Sudhir Mahajan, who retired on Sunday from the Delhi govt, joined as the Chief Executive of national apex body National Cooperative Union of India without much fanfare on Monday.
Mahajan was received at the NCUI headquarters by its staff-members which included the outgoing CE N Satyanarayan, Ved Prakash Setia and Ashish Dwivedi and others.
Mahajan retired from the services of Andaman Nicobar state govt on Sunday. He is a 2005 batch (AGMUT) IAS officer. An officer of UT cadre, Mahajan had a long stint with Delhi govt in the past as well.
Talking to Indian Cooperative Bijender Singh said he knew Mahajan from the past. “Being an MLA in Delhi, I had a chance to interact and know several IAS officials. Mahajan was one among them”, said Singh to this correspondent.
“It is after more than 20 years that an IAS has become the Chief Executive of NCUI and it augurs well for the apex body”, said Bijender seeking media’s support for Mahajan’s smooth functioning.
Those not enthused over the appointment of Mahajan to the top post complain that Mahajan brings neither co-op experiences nor financial expertise to the table. His only brand value is the “tag IAS” and there too he has retired.
“He has the required gravitas and is well-versed in administrative matters even if he has little or no experience in cooperative matters”, added the Vice-President of NCUI countering the widespread impression that he has been catapulted into the important office without having credentials in cooperatives.
Dr Chandra Pal Singh, the former President of NCUI also spoke in favour of Mahajan’s appointment and countered those who complain that the entire talk of DoPT’s extension was an eyewash aimed at silencing opposition to Mahajan’s appointment.
There were many who raised questions like–How can DoPT give extension of three years to a retiring IAS officer, and that too within such a short time frame”? Such extensions are hard to come by and if at all it happens, it happens through the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet which is presided over by the Prime Minister.
Explaining the DoPT episode, Chandra Pal Singh said the Chief Secretary of Andaman & Nicobar had recommended Mahajan’s case to DoPT, a copy of which was sent to the NCUI also. It was this letter of recommendation which was later placed before the GC meeting, he explained.
Now since Mahajan did not get the DOPT approval before his retirement he would serve as the CE for three years on terms and conditions framed in accord with the service rules of NCUI as laid down for a CE”, clarified Chandra Pal.
Chandra Pal also admitted that a formal interview did not take place. “But it is wrong to say that Mahajan did not meet the members of the Selection Committee. Each of us met him twice and the only member Sivadasn Nair who could not make it to Delhi, expressed his approval through a formal letter”, explained Chandra Pal.
Chandra Pal also narrated the entire episode of zeroing in on Mahajan’s name by enumerating who all applied and what was the basis of selection. There were 3 applicants from NCUI, one from NCDC and another one from Kribcho. But the ACR of Mahajan was the best, said Chandra Pal assuring Indian Cooperative that he would prove an asset for the apex co-op body in the days to come.