New Delhi (20.07.2023): Ritu Maheshwari (IAS: 2003: UP) has been transferred as CEO of NOIDA and Greater NOIDA authorities in quick succession and has been posted as Divisional Commissioner of Agra but most of the media reports emphasized the ‘ouster/removal theory’ which seem to have overlooked the larger picture of the decisions made by the Yogi government.
In an attempt to understand and analyse the administrative decisions of the popular government, Indianmandarins finds that the removal theory appears to be weak which apparently fails to pin down the real picture of the decisions.
Noida Authority: Yogi administration on Wednesday appointed Lokesh M (IAS: 2005: UP) as the new CEO of NOIDA Authority. Lokesh replaced Ritu Maheshwari who was moved to Agra as Divisional Commissioner.
Greater Noida Authority: After nine months of ad-hoc arrangement for Greater NOIDA Authority, the Yogi administration had on July 9 made a regular arrangement by appointing Ravi Kumar NG (IAS: 2004: UP) as CEO, GNIDA. Noida Authority CEO Maheshwari held the additional charge of GNIDA from September 2022.
Maheshwari’s ouster or something else?
Most of the media reports appear to have mistaken the decision as the argument of ouster and removal of Ritu Maheshwari from both authorities i.e. NOIDA and GNIDA are misplaced. The four-year-long stint (July 2019 to July 2023) as NOIDA Authority CEO is being termed as Maheshwari’s ouster/removal while overlooking the larger picture of her deployment as the Divisional Commissioner of larger region of Agra ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
One should not forget that Agra region covers four districts -- Agra, Firozabad, Mathura and Mainpuri – having a sizable population/electorates with clout belonging to the community she belongs to.
Setting a Benchmark:
Those who keenly observe the management of urban affairs in Noida believe that in the last few years Noida leap frogged in terms of progress and streamlining the compliances in housing & infrastructure, improvements of civic facilities like waste management, cleanliness, quality construction of public assets like toilets, roads and formalising the street shop vendors etc. Of course, RERA played its role too but Maheshwari’s role was pivotal that his successor may find tough to live up to the benchmark set by the outgoing CEO. So, the four-year-long stint may be seen as a challenge for new CEOs to maintain the pace and add further value to the urban affairs of the authorities.
