After Jalaun Row, IAS Rinkoo Singh Rahee Seeks Inter-State Transfer, Offers to Accept Half Salary in 6-Page Letter to UP Government
Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer Rinkoo Singh Rahee (IAS:2023:UP) has once again found himself in the spotlight after penning an unusually candid six-page letter to the Uttar Pradesh government’s Appointment and Personnel Department. In the communication, the officer has sought a posting that, according to him, reflects his seniority, capabilities and responsibilities. In an extraordinary gesture, he has even offered to accept only half of his salary if the government believes it cannot assign him work commensurate with his abilities.
Going a step further, Rahee has requested that if the Uttar Pradesh government is unable to provide him with a meaningful assignment, it should consider facilitating his transfer to another state where his experience and administrative skills could be put to better use.
The letter, dated July 15, entered the public domain after the IAS officer himself shared it on social media, accompanied by a detailed personal note. In that post, he described his long and often difficult journey in pursuit of what he called “good governance” and explained why he chose to make his concerns public.
The latest development comes only weeks after his transfer from Jalaun following a controversy that erupted during an inspection of a private cold storage facility.
Letter Comes Weeks After Jalaun Controversy
Until recently, Rinkoo Singh Rahee was serving in Jalaun district, where he became involved in a high-profile dispute during an official inspection of Betwa Ice and Cold Storage on June 23.
The inspection reportedly led to a confrontation with BJP leader and Block Pramukh Ramraja Niranjan, drawing considerable political and administrative attention.
Soon after the incident, the Uttar Pradesh government transferred Rahee and posted him as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Judicial), Orai.
It is this transfer and his subsequent posting that now form the backdrop to his six-page representation before the government.
In the letter, Rahee argues that his current responsibilities neither make effective use of his experience nor allow him to contribute meaningfully to public administration.
‘Pay Me Only Half Salary If I Am Not Fully Utilised’
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the letter is Rahee’s proposal regarding his salary.
The IAS officer states that he does not believe in drawing a full government salary if he is not being assigned work matching his capabilities.
According to him, his present role as SDM (Judicial) occupies only about four hours of his working day, leaving much of his professional capacity unused.
Rather than receiving full pay without meaningful responsibilities, he has suggested that the government may reduce his salary by half until an appropriate posting becomes available.
He writes that public money should not be spent on an officer who, in his own assessment, is unable to contribute to his full potential because of the limited nature of his current assignment.
Rahee also says that if such a posting cannot be found within Uttar Pradesh, the government may explore the possibility of transferring him to another state through the appropriate administrative process.
Questions Existing Administrative Practices
The letter goes beyond personal grievances and raises broader questions about administrative functioning.
Rahee expresses concern over what he describes as systemic shortcomings that, in his view, prevent governance from becoming more transparent and accountable.
One of the programmes he specifically mentions is the District Magistrate’s “Janta Darshan”, a public grievance hearing initiative.
According to the officer, such platforms often fall short of achieving meaningful outcomes and need stronger institutional mechanisms to improve their effectiveness.
His observations are presented as his personal assessment of governance practices based on his administrative experience.
Facebook Post Explains Why He Went Public
Alongside the letter, Rahee posted a lengthy message on Facebook explaining why he decided to place the document in the public domain.
Using the image of a volcano, he wrote that what people see outside represents only a small fraction of the struggles experienced within the administrative system.
According to him, many officials are aware of systemic issues but hesitate to speak openly because of institutional pressures, vested interests or concerns about upsetting the established administrative culture.
He argued that discussions surrounding governance reforms are frequently misunderstood. Even so, he maintained that transparency, accountability and open dialogue remain essential if administrative systems are to evolve.
Raises Concerns About Governance and Transparency
A substantial portion of Rahee’s letter focuses on issues that, according to him, affected his efforts to improve governance while serving in Jalaun.
Among the concerns highlighted by the IAS officer are:
Limited responsibilities despite holding a substantive government post.
Alleged non-availability of key administrative information required for transparency initiatives.
Difficulties in taking action against cases involving alleged illegal encroachments.
Obstacles faced while attempting to introduce governance reforms at the grassroots level.
According to Rahee, these issues prevented him from fully implementing initiatives that he believed could strengthen accountability within the administration.
These observations represent the officer’s own claims as stated in his letter.
Digital Governance Initiative Through WhatsApp Groups
One initiative that receives considerable attention in Rahee’s communication is his attempt to strengthen citizen participation through digital platforms.
He states that he initiated WhatsApp groups covering every Gram Panchayat and urban locality in Jalaun.
