Minding the AP mines thru transfer?

Hyderabad, Oct 8 :

  Whenever a top  IAS  official is shifted many  eyebrows are raised in administrative circles. Often, the Chief Minister is made the scapegoat suggesting some political clout or coterie as the possible cause for such transfer. The sudden shifting of Y Srilakshmi , secretary, Industries, Commerce, and Mining  department recently created a furore in the media. When asked about the reason behind Srilakshmi’s transfer,  sources close to the Chief Minister’s Office did not specify any  reason but indicated that an order is an order. As  the  common man’s  understanding  goes, it is  either political or personal reasons  that determine which  official should hold  what post in the CM’s  corridor of power.

Srilakshmi joined the mining department in 2006 and functioned with full autonomy even though the Industry and Commerce department is headed by a principal secretary. After the sudden demise of Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy,  things  have turned the other way  round for her. The moot question is who is behind her transfer.  Is it Rosaiah’s dislike for her, or her so-called `arrogance’ with the political bosses or any other reason that might be lurking behind the curtains.

Sources  close to the  Congress  circles  indicate that it  was  the party High command  which triggered her  transfer. The reason cited is that Defence Minister A K Antony, who is also incharge of the Congress affairs in Karnataka, is instrumental in getting the IAS officer shunted to the General Administration department.

The  problem  with Srilakshmi  was  that  the manner in which she handled   the Mines in Andhra- Karnataka border  benefited  the mining  barons belonging to the BJP in Karnataka. The  money procured from the Mines is reported to have been pumped  into the election by  BJP mining barons. In the post- poll  scenario, it  has  come to light  that  the huge mining money pumped into elections was the cause of  the Congress rout.

According to close Congress insiders, Antony  had cautioned  the leadership  to keep under surveillance the  mining activities of Karnataka BJP leaders in  Andhra Pradesh. The issue also figured  prominently many times in the  core committee meeting of  the Congress in New  Delhi. However, this particular issue went on unhindered and finally  after YSR’s  death the High  Command  had  to execute the proceedings through Chief Minister K Rosaiah. Further, it is reliably learnt that the High Command asked the Chief Minister to tighten the loose ends in the mining policy in Andhra Pradesh.