Kejriwal want professionals to handle Govt projects

New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister ArvindKejriwal today batted for engagement of professionals inhandling government’s various projects while advocating apublic debate on whether country should be run byprofessionals or bureaucrats. Kejriwal said the AAP government had appointed anengineer as PWD Secretary and a doctor as Health Secretary whodid a brilliant job, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi"removed" them and posted bureaucrats instead. Three days back, Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had removednon-IAS cadre officers Sarvagya Srivastava from the post ofPWD Secretary and Tarun Seem as Health Secretary following theHigh Court order that stamped the primacy of the Lt Governorin the city administration. "We appointed an engineer as PWD secy n a doc as healthsecy. They did a brilliant job. Modi ji removed them n postedbureaucrats instead. There shud be a public debate-Shudcountry be run by professionals or bureaucrats?, (sic),"Kejriwal tweeted. Earlier in the day, a delegation of engineers’ bodies ofvarious agencies including MCD, NDMC, PWD and DJB met ChiefMinister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia andexpressed their "displeasure" over removal of technocrats fromkey posts. "During meeting, the delegation thanked the governmentfor appointing an engineer as Secretary of Public WorksDepartment (PWD). "Engineers’ bodies said that Delhi government’sinitiative of following ISRO and DMRC had shown visibleresults in performance of PWD," said a senior Delhi Governmentofficial. The associations said they will soon meet LG Najeeb Jungand register their protest over the removal of technocratsfrom the post of PWD Secretary. Transfers of Srivastava and Seem sparked another round oftussle between the LG and the AAP government which have beenat loggerheads on a range of issues. In the wake of the HC order that stamped the primacy ofthe LG in the city administration, Deputy Chief MinisterManish Sisodia had requested Jung not to transfer Seem andSrivastava as they were handling flagship projects – settingup of mohalla clinics and construction of new school buildings– of the Kejriwal government. "Several officers transferred by LG directly. Files noteven shown to CM or any minister. Is this Modi model ofdemocracy?… Manish Sisodia requested LG not to transferthese two officers looking after works of setting mohallaclinics and new schools till March 31, but he (LG) did notrelent," Kejriwal had tweeted on August 30. PTI BUNRG