The suggestion of A K Saxena for creating a monitoring cell by this website for impact assessment ,if implemented, will be a unique and the first ever step by the electronic or print media to assess the performances of GOI and the State governments and the offices under them. I strongly support Saxena's suggestion and its operationalisation within this year only. Let there be no delay. Your browsers are your strength. They will help you.

S K Sharma,IAS(Retd)

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Secretary level changes this week
Secretary level changes in the Government of India are now expected to take place this week end after the return of the Prime Minister.
List of 42 IPS officers of 1977 batch
As many as 42 IPS officers belonging to the 1977 batch were empanelled in Government of India (GOI)for ADG’s post. They are: Ajay Chadha, Ms.Kanwaljeet Singh Deol, Bheem Singh Bassi, A.S. Khan (all from UT cadre) A. Shiv Shankar, Umesh Kumar, Alok Shrivastava (all from Andhra Pradesh), Abhay Aanand, Shafi Alam, U.Narayan, Arun Chaudhary (all from Bihar), V.K.Gupta, K.Nityanandan, S.K.Saikia (all from Gujarat), Prem Singh, Anil Pradhan, Subhash Goswami (all from Asaam – Meghalaya), K.R.S.Sundaram (Tamil Nadu), U.N. Rai, P.K.Mehta (from Haryana), D.S.Minhas (Himachal Pradesh), Omendra Bhardwaj, M.K. Devrajan (from Rajasthan),  Arvind Rajan (Kerala),  S.S.Dayal, K.Gokul Chandran, P.N.Dixit( from Maharashtra), J.C.Dabas(Manipur-Tripura), Jyoti Trehan , Shashi Kant(from Punjab),  Prakash Mishra (Orissa), V.K.Panwar, S.A. Ibrahim (from Madhya Pradesh), Gauri Shankar Rath (Jharkhand), N.K.Singh, Rajendra Singh, A.S. Jairaman , Wageesh Mishra (from West Bengal, B.M. Saraswat, S.Balaji & Brij Lal (all from Uttar Pradesh).
5 IPS officers of 1975 batch empanelled in review
As many as five IPS officers belonging to the 1976 batch in review were reportedly empanelled to the rank of DG in Government of India (GOI).They are: Rajendra Singh Dhillon(Uttar Pradesh), Dinesh Kumar Sharma (Uttar Pradesh), P Gautam Kumar (Andhra Pradesh) ,H K Sarin (Madhya Pradesh) & R.M.S.Brar Gujarat.
13 IPS officers of 1976 batch empanelled in review
As many as 13 IPS officers belonging to the 1976 batch in review were empanelled to the rank of ADG in Government of India (GOI).
Deepak Krishan shifted as GM SR
General Manager of the Eastern Railway Deepak Krishan has been shifted as GM of Southern Railway,Chennai.
Padamdeep Singh Gill DGP Punjab empanelled in GOI
Padamdeep Singh Gill Director General of Police (DGP) to the Punjab Government has been empanelled in Government of India (GOI) in a review. Gill is, a 1974-batch Jammu and Kashmir cadre IPS Officer, who had succeed the then DGP K K Attri. It may be stated here that Padamdeep Singh had played a pivotal role in countering terrorist’s menace in Jammu & Kashmir. He was posted there in Jammu & Kashmir when the state was on the brink of a severe crisis.
Ashok Kumar Sinha to be Director (Finance ) Coal India ?
Ashok Kumar Sinha is being tipped to be new Director (Finance) of the Coal India Ltd. The PESB has reportedly put Sinha number one in the panel.
S.L.Bansal tipped to be ED United Bank
As the grapevine has it S. L. Bansal General Manager Union Bank of India is tipped to be  Executive Director (ED) of the United Bank
Ashok Dutt tipped to be ED Dena Bank
As the grapevine has it Ashok Dutt l General Manager Allahabad  Bank is tipped to be  Executive Director (ED) of the Dena Bank.
Will Sudhakar Rao go to KERA ?
Will the former Chief Secretary of Karnataka, Sudhakar Rao go to Karantaka Electricity Regulatory Authority (KERA)? This question has assumed importance in the wake of Rao not joining as member PESB. Rumours are that he has not joined PESB because he might be willing to got to KERA for five years.
Cadre of Cholan to be changed ?
Grapevine has it that cadre of 2008 batch IAS officer Rajendra Cholan is being changed from Assam-Meghalaya to Karnataka.
Shiv Kumar is CGM Hyderabad Circle
Shiv kumar who in State Bank of India (SBI) so far was Chief general Manager (CGM) of the Bhubaneshwar Circle has been shifted to Hyderabad circle in the same capacity.
Prof Basu to assume charge early next month
Prof Kaushik Basu is likely to assume charge as Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry on December 8. He will succeed Arvind Virmani who has moved to the IMF as ED.
( We said this on September 9 )
Dr. C.P.Joshi to have his way only if Rahul Gandhi steps in
