Fixed tenure for all Secretary-level posts not essential
Fixed tenure to ensure continuity and efficiency is not necessarily essential for all Secretary-level posts in the Government if one was to go by the opinion poll conducted by the whispersinthecorridors.com - the only portal watched by the decision makers of the country the most.
The portal conducted the debate asking - "Should there be a fixed tenure of, say three years, for all Secretary-level posts in the Government, to ensure continuity and efficiency" - and the response in favor and against the provision of `fixed tenure' was almost equal with those supporting the idea having upper hand only slightly. While 51 per cent respondents favored fixed tenure, 49 per cent rejected it with most of them saying that the performance, not the tenure, was important.
Those against providing fixed tenure for all Secretary-level posts in the Government say that it would be counter productive as it brings in the element of "secure job"! Besides, we have seen Secretaries drifting for years and also those innovating in a shorter time span, the respondents say adding that there is no point in ensuring continuity unless there is something requiring to be continued.
"The solution may be, as in UK and New Zealand, to have a contract between the Government and the incumbent as to what he will achieve during these years, precisely specifying the results to be achieved along with their quality, quantity, cost and time", says a respondent emphasizing that these results also be monitored regularly. Many even say that fixed tenure was not advisable as it is a colonial concept which should have ended. At this point of time governance should be based on result-oriented performance and accountability and not on fixed tenure, they say.
On the other hand the votaries of `fixed tenure' say that it would not only ensure continuity but would also negate lobbying or manipulations which usually go hand in hand for all such assignments. Further it would also help in reducing corruption, they opine. But, in such a case, many opine selection has to be thorough and it must take all aspects in to consideration so that the tenure of three years is not disrupted on any account whatsoever.
"Ideally the tenure should be co-terminus with the term of the Ruling Party's Government to effectively implement their policy", the respondents favouring fixed tenure say adding, "the issue has also to be seen distinctly from the need for career advancement and aspirations of civil servants since the Secretary, they say, is the person responsible to plan, establish, implement and monitor the policies, with the approval of the political leadership, of the ministry concerned
Satish Chandra to head Drug Authority
Additional Secretary Revenue Satish Chandra has been promoted to the rank of Secretary in the Government of India.1970 batch UT cadre IAS officer Satish Chandra will now be head of the Pharmaceutical Authority.

Deepak Sanan to join World Bank

Deepak Sanan is joining the World Bank for a period of two years. He is 1982 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh.

Ms Sindhushree Khullar to join GoI

Ms Sindhushree Khullar is joining the Government of India as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. She is 1975 batch IAS officer of UT cadre.

Surolia is DIG BSF Amritsar
A K Surolia has been moved to Amritsar as DIG in the BSF. He is 1985 batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre.
Defence contracts to be time-bound
All the contracts are going to be time-bound in the Ministry of Defence from Monday.
IAS officer to return to Haryana
Shrikant Walgad is returning to the parent Haryana cadre .1991 batch IAS officer Walgad had been on deputation to the Karnataka Government.

ITDC in for a revamp

The much awaited total revamp in the ITDC seems to have come in for the better. It's newly appointed CMD of the ITDC, Rajiv Talwar, has started taking interest to bring the Corporation to the mark of the world standards. The 1978 batch UT cadre official, Talwar, to start with, has made 34 changes in one go. He is also said to be scrutininsing the state-of-affairs that have brought the Corporation all criticism all these years.

Tenure of Sharma to expire

Deputation tenure of Joint Secretary, Science and Technology, in the Government of India, Arun Sharma, is coming to an end on February 24.He is 1974 batch officer of Civil A.s.

Four posts lying vacant in CBDT

Four posts of Member are currently lying vacant in the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

1972 batch IAS officers get CS rank in Uttar Pradesh

Five 1972 batch IAS officers Mssrs R Ramni,S N Jha,Chandra Pal,Harbhajan Lal virdi and Naveen Chandra Vajpayee have been given Chief Secretary rank in Uttar Pradesh.

A K Mishra is new Secretary Tourism
Ashok Kumar Mishra has been appointed new Secretary Tourism in the Government of India. He is 1969 batch IAS officer of Orissa cadre.
Uma Pillai is Secretary Indian System of Medicine
Secretary Tourism Ms Uma Pillai has been moved to the department of Indian System of Medicine in the same capacity.She is 1968 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Harish Gupta is Special Secretary Defence Procurement
Harish Chandra Gupta has been appointed Special Secretary Defence Procurement. He is 1971 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.
( We said this on February 17 )

Justice Jain is Chairman of POTA Review Committee
Justice S C Jain has been appointed Chairman of the POTA Review Committee.Hemendra Kumar and B S Sial are the members.
J P Singh is Additional Secretary Labour

Jagdish Pal Singh presently Director General, Sports Authority of India has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Labour. He is 1972 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

Dinesh Rai promoted

Dinesh Rai, presently Managing Director, National Cooperative Development Corporation, under the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has been promoted in his present post in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary by temporarily upgrading the post.

