Smart City DyCEO Saurabh Joshi transferred as addl civic chief

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In a surprising development, the deputy chief executive officer (DyCEO) of Smart City Development Corporation Limited, Saurabh Joshi, has been transferred as the additional commissioner of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC), on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the sudden transfer is likely to trigger controversy as there are two posts of the additional commissioner in CSMC, out of which, one is filled by the state government by deploying an officer on a deputation basis and the another one is filled by the civic administration by giving a promotion of a senior official.

It so happened that the additional commissioner Ravindra Nikam retired from his service on Wednesday (May 31). The programme to see him off was underway today. In the meantime, the state government surprised by issuing the transfer order of Joshi for the post of additional commissioner (which is reserved for CSMC).

Earlier, Nikam was holding the additional charge as the additional civic chief for the last few years. Hence it was expected that after his retirement, the competent civic officer in the seniority list would get a chance to elevate as the additional civic chief. Hence, before Nikam’s retirement, the CSMC’s establishment section recommended a few names to the administrator also, but the sudden transfer order is enough to understand that the state government has encroached upon the post.

It may be noted that the transfer of Joshi has been made on the condition that he will remain on the post for two years till any civic officer claims for the post. Meanwhile, the order instructs Joshi to leave the post of Smart City Office and join CSMC immediately.

Joshi has already rendered his services in the CSMC as the deputy commissioner. Hence he is having cordial relations with other officers at the civic headquarters. Meanwhile, the possibility of triggering a new controversy could not be denied as he has been appointed to the post reserved for the officer on CSMC’s establishment, it is said.