As the grapevine has it, Indian Minister for Rural development (RD) Dr. CP Joshi will have his way in getting Secretary Panchayati Raj changed only if AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi steps in to the picture
One post of DIG vacant in NEPA
One post of DIG is lying vacant in North-East Police Academy (NEPA) for central deputation to Government of India.
Ramachandran is non-official Director of BEL
Former Chairman of the IOC Ramachandran has been appointed part-time non-official Director of the BEL for three years.
Arjun Singh ignored in Ajit Jogi’s book
Thy name is politics. Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh does not figure in a book authored by former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi. He has written a book titled “Swaran Kan Jan”. In political circles it is hotly being discussed because it is well known that it was Arjun Singh who for the first time had introduced Ajit Jogi to Rajiv Gandhi.
Railway Ministry officers are an unhappy lot
Officers of Ministry of Railways in Government of India (GOI) are unhappy due to demand of excess staff by Railway Ministers. Ministers are reportedly having staff, which is double than sanctioned strength to them. Officers working without or less staff and feeling harassed in their office work.
IB officers are playing it safe
As the grapevine has it, Intelligence Bureau (IB) who responsible for informing top brass about the current situation are scripting new type of reports. When asked for report then IB officers are reportedly giving a typical answer i.e. “As per information available” and “if more information will be received, it will be intimated”. In IB parlance such sentences were not used.  This is being attributed to Indian Minister for Home Affairs P. Chidambaram who is known to be a hard taskmaster.
RN.Chaubey leads the race for Commissioner Handloom’s post
As the grapevine has it, Rajiv Narayan Chaubey IAS, (Tamil Nadu: 1981) is ahead in the race for the Delhi based post of Development Commissioner Handlooms in the Ministry of Textiles. The slot fell vacant in the wake of BK Sinha, IAS (Gujarat: 1975), having returned to his parent cadre on completion of his deputation tenure. Recently, Sinha was appointed as Principal Secretary (PS) Port and Transport. At present Chaubey is Delhi based Principal Resident Commissioner (PRC) for the Tamil Nadu Government.
Six posts of non-official Directors in LIC vacant
As many as six posts of non-official Directors are lying vacant in the LIC.
Dharmendra Singh Gangwar poised to be CVO, STC
As the grapevine has it, Dharmendra Singh Gangwar is poised to be CVO, STC. At present on central deputation he is Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development (RD). He is an IAS officer of the 1988 batch who belongs to the Bihar cadre.
Ms.Aslam Khan IPS gets AGMUT cadre
Ms.Aslam Khan IPS of MP cadre has been allotted AGMUT cadre under the spouse clause as her husband Pankaj Kumar Singh is already in AGMUT cadre. Both belong to the 2007 batch.
Minor Bureaucratic reshuffle in Rajasthan
In a minor bureaucratic reshuffle Rajasthan Government transferred Subodh Agrawal from Delhi based Resident Commissioner (RC) to Commissioner Bharatpur. He will look after additional charge of Delhi based Coordinator for NRIs & non-resident Rajasthanis. This charge will be with him till further orders. Likewise, Tanmany Kumar Secretary Disaster Management was given additional charge of Commissioner Employment Guarantee. Sandeep Verma Commissioner was shifted as Commissioner Irrigated area Development Bikaner. Navin Mahajan DC Jodhpur till further orders will hold additional charge as Commissioner Jodhpur. However, Subodh Agrawal & Sandeep Verma will join their new assignment following clearance by the Rajasthan State Election Commission after November 27, 2009.
Dr. Subir Gokarn to join as DG,RBI this week
Dr.Subir Gokarn who has been appointed as Deputy Governor (DG) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will assume his charge this week. Presently he is Chief Economist with Standard & Poor (S & P) for Asia-Pacific region . Gokarn who did his PhD in economics at Ohio based Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland - the US, has been with the S & P for the last two years. Dr. Subir is a product of the St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. He had also studied at Delhi School of Economics (DSE), Delhi.
( We said this on August 10, 2009 )
Subhash Chander Kalia joins as ED, Union Bank of India
Subhash Chander Kalia Executive Director (ED) of the Vijaya Bank has joined to the Union Bank of India as ED. The slot fell vacant in wake of induction of T.Y.Prabhu as Chairman cum Managing Director(CMD) of the Oriental Bank of Commerce.
