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IMAGINARY INTERVIEW WITH PC

I'm in a Music Store standing in queue to pay when I hear a voice behind me saying, "No please no interviews today…. let them read the fine print and then interviews will be worthwhile." I recognize the voice and swing around to find PC standing behind me, speaking into a phone in one hand and with DVDs loaded in a basket in the other hand.

Me: Really surprised to see you here…. hullo… my name is Bharat Kumar.
PC: Okay you are the guy who's been warning me to reduce my caffeine intake!!!
Me: Yup....... I know that you are very fond of viewing movies on HBO.....so why are you buying DVDs???
PC: I missed out on quite a number of my favourites on HBO as I was busy with Budget preparation and now I'm going to catch up with the movies I'd missed out!!
Me: Any chance of giving me a teeny-weeny interview…. there's this Chinese eatery next door that serves an excellent Wonton Soup….. while we have our soups I'll pop a few questions!!!
PC: Okay!

We exit the Music Store and go into the Chinese eatery and I order soups and thereafter start my interview.

Me: Whose idea was this farm loan waiver???
PC: My High Command's.
Me: Did the order also have any arithmetical calculations?? From where are you going to get the money???
PC: Rome was not made in a day….. I've taken the first step and now am working on the next step!!!
Me: Many feel that you've put the cart in front of the horse….. many are worried that ultimately the tax payer will end up footing this farm loan waiver bill!!!
PC: So what….. Government has shown its gratitude to the Farmer and waived farm loans and now shouldn't the Public also chip in and bear the cost???
Me: Waah…… Government slips on delivering on agriculture and now you want us to foot the bill for Government's incompetence??? Why should we foot the bill for Congress's politicking????
PC: Rest assured …. I've given relief to Farmers from their debt pain and I assure you taxpayers will not feel the pain if I make taxpayers foot the bill!!!
Me: I thought you were a Lawyer by profession….when did you take up surgery???

The soup arrives and I order some starters.

Me: Do you think Congress will gain by this Farm loan waiver???
PC: Of course……. as per my sources after announcement of this waiver Congress's stock has risen and I feel if an election is held today we'll win!!!
Me: Aren't you jumping to conclusions….. Opposition and UPA's Allies are projecting that Government has taken this step under pressure from them.
PC: Sonia Ji has been meeting Farmers for the past month and assuring them of this waiver!
Me: And Opposition and UPA Allies getting a wind of this have positioned themselves….. why do you think there was such a hue and cry prior to Railway Budget on the plight of the Farmers by the Opposition?? Chalo the jury is still out on this........ I am sure of this that Congress is not going to gain as is being projected by Congressmen!! What about the spending money you've tried to give the Indian middle class via the tinkering you've done in the IT slabs…. were you inspired by Bush?????
PC: I've been toying with this idea for some time and I feel Bush aped my idea!!! In fact I'm trying to find out the mole in my Ministry who could have leaked this idea to the Americans!!!
Me: But do you think the Indian middle class will spend this largesse???
PC: My estimate is they'll save some and spend some!!!
Me: Well I feel you are in for a surprise here…….because this largesse will be wiped out by galloping inflation!!! In fact people will feel sore that inflation has robbed them of an opportunity to save and/or spend....make them feel even doubly sore!!! Akin to a kid crying for a lollipop but think what happens to a kid who has a lollipop in his hand and all of a sudden it vanishes!!!

The starters come. I order a combo meal and PC does the same too.

PC: All of a sudden I feel hungry!!!
Me: No problems .....after this Budget do you feel Congress will go in for midterm polls???
PC: Anything is possible in politics……and whatever decision High Command will take will be a well thought decision!!!
Me: I hear UPA Allies are scared of an election!!!
PC: I don't think they'll be that pessimistic after the Farm loan waiver!!!
Me: And I feel any optimism is misplaced……. for four years Farmers have seen UPA's inaction on their woes!!!
PC: Haven't you heard 'alls well that ends well'????
Me: In the end if you ask me Congress may end up as The Comedy of Errors!!!!

The food comes and we both order for some Chinese Tea.

Me: This is your last Budget…
PC: Last in this avtar as FM….. if Congress comes back who knows I'll be the FM again!!!
Me: In case this is your last term as FM then how would you like to be remembered???
PC: An FM who took India forward.
Me: But many feel that by not addressing the farm woes and instead just giving a waiver you have not solved the woes of the farm sector but have set a bad precedence !!!
PC: Tell me one thing why do you just keep discussing about the farm loan waiver???
Me: Because Congress is just harping on this point in your Budget…… Congressis are behaving as if you've delivered the answer to Congress's woes...... I'm reminded of a saying of Confucius….Do not wish for quick results, nor look for small advantages. If you seek quick results, you will not reach the ultimate goal. If you are led astray by small advantages, you will never accomplish great things.

