HUSHED’ RACE FOR JAIPUR COLLECTORATE BEGINS!

Jaipur: A new Collector is being searched for Jaipur district as the current Jaipur Collector - Rajan Vishal - will be leaving for study leave at the end of the year, having served at the post since January this year. The current government would therefore, appoint fifth Collector for the state capital.

The current dipensation has created two records, of sorts, as far as Jaipur Collectors are concerned. Firstly, the government has appointed five collectors in merely three and a half years of its term and secondly, handing over the reins of the allimportant district to promotee IAS from RAS. It is important to note that promotee IAS Jagroop Singh was posted as Collector merely 11 months before his retirement to oblige the ‘favoured’ official. Similarly, second promotee IAS Antar Singh Nehra was also awarded the position for being government’s ‘favourite’. However, his term was marked with controversies and due to disgruntlement of senior officials in the state government, Nehra had to be removed after 12 months. Serving as Jaipur Collector is a challenging task and prior to the current government, the unwritten rule had been that a senior IAS with experience in Collectorates of 2-3 districts would be given this position.

The names doing the rounds which can be considered after Rajan Vishal leaves, are Muktanand Agarwal, Nakate S Madan, Kumar Pal Gautam, Chetan Deora and Tarachand Meena.

A 2008 batch IAS officer, Muktanand Agarwal is serving currently as Registrar, Cooperatives and is considered a favourite officer of the government. He has served as Collector in 6 districts and can now be given new responsibility

Nakate S Madan, a 2011 batch officer, is currently serving as Alwar Collector and has proved his capabilities in Barmer, Sriganganagar and Bhilwara as Collector. Interestingly, he has ‘protection’ of senior officers in the government.

A 2009 batch IAS officer, Kumar Pal Gautam has been eyeing the chair of Jaipur Collector for a long time and is currently serving as RUIDP Project Director. Although he had fallen out of favour of the government in recent past, but now ‘all is well’, reportedly.

A Promotee IAS officer of 2088 batch, Chetan deora, hails from Jodhpur and is another favourite of the state government. He was given the position of Excise Commissioner, but he courted controversy and was removed after four months. He is set to retire after 6 months and could be given the position to oblige and reward him for his services.

A 2011 batch promotee IAS officer, Tara Chand Meena is considered to be the front-runner for the Jaipur Collectorate and has two years to his retirement. He too could be given the high chair prior to his reitrement as a reward.

Apart from these officer, there are half a dozen more IAS officers, who are in the race for Jaipur Collectorate and only time will tell who among these is preferred for the coveted post!