An allegation made by retired IAS officer P V Ramesh in a talk show – Open Heart with RK – telecast by Andhra Jyothy ABN channel against a senior IAS officer in Andhra Pradesh government, created tremors in bureaucracy and state political circles.
Ramesh, who had been an advisor to the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for medical and health department in the chief minister’s office till November 1, 2020 after his retirement in 2019, told the channel that it was because of the senior IAS officer, presently serving as special chief secretary in the government, was responsible for the denial of the special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
According to Ramesh, on March 5, 2014, the Central cabinet which decided to grant special category status to AP, asked the central planning commission to issue a notification to that effect.
Between March 5 and 15, the Planning Commission called for five meetings with senior officials concerned, but the senior IAS officer (presently Special CS with AP government) had not turned up at any of the meetings, as a result of which the meetings did not take place.
“The Planning Commission secretary said if there was clearance from the finance department, the notification for the SCS could be given. Had he attended at least one meeting, AP would have got the status,” Ramesh said.
Though in the interview, Ramesh did not mention the name of the official, but Andhra Jyothy carried the name, stating that it was Rajat Bhargava, who was the joint secretary in the Union finance department at the time of bifurcation and is now, the Special CS in the tourism and youth advancement department in the Jagan government.
Bhargava issued a strong rejoinder to Andhra Jyothy report stating that it was totally false, baseless, fake and frivolous.
The statement, which is maligning and with total distortion of facts, is made by the retired All India Service officer for his public convenience.
He said he was no way connected with the Special Category Status issue.
“There are different Joint Secretaries who handle different subjects including Central and State subjects in the Finance ministry. The special category issue which is a major one cannot be trivialised in the favour of a person,” he said.
Bhargava said had the post of Joint Secretary been so powerful and competent to sanction Special Category Status (SCS), he would not have lost the opportunity to sanction the Special Category Status to the State in which he had been serving for the last several years.