Bengaluru: M. Maheshwar Rao, a 1995-batch IAS officer and Harvard graduate, was named the chief commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), replacing Tushar Girinath. Rao will also continue to hold the charge as managing director of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), leaving him with the responsibility of two of the most important departments in India’s IT capital.
“He is a very agreeable, genteel officer. It is very important in the IAS to be acceptable to all stakeholders,” said a senior government official, requesting anonymity.
Rao has maintained a low-profile during his career. As commissioner for industries and commerce department, he would engage with international delegates and industry leaders during Karnataka’s Global Investors Meet (GIM).
Rao’s appointment comes at a time when Bengaluru is gaining a reputation as a template of ‘urban ruin’, and D.K. Shivakumar who is the minister in-charge for the city’s development, has pushed for a slew of big-ticket infrastructure projects to help decongest the city and address basic issues such as potholes and garbage.
Shivakumar has proposed infrastructure projects including tunnels, sky decks, double-decker flyovers and a second airport for the city.
Rao has worked under Shivakumar when the officer was managing director of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited in the Siddaramaiah government between 2013-18.
Among his previous postings was deputy commissioner of Mandya, Mangalore, Belagavi, and Hassan. He has also worked as the managing director of Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation.
Rao has served the BBMP previously also and has had one brief stint with the central government as joint secretary and financial adviser in the department of space, based in Bengaluru.
He has a bachelors in Mathematics, Economics and Statistics from the Nizam College, Hyderabad Central University, a Masters in Economics (Econometrics and Growth) from the University of Hyderabad, and a Masters degree in Public Management from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Harvard University.
Also Read: Splitting BBMP — how Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill proposes to change city’s governance model
‘Severe shortage of officers’
Rao will hold two important departments but is likely to be relieved of BMRCL at the earliest, people in the know say. “The Government of India does not appreciate any sudden transfers of BMRCL MDs. So, we will find a replacement soon enough,” an officer said.
But the state government will require the Union government’s concurrence to replace Rao. If that is approved, Rao may not be holding two departments, something every official in the same rank in Karnataka does so now.
The shortage of senior officers has burdened administrators and its impact is felt in delays seen across departments, the people quoted above said.
Officials often juggle between departments and ministerial meetings with little time for implementation of policies and plans, leading to neglect. For instance, the basic infrastructure in Bengaluru has been deteriorating, making life difficult for its 1.4 crore residents. Bengaluru has been without an elected municipal body or mayor since September 2020, consequently all decisions are being taken by officials or the state government.
There is an acute shortage of additional chief secretary or ACS-level officers in Karnataka. According to details ThePrint has accessed, there are just six ACS-level officers against the sanctioned strength of 16. Similarly, there are just 12 principal secretary-level officers against the sanctioned strength of 33.
In the secretary- and selection grade-level, there is a sanctioned strength of 71 each but has just 33 and 62 officials, respectively. In the senior scale, there are 118 officials, as against the sanctioned strength of 87. In total, there are 231 officials as against a sanctioned strength of 278, the details show.
“The shortage happened because 1990 onwards, the Government of India went into an austerity drive. Then the number of IAS officers recruited were suddenly slashed,” the officer said.
Karnataka got just four officers each year in 1990 and 1991. Between 1992 and 1993, Karnataka got two officers each but one resigned. In 1994, three officers were assigned to the state but two were from outside the cadre.
“In 10 years, if you lose four officers annually, that would mean there would be a shortage of 40 officers,” one of the officers quoted above added.
Tushar Girinath has been made additional chief secretary (ACS) in the urban development department and will also hold the same post in the home department as well. He will also remain the BBMP administrator.
Another ACS-level officer, Gaurav Gupta, is in charge of energy and water resources, Anjum Parvez is in charge of rural development and panchayat raj as well as forests. Uma Mahadevan Dasgupta is ACS & development commissioner, panchayat raj. Ajay Seth, a 1987 batch officer, was appointed Union revenue secretary in March.
At least four other officers—Atul Tiwari, Vandana Gurunani, V. Vidyavathi and Srivatsa Krishna—are in central deputation or study leave.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)