Nambiar is now Additional Secretary IT

Madhavan Nambiar, presently Joint Secretary, Department of Information Technology has been made Additional Secretary in the same Department by restoring the post to the level of Additional Secretary.

S P Gaur appointed Secretary UPSC

Surrender Pal Gaur, presently Executive Director, national Centre for Disaster management has been appointed as Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary, He is 1974 batch IAS officer of UP cadre.

Watal is DG SAI

Ratan P. Watal has been appointed as Director General, Sports Authority of India, in the rank and pay of Joint Secretary.He is 1978 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre.

FORUM
Aaj Ki Aawaz

All of a sudden Bhajan is demanding that CM should only be an MLA……why ????
Because there are rumours that Selja may pip him to the CM's post and Bhajan may be left high and dry!!!

Selja is Sonia's choice and she has some administrative experience…unlike Surjewalla Junior who has none,
Bhajan trashes all this and says he has majority of Congress nominees in his pocket and this is how Chief Ministerships are won!!!

Words of wisdom or bitterness from Chautala???
Says EC hai gadbad and ghotala!!!

He says gadbad in EC's mental faculties and ghotala because EC is busy counting paisa (money)!!!
EC wonders that how can Chautala say aisaa???

Congress says that the Sonia wave in Haryana has made Chautlala cranky bordering on madness,
Yes there is no doubt that in Chautala's camp there is despondency and sadness!!!

In Bihar with EVMs counting mein dhaandli is not possible,
Though I would say with Laloo nothing is impossible!!!

Some say that this time in Bihar Congress may be out 'hit wicket' and in Jarkhand caught on the boundary,
Congress would have itself to blame for landing up in this quandary.

Jaitley warns Paswan that never fire at the king unless you are sure to get him…lesson from British History,
That is why Jaitley says that Paswan's stand is indeed a mystery????

Jaitley feels that maybe Paswan has bitten more than he can chew,
Blown a hole bigger that he can sew!!!

UPA will breath easy for nine days when Bardan and Surjeet go to Pakistan on a nostalgia trip,
From UPA's throat for nine days Commies will loosen their grip!!!

After Laloo Pakis will get another view to India's Leaders…….not good examples,
In fact if you ask me more like 'samples' (jokers).

US would not be too happy that Pakis have allowed these two in,
As you know in USA Communism is a sin.

Musharaff would say he has done this on a request from Manmohan……quid pro quid,
Pact between Musharaff and Manmohan ….Operation rid!!!!

Manmohan gets Surjeet and Bardan off his back for some time and Musharaff does the same with Shujat Hussein,
Like Surjeet and Bardan are pains for Manmohan so is Shujat for Musharaff a pain!!!

Seems Renuka Chowdhury has something against Johnny Walker……or is she rooting for another whisky???
Messing with people's whisky brand loyalty could prove risky!!!

In Punjab Amrinder has fired his blue eyed Babu Sanjit Sinha……..shifted him out of home,
And has told him that now he is welcome to roam!!!

Is this a tactical ploy……..Sinha knows too much to be kicked around,
He can run Amrinder's Chief Ministership aground.

Yesteryear it was Bombay to Goa but now it is Goa to Jaipur……MLAs having a gala time,
Spend their time fooling….. Jamir is the one who all of them love to mime!!!!

Yes Rane is still trying indirectly to get some of them to switchover,
He has quite a few of people working undercover.

WANTED Goa MLA ….reward 15 crores and cabinet post is the bait,
If he is not able to woo MLAs seal ho sakthi hai Rane ki fate!!!

Hulka Fulka

There is a buffalo in Jharkahand that chews Kheni ……to the owners dismay,
Refuses to be milked without getting Kheni six times a day.

Sorry no more today…..have to pen off as I have a terrible tooth ache,
Maybe Doc will remove it and I will have to get a fake.

Bharat Kumar

Shashi Kumar to be CMD of Coal India

Name of Shashi Kumar has been cleared for the post of CMD Coal India Ltd. He is presently acting CMD.

New SEBI chief gets one year extra

M Damodaran who has been appointed as the new SEBI chief for three years gets one year of extra service by default. 1971 batch IAS official of the Manipur-Tripura cadre, Damodaran, was to retire on May 31, 2007, but now he would not continue upto 2008 by virtue of his present appointment.

Is it appropriate or justified to re-induct retired officials into the Government in several key positions ?