(We said this on September 3 & November 16, 2009)
Ms. S.A.Panse is ED, Vijaya Bank
Ms. SA Panse who so far was General Manager with the Bank of Maharashtra on elevation has joined as Executive Director (ED) of the Vijaya Bank.
(We said this on September 3 & November 16, 2009
Will Akhilesh Ranjan be JS CBDT ?
Name of IRS officer Akhilesh Ranjan has started doing the round for the post of Joint Secretary in the CBDT. The post has fallen vacant after the departure of Arvind Modi.
Rohit Kumar joins as Dy.Secretary, RD
Rohit Kumar on central deputation has joined as Deputy Secretary Rural Development (RD).   He is an IAS officer of the 1997 batch who belongs to the Rajasthan cadre.
Union Bank of India to open its branch in Sydney next month
The Union Bank of India (UBI) of which Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) is M. V. Nair is going to open its branch in Sydney in December 2009.
Vijay Paul to be ED Cargo
ED Northern Region Vijay Paul is likely to be moved by the Air India as ED Cargo.
GM NFR proceeds on leave
A. Swami, General Manager of North Frontier Railway, Guwahati, has reportedly been asked to go on leave.
Manendra Srivastava to be Judge of Chattisgarh HC
Manemdra Srivastava is being tipped to be new Judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court.
Bureaucratic changes in Mizoram
In the first major bureaucratic changes since the change of guard in December last year, the Congress Ministry has effected a major reshuffle of Mizoram Civil Service officers. In the Junior Administrative Grade, the new postings are: 1. R. Zarzosanga, Addl. DC, Champhai 2. A. Biaklawma, Addl.DC Mamit 3. F.J. Liantluanga, Addl. DC, Lunglei. Maximum number of changes are in the Senior Grade, the new postings are: 1. Lalfakzuala, SDO(C), North Vanlaiphai 2. H. Lianzela, SDO(C), Tlabung 3. Sangthuama, SDO(C)/BDO, West Phaileng 4. Teresy V.L Hruaii, Dy. Director, FCS&CA 5. Florence Zotluangpuii, SDO(C), Saitual 6. Joseph H.L.R Sanga, ASO-I, Aizawl 7. Lalsangliana, SDO(S), Aizawl 8. Lalhmunsanga Hnamte, Under Secy, GAD 9. R. Lalchhanhima, SDO(C), Chawngte 10. Irene Z. Chawngthu, Asst. Resident Commissioner, New Delhi 11. T. Ropianga, District Local Administration Officer, Aizawl 12. Beila Khithie, Election Officer with addl. charge of District Transport Officer 13. Joseph Lalrinawma, Liaison Officer, Guwahati 14. K. Laldingliana, Under Secy, DP&AR(GSW) 15. V.L Hruaizela Khiangte, Election Officer, Aizawl 16. Lalchungnunga, SDO(S), Kolasib 17. David L. Pachuau, Land Acquisition Coordinator, PWD 18. R. Lalsangluaia, Under Secy, SAD(E) 19. R. Rohnuna, SDO(C)/BDO, Hnahthial 20. Rothuama, EAC, Aizawl 21. JH Lalrimawia, SDO(S)/Election Officer, Lunglei 22. Lalhmunsanga Lawtlai SDO(S), Lawngtlai 23. Ellis C. Darduna, SDO(C), Kawnpui 24. Alexander V. Chawngthu, Liaison Officer, Shillong 25. V. Lalengmawia, SDO(S)/District Transport Officer, Saiha 26. Lalnunhlua, Dy. Director, LAD 27. V.L Remliana, SDO(S)/Election Officer, Mamit 28. R. Lalremsanga, Election Officer, Kolasib 29. James Lalrinchhana, Liaison Officer, Silchar 30. R. Lalthazuala, Under Secy, RD 31. James Lalnunmawia, SDO(S)/Election Officer, Champhai 32. K. Vanlalruati, SDO(S)/Election Officer, Serchhip 33. K. Lalrohlua, SDO(C), Vairengte. A number of changes are also effected in the Junior Grade, the new postings are: 1. K. Zakhuma, ASO-II/ADC, Mamit 2. K. Lalnuntluanga, BDO/SDO(C), Tuipang 3. Liansangzuala Chhakchhuak, Asst. Director, LAD 4. H. Lalchhandami, ASO-II, Aizawl 5. Chuauhnuna, ADC(P), Kolasib 6. R. Lalbiakthanga, BDO, Bungtlang 'S' 7. Pachhunga, ASO-II/DTO, Champhai 8. Lalthangkhuma Gangte, BDO, Bunghmun 9. Lawmkima, ASO-II/SDyM, Serchhip 10. Rolungmuana, BDO/SDO(C), Ngopa 11. Ralzidinga Ralte, BDO/SDO(C), Sangau 12. Lalthlamuana, ASO-II, LR&S 13. L. Rinliana, BDO, Chawngte 14. Robert C. Lalhmangaiha, ADC, Serchhip 15. R. Vanrengpuia, ADC(P), Lunglei 16. Paul L. Khuma, BDO, Zawlnuam 17. Malsawmtluanga, BDO, Serchhip 18. K. Laltlawmlova, BDO, Lungdar 'E' 19. Lalhmansanga, ADC, Bairabi 20. Lalnundika, Asst. Director, RD.
IAS changes in Uttar Pradesh
Sunanda Prasad has been appointed Member of the Board of Revenue.Hariraj Kishore will be Principal Secretary Public Enterprises. Pankaj Agrawal has been given additional charge of UPSRTC.
IPS postings in Tripura
DIG (headquarters) Nepal Chandra Das has been appointed DIG (Northern Range) . DIG (Northern Range) B N Debbarma has been posted as DIG (Police Training College).

