From S Kumar
Bhopal: Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, heaved a sigh of relief after Asheesh Sharma was divested of the post of Member (Finance), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The Minister wanted to dislodge this Joint Secretary level officer of Maharashtra cadre from this position, due to poor performance and the highest level of inefficiency. All the project charges were earlier withdrawn from this 1997 batch IAS officer four months ago.
According to sources, the Minister had written a letter to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) requesting it to remove the officer from the position, but the DoPT showed its inabilities stating that the officer could not be removed before the completion of three years as he was appointed by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).
Then, the Minister approached the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and urged to remove the officer from the position. The PMO lent an ear to the Minister’s grievances and the officer was shifted from NHAI to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) as Joint Secretary before the completion of his three-year tenure.
