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Economic Affairs secretary decides to quit

Economic Affairs secretary E A S Sarma today decided to quit his post with immediate effect apparently unhappy over the frequent reshuffling of his bureaucratic portfolio by the Vajpayee government.

Sarma, who had served hardly a year as Power secretary, was appointed Expenditure secretary and from there within a year was made Economic Affairs secretary.

He was made Coal secretary in the major reshuffle of key economic portfolios on October 31.

Sarma, who was on casual leave yesterday, met the new Cabinet secretary T R Prasad to put in his papers for premature retirement after serving the government for 36 years.

Sarma told PTI that he will request the Cabinet secretary today to relieve him immediately foregoing his three months' leave preparatory to his premature retirement.

"Though I have decided to quit I have nothing against the government," he said adding he did not see his shifting to Coal ministry as a sort of demotion. "All secretary level posts are equally important".

"I have been contemplating to seek premature retirement in the wake of frequent reshuffle of my portfolio lately and I decided to use the latest transfer as an opportunity to put in my papers," he said.

Sarma joined the government as an IPS officer in 1964 and got into the IAS the next year.

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