PLI investments cross the mark of Rs.100 crore
The Postal Life Insurance (PLI) on November 23, 2009 has crossed the mark of Rs.100 crore as far as its investments in different business enterprises was concerned. This had happened vwithin two weeks of launch of the intiative .
Prof.C.N. Rao reluctant to go to the Rajya Sabha
As the grapevine has it Prof. C.N.Rao is reluctant to get nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Otherwise,his name was actovely under consideration in the category of 11 nominated members to the Uppper House. Presently, Prof.Rao is Principal Scientific Advisor to Indian Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh.
Chief Commissioner (Customs) Bangalore gets addl charge of Vishakhapatnam
Mrs. Lalitha John, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Bangalore, gets additional charge of Chief Commissioner, Vishakhapatnam.
Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Delhi, gets addl charge of DG (Systems)
Mrs. Sreela Ghosh, Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Delhi, gets additional charge of the post of Director General (Systems) .
RTI
Questions about who, why and where - Information on issue of duplicate card for consumer of Food & Supply and time prescribed for issue and other related matter was refused on the ground that question such who, why, which are not in the purview of the RTI Act – Holding that the PIO should help to frame queries since the matter of ration card is very critical to citizen, the Commission itself framed the queries and directed the respondent to put up details of receipt of applications for ration card/duplicate cards with date of issue along with any letters issued for rejecting for some deficiency, the reasons with dates, on its website.

