One more retired official gets lucky

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, AUG. 12. The Vajpayee regime appears to have lost a capacity to say ``no'' to bureaucrats, retired or about to be retired, importuning for a post-retirement sinecure. Latest in the line of the retired officials landing up with comfortable jobs is Mr. Devi Dayal, who retired on July 31. He is likely to find parking space for himself as member of the Planning Commission.

No one seems to be quite sure what special services this U.P. cadre officer rendered to the BJP crowd, but there seems to be an extra-anxiety to reward Mr. Dayal with a new assignment. Perhaps, it may be because the Prime Minister has some reason to believe that Mr. Dayal was a ``competent administrator'', a judgment rest of the IAS fraternity is not prepared to share.

Mr. Dayal first made a pitch to be appointed as member of the Election Commission; the Prime Minister liked the idea. A thoroughly alarmed Dr. M.S.Gill had to talk Mr. Vajpayee out of it.

Then, there was talk of a seat on the Union Public Service Commission. Now, Mr. Dayal's post-retirement search-job has spotted the cushy Planning Commission. The Prime Minister himself heads the Commission and the deputy chairman, Mr. K.C.Pant, cannot be expected to offer any resistance.

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Section  : National
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