from Delhi will severely affect the budget-making exercise.
“The issue has been sorted out”, Dikshit said in a brief comment after the meeting.
The Centre had on Friday transferred 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.
Top sources indicated that the Home Ministry agreed to give extension to two-three officers till depending on pending projects.
They said Srivastava, who was moved to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, will continue to stay in his current position till March while Negi will be allowed to stay till August. They said Verma will also stay back for sometime.
Sources said Sharma, who has been appointed as adviser to the administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, is being relieved with immediate effect. The governor of Punjab is ex-officio administrator of Chandigarh.
They said in the next few days, a modified transfer order will be issued making these adjustments.
While Verma has been transferred to Goa, Negi was moved to the northeastern State of Arunachal Pradesh.