The objective, according to him, was to establish a direct communication channel between citizens and the administration.
Residents could reportedly upload photographs, complaints and suggestions regarding the functioning of field-level officials, including Lekhpal, Gram Panchayat Secretaries and sanitation workers.
Rahee argues that such evidence-based citizen feedback could significantly improve social audits and administrative accountability.
However, he also alleges that important official information, including attendance records and work reports relating to field staff, was not shared despite repeated requests. As a result, he says, the effectiveness of the initiative remained limited.
Refers to Earlier Administrative Experience
The IAS officer also recalls an earlier chapter of his career following another controversy during his tenure in Shahjahanpur.
According to Rahee, he remained attached to the Board of Revenue for nearly a year without receiving substantial responsibilities.
He says he continued drawing salary during that period despite having little meaningful work, a situation he describes as inconsistent with his own principles regarding public service.
Eventually, he requested a field posting and was transferred to Jalaun.
He cites this earlier experience to explain why he is once again seeking an assignment where he can actively contribute to governance.
Allegations Regarding Encroachment Cases
The letter also contains allegations relating to illegal encroachment cases handled during his posting in Jalaun.
Rahee claims he faced resistance while initiating action in certain matters involving influential individuals.
He has referred to the names of Cabinet Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and BJP MLA Gauri Shankar Verma, alleging that he was instructed not to proceed in some encroachment-related cases and that impartial inquiries were affected.
These allegations have been made by the IAS officer in his communication.
As of now, the Uttar Pradesh government has not issued any official response to these specific claims, and the allegations remain unverified.
Cold Storage Inspection Triggered Administrative Fallout
Rahee maintains that the sequence of events began after he conducted an inspection of Betwa Ice and Cold Storage.
According to him, the inspection was undertaken in the wake of a devastating fire incident in Lucknow that had claimed multiple lives, prompting authorities to examine fire safety compliance at similar establishments.
During the inspection, he says, deficiencies relating to fire safety preparedness were noticed and documents connected with the functioning of the cold storage were sought for examination.
Before the inquiry process could move forward, he was transferred to the post of SDM (Judicial), Orai.
The transfer drew attention because it followed closely on the heels of the controversy surrounding the inspection.
Who Is IAS Rinkoo Singh Rahee?
Beyond the latest developments, Rinkoo Singh Rahee’s career has long been associated with determination, resilience and personal courage.
Born on May 20, 1982, in a Dalit family in Hathras district, he completed his schooling in government institutions before securing a scholarship that enabled him to pursue a B.Tech from Tata Institute, Jamshedpur.
He entered public service after clearing the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Civil Services (PCS) Examination in 2004.
Years later, he fulfilled his long-standing ambition of joining the IAS after securing All India Rank 683 in the 2021 UPSC Civil Services Examination, entering the service under the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category. He belongs to the 2023 batch of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
His wife, Sulekha, is a yoga teacher, and the couple has a son.
Survived a Life-Threatening Attack After Exposing Alleged Scam
One of the defining moments of Rahee’s career dates back to 2009, when he was serving as District Social Welfare Officer in Muzaffarnagar.
He has alleged that he uncovered a scholarship and pension scam worth nearly Rs 100 crore.
On March 26, 2009, while playing badminton, he was attacked by armed assailants and suffered seven gunshot wounds, including two bullets to his face.
The attack left him with permanent facial injuries, loss of hearing in one ear and vision impairment in one eye.
Despite these life-altering injuries, Rahee continued pursuing the matter and later undertook a hunger strike in Lucknow after alleging that information sought under the Right to Information Act had not been provided to him.
His story has often been cited as an example of perseverance in the face of extraordinary adversity.
Focus Remains on Governance Reforms
Throughout both his letter and social media post, Rahee repeatedly stresses that his primary objective is not merely securing a better posting.
Instead, he says his larger concern is the quality of governance.
According to him, lasting administrative reforms require greater transparency, stronger accountability and an institutional willingness to embrace change.
He argues that even initiating conversations around governance can ultimately contribute to improving both public administration and democratic functioning.
For now, the Uttar Pradesh government has not issued any official response to the IAS officer’s latest representation, his proposal to accept half salary, his request for an inter-state transfer, or the concerns and allegations raised in his communication.
Whether the letter leads to any administrative action remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that Rinkoo Singh Rahee has once again placed questions of governance, accountability and administrative reform at the centre of public debate, ensuring that his latest appeal resonates well beyond the corridors of the state secretariat.
