From SECI CMD to #OpenToWork: Gujarat cadre ex-IAS RP Gupta’s curious LinkedIn journey

By Rajiv Shah

Recently, I wrote a blog on retired Gujarat cadre IAS bureaucrat RP Gupta, with whom I used to interact during my Gandhinagar Sachivalaya days as the Times of India man. Written in the backdrop of the Government of India controversially easing him out of his position as CMD of the PSU Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a special purpose vehicle to promote solar energy, the title of the blog — "RP Gupta a scapegoat to help Govt of India manage fallout of Adani case in US court?" — is self-explanatory about the blog’s contents.

After I wrote the blog, I searched the net to find out more about him out of sheer curiosity. And perhaps the most interesting thing I found was on LinkedIn — his profile declared he is #OpenToWork, giving details of his "job preferences", offering a few "job titles", which include "advisor, independent director."

In the "Location Types", the profile says, "on-site hybrid", and under "Locations (on-site)", he includes "India, European Economic Area, United States, United Kingdom, Mumbai Metropolitan Region". I didn’t understand why he says India when Mumbai Metropolitan Region is already mentioned, and why European Economic Area when the UK is separately listed. Further on, under the "Start date" section, he says, "Flexible, I am casually looking" (sic!), and under the "Employment types", he says, "Full-time-part-time contract."

Then I decided to further look at his profile. In its "About" section, he says: "I provide consulting and advisory services in the field of environment, pollution control, circular economy (waste processing, recycling resources), forestry laws and carbon neutrality, environment planning, different clearances, compliances, legal advice and strategising, policy advocacy services, services in areas of forest & wildlife issues", adding: "Advisory and consulting services (including legal) in the areas of all forms of energy resources, mining, including coal and carbon neutrality and trading."

A further look into the profile suggested he has still not updated it after being removed from the post of SECI CMD. Thus, he mentions: "Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Government of India Official Full-time", pointing out he worked in that position from June 2020 to December 2021 — one year and seven months — as his main contribution.

In his note on the posting, he says — and I reproduce it verbatim here:

"I headed the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change. dealt with regulations in Environment, pollution Control, Coastal regulation zones, waste management regulations, Extended Producer responsibility and all facets of environment including amendment of Act, rules and regulations and their enforcement.

On Forest side, I guided all forest policies, streamlining of enforcement of forest laws, schemes to encouragement of plantations and forestry, biodiversity, and all allied issues.

I was also looking after Climate change policies of Government of India. I headed the Indian delegation at CoP26 at Glassgow (sic!) on behalf of Government of India and guided & directed the negotiations on behalf of the country. before CoP 26, prepared the framework for negotiations. Prepared the policy papers which formed the basis of announcement of India's goal (panchamrit) by Hon'ble prime Minister of India. The area included Climate goals in mitigation (net zero, emission intensity, renewable power capacity), carbon trading goals and policies and all related matters, adaptation policies and loss & damage issues.

My work in the ministry included dealing with all policy, administrative, legal and enforcement issues. various statutory bodies (Central Pollution Control Boards, environmental bodies like CRZ committees, SEIAAs, EACs etc) were formed and supervised by ministry under my control. Legal issues which arise in plenty in this field were also dealt and guided (sic!). During my tenure, number of initiatives in smoother enforcement of regulations, amendments of almost all environment and forest laws was started and draft finalized for presentation to Parliament.

the approach was to balance the requirement of economy and environment.

in nutcel (sic!) I was almost like CEO of environment field for Government."

I showed this to a senior IAS officer, who, while praising RP Gupta for his "impeccable reputation", expressed surprise at the poorly written note (which I have reproduced without any edits), as well as his #OpenToWork offer. A senior Gujarati journalist, commenting on his note, said, "An IIT graduate using such poorly written language is bewildering. Couldn't he use an AI tool to make a correction?"

Note: One can see screenshots from the site on clicking hyperlinks...

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