Re-appointment of retired Punjab IAS as director for second time ‘raises eyebrows’
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 18,2024
Punjab govt has once again appointed R. Venkat Ratnam, IAS (retired) as the director general lead agency (DGLA) of the Punjab State Road Safety Council for a period of two years.
As per the orders issued by Dilraj singh, IAS, secretary Govt of Punjab “R. Venkat Ratnam, IAS (Retd.) is hereby appointed as Director General of the Lead Agency under the Punjab State Road Safety Council for a period of 2 years. The terms & conditions of appointment will be issued in due course. This issues with the approval of the competent authority.”
R. Venkat Ratnam, IAS (retired) term as director general lead agency (DGLA) of the Punjab State Road Safety Council had ended on December 3,2023. After his retirement, the state government had given the charge of the DGLA to administrative secretary, state transport till further orders.
Earlier, on December 4,2020 Punjab government had appointed R.Venkat Ratnam, IAS of 1990 Batch as the director General of the Lead agency of the Punjab State Road Safety Council. R.Venkat Ratnam retired on November 30, 2020 as Additional Chief Secretary, posted with the Jails department.
A full-fledged state Lead agency on Road Safety as the Secretariat to the Punjab State Road Safety Council was notified on December 4,2020
On the appointment of R.Venkat Ratnam, IAS of 1990 Batch as the director General of the Lead agency, than opposition party youth wing leader had leveled serious allegations against the ruling Congress for showing special kindness to the top officials who were the main culprits of the transport mafia during the SAD-BJP government.
The youth wing president of opposition party had issued a statement on November 2021 and raised a question over the appointment, creating of the post of Punjab State Road Safety Council (Lead Agency) and its Director General by the Channi government and especially Transport Minister Raja Warring (at that time).
The opposition leader had alleged at that time that R. Venkat Ratnam, the most beloved IAS officer of the Badal family, was appointed as the Director General (Road Safety) for a period of three years (December 2023). He as DC, R Venkat Ratnam has been popularly known as a special service officer of the Badal family. When the SAD-BJP government came to power in 2007, the first appointment was made of R Venkat Ratnam as the State Transport Commissioner (STC) and had held that post for four-and-a-half-years. This was the beginning of the ‘transport mafia’ at the government level in the state.
The leader in its statement at that time had also raised questions on the salary, allowances, vehicle, driver and other facilities being given to R. Venkat Ratnam as Director General Punjab State Road Safety Council. Re-appointment of retired Punjab IAS as director for second time ‘raises eyebrows’but despite these allegations, the officer is re-appointed.
Punjab State Road Safety Council
To accelerate Road Safety measures which will help in saving valuable lives, to strengthen the Road Safety measures, mapping of ambulance accessibility, identification of black spots, intensifying the Enforcement Measures.
There are seven official members of stakeholder departments viz. Traffic Police, Transport, PWD, NHAI, Health & Family Welfare, School Education and Traffic Advisor Punjab. There are three non-official members, who are Joint Director level professionals in the field of Medical & Emergency, Road Engineering and Traffic Management.
The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety vide letter No.16/2016/CORS, dated 24.11.2016 addressing all Chief Secretaries of the States/UTs, directed the constitution of a Lead Agency to exclusively deal with road safety issues
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