The Karnataka government on Thursday, May 5, transferred 17 IAS officers including the Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Gaurav Gupta. Principal Secretary in the Revenue Department Tushar Giri Nath has been appointed as the new BBMP Chief Commissioner whereas Gupta has been made the Additional Chief Secretary in the infrastructure development department, as per a notification issued by the state government on May 5.
The transfer comes as the civic body has been repeatedly pulled up in the recent past over the infrastructural woes of Bengaluru, especially its roads. "First you blame traffic, then you blame infrastructure, then the rains, for years together, and other agencies. What is left for you to blame, how many people will you go on passing the buck to? We just want the roads to be repaired and you are not getting the work started..." the Karnataka High Court had remarked, while passing an order in April this year.
The notification issued by the state government also said that V Ponnuraj, secretary to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, has been transferred as the secretary in the department of public administration and reforms. He will also hold the concurrent charge as the Managing Director of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited.
Bagalkote deputy commissioner Captain. Dr Rajendra K will be replaced by Bhoobalan T. Similarly, Belagavi deputy commissioner M G Hiremath has been transferred and Dharwad deputy commissioner Nilesh Patil has been posted in his place. The state government posted Karnataka Handlooms Development Corporation Managing Director at Hubballi, Gurudatta Hegde in place of Nilesh Patil as Dharwad deputy commissioner. Shilpa M has been appointed as the joint managing director of the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation in Bengaluru.