Search the Internet           Tips

'Linking my resignation to the reshuffle would be unfair to the government'

Y Siva Sankar in Bombay

Economic Affairs Secretary Dr E A S Sarma, now making news for seeking voluntary retirement from the civil service, has sought to dispel rumours that he decided to quit in protest against his transfer as coal secretary.

On Monday night the government had effected a sudden shake-up of secretaries at crucial economic departments.

"I have been thinking about early retirement for quite some time. I have been discussing this with friends, colleagues, well-wishers and my family members for a long time. Linking my resignation to the latest reshuffle of secretaries would be unfair to the government," Dr Sarma told rediff.com

Asked about the significance of the timing, Sarma said, "I decided to put in my papers now because I feel it is a good time to do so. I didn't want to accept a new responsibility now and then quit after a few months. That would have been unfair to the government."

Dr Sarma is due to retire only in September 2001. Asked why he wants to quit the civil service prematurely, he said he had had a long career. "I now wish to pursue my other interests. I would like to be involved in academic work. I might read books on energy, physics and so on. I might consider delivering lectures at universities if invited to do so," he said.

He ruled out joining the corporate sector in the near future. "No way. I have a pathological revulsion for corporate jobs."

About his immediate future plans, he said he might fly off to the US to join his son there. "But that would only be a holiday. All this talk is premature because I have to serve out a three-month notice period. I have requested the government to waive this condition and relieve me at the earliest. Until then, I wouldn't like to say anything."

He said he is optimistic the government would accept his request. "Then, I'd be a free man. And a free man will be free to talk. And I will talk. Right now, I'm collecting my thoughts on various things," he said.

Dr Sarma recalled that he has had short stints in the last couple of years as secretary for the departments of expenditure, power and economic affairs.

A 1965 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, Dr Sarma, in a lighter vein, labeled himself as a "professional quitter". "When I was the principal secretary (energy) to the government of Andhra Pradesh, I quit in protest against a scandalous deal," he recalled.

FROM THE REDIFF ARCHIVES:

Dr E A S Sarma on Budget 2000

New guard takes charge at North Block: Dr E A S Sarma is Economic Affairs Secy.

Money

Tell us what you think of this report