We finish our meal and after I settle the tab and we pick up a mint each and exit the eatery. It starts to rain and PC laments that the weatherman has not predicted rain. I feel like reminding him about the irony in this but then don't… why spoil the sweet taste of the after meal mint he has in his mouth!

Bharat Kumar
Aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

Apurva Chandra tipped to be Jt Secretary Petroleum
Apurva Chandra is poised to become Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. Chandra is an IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre who belongs to the 1988 batch. He is expected to fill up the slot that would fall vacant in the wake of resignation by Prabh Das (1981 batch of West Bengal cadre).

Five DG level vacancies in GoI
There are going to be five DG level vacancies in the Government of India by next month end. Vacancies are CRPF, Secretary Security, Narcotics Control Bureau, NHRC and Civil Defence.

Mishra unlikely to be Member SEBI
CBDT Member P K Mishra is believed to have declined to go to Mumbai as Member of the SEBI.

Will Vijay Ranjan be Member of SEBI ?
There is buzz that former CCIT Udaipur Vijay Ranjan is being appointed Member of the SEBI from Income-Tax. He was earlier on deputation to SEBI. New Chairman of SEBI C V Bhave and Vijay Ranjan are considered to be old friends.

P.K.Patnaik is Joint Secretary DoNER<BR>
P.K.Patnaik is Joint Secretary Department of Development of North-Eastern Region(DoNER).Patnaik who belongs to the 1980 batch is an IAS officer of the Bihar cadre

Uma Shankar is new CMD of REC
P Uma Shankar has taken over as new CMD of the prestigious Rural Electrification Corporation. He is 1976 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.

DRS Chaudhry joins as AS and FA IPP
DRS Chaudhry has joined as Additional Secretary and FA in the Ministry of Industrial Policy and Promotion in the Government of India on Monday. He is 1977 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.

Mehra to retire this month
Secretary Security in the Government of India Shyam Ratan Mehra is superannuating by this month end. He is 1971 batch IPS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre.

Police reshuffle in Maharashtra likely
IPS reshuffle is expected to take place in Maharashtra this month.

Media Advisor of Lok Sabha Speaker on way out ?
Grapevine has it that Media Advisor to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is being sent back to the parent department. Is it because of mismanagement in the press advisory committee working ?.

Is M J Akbar out ?
Media world is abuzz with reports that M J Akbar is no longer with the Asian Age.

Big changes in NDTV likely
NDTV India is reportedly under the process of big managerial changes.

Prasun Mukherjee may not get promotion in WB
Former Police Commissioner of Kolkata Prasun Mukherjee may be denied promotion to the rank of DG .He is 1973 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre.

Raghunathan gets extension
Second Secretary in Behrain R Raghunathan has been granted extension till March 2009.

IRAS officer appointed ADG Commonwealth Games
M. Jeyachandren of the Southern Railway has been appointed Additional Director General of the Commonwealth Games Secretariat till October 2008. He is 1983 batch IRAS officer.

Nand Kishore is IG BSF
Nand Kishore has joined as IG BSF in Siliguri.He is 1984 batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

IAS changes in Uttar Pradesh
Kamini Ratan Chauhan will be new DM of Meerut.Anil Kumar Sagar has been moved as DM Saharanpur.Aradhana Shukla has been appointed MD of the Land Development Corporation.Ashok Kumar Singh has been moved to Urban Development Department.

Dr. Satyanarayana Dash assumes charge of Secretary Heavy Industries
Dr. Satyanarayana Dash, a 1973 Batch IAS Officer of Kerala Cadre has taken over as the Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises. Earlier he was Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence. Dash replaced Dr. R.C. Panda who retired on superannuation.A post-graduate in Physics and Economics and a Doctorate in Economics, Dr. Dash held many responsible positions before joining the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.

(We said this on March 1,2008)

SD Saxena Amidst the Stars at 53rd Filmfare Awards Ceremony
SD Saxena, Director (Finance) BSNL, was welcomed by Vidya Balan, film Actress on the 53rd Filmfare Awards Ceremony as BSNL was one of the sponsors for this Awards Ceremony. Saxena reportedly said, "I am privileged to be here amidst the Taare Zameen Par." Saxena belongs to 1974 batch of the Indian P&T Finance Service.

IRAS officer to join Madhya Pradesh Government
MS Anuradha Mukhedkar FA&CAO(WST) West Central Railway is going on deputation to the Madhya Pradesh Government as Commissioner (Pension).She is 1985 batch IRAS officer.

Painting Exhibition of IA & AS officer
CAG Vinod Rai is going to inaugurate a painting exhibition of an IA&AS officer K Subramaniam on March 5 at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts.

Justice Tiwadi appointed Chairman in Rajasthan
Former Judge of the Rajasthan High Court Justice P K Tiwadi has been appointed Chairman of the Backward Class Commission in Rajasthan.

