The Punjab government has placed two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers under suspension for alleged delays in procuring smartphones meant for anganwadi workers under the Poshan Abhiyan programme. The action highlights growing administrative concern over delays, cost escalation and procedural lapses in implementing key welfare initiatives.
Who Was Suspended and Why
Two officers — Kamal Kishor Yadav (Administrative Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Investment Promotion and Information Technology) and Jaspreet Singh (Managing Director, Punjab Infotech) — were suspended with immediate effect by the state government. They will be attached to the state headquarters in Chandigarh and will receive only subsistence allowance during the suspension period under Rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
The suspension is linked to a six-year delay in procuring 28,515 smartphones for anganwadi workers — devices meant to help track nearly 12 lakh beneficiaries under the Central government’s Poshan 2.0 nutrition initiative. The procurement, intended to be funded jointly by the Centre and the state, saw cost escalation from initial estimates of around ₹34 crore to about ₹60 crore due to specification changes and delays.
Backstory: Procurement Hurdles and Cost Escalation
The issue dates back to when funds were released for 4G-enabled devices, but the government later shifted the requirement to 5G-enabled smartphones, driving up costs significantly. The vendor selected for the 5G devices then reported that the specified devices were not in production, causing the original order to be cancelled. Efforts to revive the tender without following proper procedures led to objections and court involvement, complicating the procurement process even further.
Punjab and West Bengal remain the only states yet to procure the required devices for tracking beneficiaries under the Poshan scheme, while most others have already updated or replaced smartphones under regular replacement cycles every four years.
Administrative Reassignments
In addition to the suspensions, the government transferred two other officers connected to the case:
- Vikas Pratap, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, was relieved of his role with no fresh posting assigned.
- Anand Sagar Sharma, Joint Secretary, Social Security Department, has been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur.
Political Response and Controversy
The move has drawn political responses, with opposition leaders questioning the timing and rationale behind the suspensions, and raising concerns over bureaucratic independence and decision-making autonomy, claiming the officers were penalised for resisting questionable directives.
