By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 21 Aug: Three senior officers who were waiting for a long time in the Uttarakhand Mining Department for their promotions have finally been promoted. In this regard, the orders have been passed under the signatures of Additional Secretary Mining, Laxman Singh. The Uttarakhand government has promoted three officers in the Mining Department. According to the orders issued today but dated 20 August, Anil Kumar, currently posted as Joint Director in the Mining Directorate, has been promoted to the post of Additional Director of the Mining Department. Deputy Director, Mining, Gangadhar Prasad has been promoted to the post of Joint Director, while Deputy Director Dinesh Kumar has also been promoted to the post of Joint Director.
According to the sources in the Secretariat, the promotions were due for long but were held up because of absence of departmental rules in the Mining Department regarding promotions on senior positions. Now that the government has promulgated the service rules with provisions regarding promotions, the government has issued orders promoting three officers.
It may be recalled that the Mining Department is considered to be crucial and generates significant revenue for the state. This is besides the fact that senior positions in the department are considered to be very creamy posts and the department often remains in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The mining department in most states usually remains under direct charge of the Chief Minister and Uttarakhand is no exception to this fact. The posts of Additional Director and Joint Director were lying vacant for long. Anil Kumar was looking after the charge as Joint Director on an interim basis but now he has been promoted directly to the post of Additional Director. There was no permanent officer on the post of Joint Director as this charge was being held by Anil Kumar on interim basis. Now, Deputy Director Mining Gangadhar Prasad has been promoted to the post of Joint Director. Deputy Director Dinesh Kumar has also been promoted to the post of Joint Director with immediate effect.
The post of Additional Director and Joint Director was lying vacant in the Mining Department. In such a situation, now, after the promotion of these three officers, these vacant posts can be filled and various mining related works can also be expedited. The Mining Department is trying to fulfil its revenue related targets.
It may be recalled that the total structure at the directorate level in the Mining Department is of 72 officials, but some posts were vacant, which now have been filled through promotion. After the promotion of these three officers, an opening has been created for promotion to the remaining posts as well.
One may recall that, some months ago, the then Director, Mining, Suresh Lawrence Patrick had been suspended on charges of irregularities after his open fight with some mining contractors as well as on the charges of breaching confidentiality. In his place, the then Additional Director, Rajpal Legha, had been given the charge as Director, Mining, and he continues to serve in the post, while Patrick remains suspended.
