After the fiasco over the appointment of PJ Thomas as the central vigilance commissioner, the government may have egg on its face again, this time over the next railway board chief. Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy, who is the minister of state for railways (there is no full-fledged Cabinet minister after Mamata Banerjee left on May 19), has written to the Prime Minister recommending Sanjiv Handa, the board’s member (mechanical), for the post. However, Handa doesn’t have the requisite qualifications.
Under the rules, one should have a minimum of two years left before retirement to be considered for a board member’s post. Handa, who was appointed to this job on April 1, 2010, did not fulfil this criterion as he retires on February 28, 2012. While he was just short of the requirement by a month then, under the rules a railway board chairman needs to have a year of service left.
This is the second time in as many months that the Railways have invited the PM’s attention ? the PM is holding charge of the railway ministry. As reported by FE last month, (?PMO smells rat in Railways factory delay?), the PMO is monitoring the huge delay in the opening of the tender for a new diesel factory.