FORUM

Provide them Stage, They are the Performers
ACRs play a very vital role in the career/life of a government servant. Timely promotion and recognition are the basic motivations for a government servant. Therefore, DOPT should evolve transparent Performance Appraisal System, which should have least subjectivity and no room of unfairness and prejudices. In Central Staffing Scheme, DOPT has fixed minimum bench-mark of ACR as 'VERY GOOD' for empanelment of the Deputy Secretary, Director and the Joint Secretary. If some officer delivered outstanding results in her/ his department, it is beyond imagination how she/ he will not deliver in other departments. They may take some time to pick up the speed. But such officers take correct decisions. Our duty is to provide them congenial environment. Provide them stage, they are the performers.
Meenakshi Roy

ACR-Asset of Government Servant
The ACR is very important for government servant but it is taken very seriously. Many officers write ACR keeping in view the relations with the subordinate officer. The targets or parameters for ACR are neither fixed nor communicated to the concerned officers in the beginning of the financial year or the ACR period. So writing ACR becomes very subjective, where face value and other factors matters a lot. In most of the cases, it is seen that the Reporting officers award grading below the bench-mark where their subordinates come on the their way. In most of the promotions, the bench-mark is 'VERY-GOOD', so such Reporting officers normally award 'GOOD' grading because 'GOOD' is a positive entry and under the existing rules, it is not communicated but badly affects the promotion of the concerned officer. The ACRs are the assets of the employee and are linked with the promotional and the extensional stage of his service career. So one should not play with anybody's career. Here it is also required that the Civil Servants should be given proper role playing field. They should be made more responsible and more accountable by providing them delegation of administrative and financial powers and also providing additional responsibilities. This would be the greatest service in the interest of the Nation.
Y. Mishra

Retirement age should be raised
Retirement age should be increased to 65 in goverment offices. However, it should be open. If anyone wants to retire at 60 he should be given the option to do so. What is irritating is the hue and cry over this matter with the result that it is very depressing for those who just retired say two months back. Can't the government do it silently???
Rajni Kaul

NO logic

With reference to retirement age at 65 or 60, if the logic is that people turn senile at 60, then most Cabinet Ministers, Judges, Presidents of political parties would be senile and unfit to work.

Devinder Singh

It's a shame

It is a shame that the Government could not find a suitable candidate for the position of BHEL Chairmanship. Finally a person, who was not even qualified for attending the interview as per PESB norm has become the CMD through backdoor. The Government should immediately dispose of the PESB. The Hon. Prime minister, to whom the country looks for a clean and corruption free administration should not succumb pressures from such Ministers

SAMBAR MONDAL

Ravi Kumar is good choice

I think K Ravi Kumar is Excellent Choice and should be made permanent. Other Candidates are not of proper background as required by BHEL

T B Mishra

Who will get promotion?
Regrding retirement age, I fully agree with the point 4.1 that only sycophants will get promotion if evaluation is done. Hard worker and deserving has no place. This is known to every one those who get extension and those who give extension.

Suresh Kumar

CORPORATE

Gupta to be new CMD of Andhra Bank !
ED of the Bank of Baroda S C Gupta is likely to succeed K Ramakrishnan on August I as new CMD of the Andhra Bank.

Garg to head UBI ?
ED of the Punjab National Bank J M Garg is all set to succeed P K Gupta on October 1 as CMD of the United Bank of India. Garg is superannuating on September 30.

Project Equipment Corp Director interview today
PESB will conduct interview for the post of Director(Marketing) in Project Equipment Corporation tomorrow.

Orders regarding new BHEL chief to be issued shortly
Orders relating appointment of K.Ravi Kumar Director(Power) in BHEL as Chairman -Committee of Director(C-COD)are likely to be issued shortly.He is supposed to officially succeed BHEL's outgoing CMD A.K.Puri who superannuated on February 29, 2008.

Best-ever February performance by SAIL
With Steel Authority of India(SAIL)of which Chairnman is S.K.Roongta entering its 50th year of production, February '08 was a memorable month for the company. The month's other highlights included payment of Rs. 673.49 crore to the Government by SAIL as interim dividend for the financial year 2007-08, inauguration of Bhilai Steel Plant's Rs. 11,262-crore expansion and modernisation programme by Indian Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers and Steel Ram Vilas Paswan, presentation of the FICCI Annual Award 2006-07 to SAIL for outstanding achievement in the category of Rural & Community Development Initiatives, and signing of a shareholder's agreement with Jaypee Associates Limited to form a joint venture company for setting up a 2.1-million tonne capacity cement plant at Bokaro.During February 2008 SAIL's Central Marketing Organisation achieved sales of 1.03 million tonnes, 3.7% higher than CPLY.

Pai elected President
Former Chairman of Syndicate Bank K. K. Pai has been elected president of the 25th National Kannada Sammelana to be held in New Delhi on April 5 and 6.