IAS officer was transferred on minister’s complaint within three weeks

Mumbai: “IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe’s behaviour is having a negative effect on the state’s image and there could be implications in future. As such, he must be transferred from his current post.” This is what state health minister Tanaji Sawant wrote in his complaint to chief minister Eknath Shinde, following which the officer was shifted from the post of director, National Rural Health Mission, and commissioner (health and family welfare).

The state government transferred Mundhe on November 29, roughly three months after he took up the post. An IAS officer of the 2005 batch who has been appreciated by citizens for his no-nonsense attitude, Mundhe has been transferred 16 times so far.

Following his appointment in the home department, Mundhe did what he was known for: conducting surprise visits on hospitals to check whether the staff was working and taking the officers to task if he found them slacking off or not following rules. Sawant, however, seemed to believe otherwise and thus sent the letter demanding Mundhe’s transfer to CM Shinde on November 9.

The letter charges Mundhe with a host of irregularities from threatening the health department staff to the ‘insubordinate’ act of removing a senior executive engineer from his post despite Sawant directing him not to take any decision immediately. It says many doctors’ associations were upset with style of functioning, and also mentions that Sawant himself was upset that Mundhe would not take his calls on his cell phone.

CM Shinde sought a report from chief secretary Manu Kumar Srivastava. Upon receiving Sawant’s letter on November 14, the CMO asked principal secretary (health) Sanjay Khandhare to seek Mundhe’s response to the letter. Sources in the government said that Mundhe was transferred the same day he submitted his reply to the health department.

A senior officer who was close to Mundhe said that he was dynamic, result-oriented and honest. “During the meeting with the CM, there was no warning given to Mundhe,” he said. “As for the transfer of the executive engineer, the latter was on deputation to the National Health Mission, and his predecessors had not allowed him an extension.”

Sawant, when questioned, told this correspondent: “All ministers were disturbed by Mundhe’s behaviour, and hence I wrote a letter.” Chief Secretary Srivastava and the chief minister’s spokesperson did not respond to calls and text messages.

Retired IAS officer Mahesh Zagade said that even if there was a complaint against an officer, it had to go to the civil services board headed by a chief secretary. “There was a Supreme Court order in 2013, after which a civil services board was set up. It is supposed to have two additional chief secretaries too. If there is a complaint, the veracity of the complaint has to be established by the committee first and then they can recommend a transfer or punishment if the person is guilty. I won’t blame the CM, but I will blame the committee if rules were not adhered to.”