The government of Madhya Pradesh has thus far orchestrated the transfer of as many as 300 IAS officers, in less than 300 days of CM Mohan Yadav’s regime, which began on December 2023. In August 2024 alone, no less than 100 IAS officers were transferred, and more such reshuffling is expected in the following months.
It appears as if the new BJP government, under the Chief Ministership of Dr. Mohan Yadav, has embarked on a reset mode. Close to 200 IAS officers were transferred between Dec 2023 and August 2024. If it is considered that there were no transfers from mid-March to mid-June 2024, when the model code of conduct was in force for the Lok Sabha elections, the sheer scale of the IAS reshuffle becomes evident. No sooner did the model code of conduct transpire than the government started reshuffling officers in the secretariat.
As many as 57 IAS officers were transferred in August 2024, while 29 IAS officers were transferred on September 9th. The state government transferred 10 senior IAS officers on August 2nd, followed by 26 on August 10th, nine on August 20th and a dozen more on August 21st. During this shakeup, two IAS officers were changed in 20 days, including one in less than 24 hours. Before this, on June 27th, 14 IAS officers were transferred. Two officers were transferred on June 11th and two on June 19th.
The government mandated the reshuffling of 13 district collectors in the past two months. The Seoni collector was transferred on June 22nd, and on July 23rd, the collectors of Katni and Mandsaur were changed. On August 4th, Sagar and Chhatarpur collectors were changed. Collectors of Shahdol, Mandla, Rajgarh, Vidisha, Balaghat, Dindori, Anuppur, and Neemuch were on the list of 26 IAS transfers on Aug 10th.
It is being anticipated that only collectors will be transferred in September. The state could get a new chief secretary as IAS Veera Rana (1988 batch), who is on an extension of six months, hangs up his gloves on September 30th.
The criterion for change of collectors would be their performance report on the basis of implementation of government schemes, feedback from local elected representatives and recommendations of district ministers in charge, said sources. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s call on the next Chief Secretary is only a matter of time.
