Senior IAS officer Chandra Iyengar is slated to take over as chief secretary from Johny Joseph after his extended term ends on November 30.
In a first for the state, its top bureaucrat is likely to be a woman. Senior IAS officer Chandra Iyengar is slated to take over as chief secretary from Johny Joseph after his extended term ends on November 30. However, a formal announcement will be made after November 25.
Chief minister Ashok Chavan has already given his consent for her elevation to the post, highly placed sources in Mantralaya said. Iyengar is currently posted as additional chief secretary in the home ministry.
Maharashtra, which is celebrating the golden jubilee of its creation this year, has had a good crop of woman bureaucrats, but none went on to become the chief secretary or the commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation despite having ambition and ability.
The competition for the top slot was among eight IAS officers of the 1973 batch. The senior-most officer is JP Dange. Next in seniority is Chandra Iyengar. The others are Leena Mehendale, Sharvari Gokhale, Ramesh Kumar, Rajiv Aggarwal (on deputation in Delhi), BS Meena and Ratnakar Gaikwad.
“Unlike in the past when political masters handpicked top officers to ensure perfect working chemistry, the present chief minister wants to adhere strictly to the seniority and ability of the individual,’’ said sources in Mantralaya. Candidates for the top job were short-listed on these criteria, they added.
According to insiders, “In case of Iyengar, what mattered is the nod from the chief minister who represents the Congress. The NCP ministers have no problems in accepting her as chief secretary.”
If insiders are to be believed, Iyengar’s name was decided on November 10 which also coincided with her birthday.
Known for her dynamism and independent thinking, the 1973 batch IAS lady officer does not always like to say “yes boss”. She is credited with drafting the comprehensive women bill in early 1993-94 which became the model for the Indian parliament in 1996. She played the crucial role in drawing the women policy when Sharad Pawar was the chief minister.
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