Comments - The PIO has to play a pro-active role in delivery of information and should not reject applications on technicalities. If the questions like who, why and where lead to some documents, they are part of information and should not be blindly disposed off.

[Appeal No. CIC/SG/A/2009/001960, Shri Sant Kumar Shukla v. AC, Food
Supplies & Consumer Affair]

Mrs. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in)
Co-author of the book: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICE by Taxmann
(A new decision every Monday)

CORPORATE
Vinod Sharma joins HDFC
Vinod Sharma has joined as head of private broking and wealth management, HDFC Securities.
Nagaraja is now Director (Operation) BHPV
AS Nagaraja has taken over as Director (operation) of BHPV .Prior to this he was GM of insulator plant at BHEL, Jamshedpur.
l Razdan has been appointed part-time non-official Director of the BEL for three years

Aaj Ki Aawaz
Actually seems Advani and Rajnath are continuing as replacements cannot be found!!
No one wants to take over a Party that’s ‘south bound’!!!
They feel their political careers will be in jeopardy if they take over at this juncture!
They feel their political careers ho jayenge puncture!!!
So BJP sadly continues to fall more and more!!!!!
Sachi ‘kismat peh kissi ka nahi hotha hai jorr’!!!
In BJP’s kismat there is more falling in store!!!!
Seems BJP has accepted its kismat when it comes to falling and is prepared for more!
CBI has said no to a RTI application for info on CBI's 'investigation of Q!!!
Revelation will impede the prosecution of the accused CBI says to why or kyon!!!
Maybe CBI does not even have the info as its now under taala!!!!
After all it is info about late Rajiv Gandhi’s mooh bolla Saala!!!
Maybe CBI is helpless as now the info lies elsewhere and is in a ‘safe’!!!
From being revealed by RTI or a leak its ‘safe’!!!
But Bofors is a peanut considered to the scams that have followed!!!
Thousands of crores powerful scamsters have swallowed!!
In fact now Bofors distracts from current scams ...like now of  Khoda and Raja!!!
Going after peanuts and overlooking khaaja (cashew)!!

Bofors scandals is dead and most involved are dead too!!!
So giving it a burial would be the apt thing to do!!

Pawan Bansal should not hold in the Cabinet any portfolio!!!
Because of his politicking he has afflicted Chandigarh ’s progress with polio!!!
The Advisor to the Administrator should not be given an extension!!!!
What he’s done is akin to putting a young go getter on pension!!!
Chandigarh is the young go getter and he’s put Chandigarh into early retirement!!
Really Chandigarh ’s progress this Neta Officail ‘juggalbandhi’ ne kiya hai dent!!!
To accommodate a goon pal Bansal has got the MC to postpone a meet!!!!
This pal is on the run and if he does not attend the MC meet he would loose in MC his seat!
And what’s this news that Dandy Patil will replace Roddy as Administrator and Guv!!!
Chandigarh and Punjab pe kyon karr rahe ho Dandy Patil shove???
Roddy should be allowed to continue for a year or so!!
And Advisor to Administrator should go and from Cabinet Bansal should go!!!!!
The stimulus, drought and wrong polices will spur inflation more!!!
Aam Aadmi has more price jolts in store!!!
Cheaply available Dollars are pouring into India creating a bubble!!!
And this time when the Dollars fly out India ’s going to be in deep trouble!!
Sadly our Opposition has no answers and so all it does is hold up The House!
Opposition has no answers how raging inflation it can douse!!
Sarkaar is not bothered about raging prices as it feels Kisans have benefited!!
Its like Sarkaar made shoes for kisans which did not fit them but middlemen the shoes fitted!!!
Confucius says…. If you are fond of oversweet tea then either get used to tea that is less sweet,
Or start using saccharine in place of cheeni and high sugar prices you can beat!!
Adds….. eat lesser roti and rice, water down Daals and treat veggies a weekly treat!!!!
‘Daal , roti, sabzi khaayi kya’ should be the greeting when anyone you meet!!!

Flash.... Sena is hitting out at a Marathi Manoos who has made them all proud!!!
And all because he said ' I'm Indian first and then Maharashtrian aloud'!!

Basically Sena has lost it and Balasahib's roar sounds more and more like a mew!!!
Really the man misses outside Mathoshree the way Sainiks used to queue!!

A mewing Lion in his winter yearns for a last roar!!!!
Abh to roar Lion mein nahi raha jorr!!!!

Bharat Kumar
aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

Forum
(The views expressed in this column are of the contributors. We do not owe any responsibility, whatsoever, of the views of our surfers as they are their personal opinion)
IS INDIAN BUREAUCRACY WORST IN THE WHOLE CONTINENT ?
Even the survey covering whole world countries be taken ,India would definitely feature one amongst top in corruption and inefficiency, without a ray of hope unless untill some revolution takes place. It has no place for sincere & honest while powerful & rich can get away with whatever they want.
Anamika
Indian Bureaucracy is corrupt, inefficient and in-corrigible!!! In no other country in the world, we have so much multiplicity of organized Services, who are always at loggerheads with each other. This anomaly acts as a fodder to the unholy nexus between the unscrupulous politicians and the IAS coterie. The prescription lies in winding up all organised Services and create a unified single Service called the Indian Management Service at the Centre. India needs Managers and not bureaucrats. Induction into IMS pool must be objective. The post of Cabinet Secretary must be filled through rotation among various Services instead of being monopolised by the IAS alone. Try this and watch out for results.I condemn Moily Committee Report. Its implementation will only enhance the monopoly of the IAS. These reports were drafted by the IAS Association and for the IAS. We must see through this game.
A K SAXENA (A retired civil servant)
If corruption perception index of Transparency International places India at the 155th place, what should one expect of its bureaucracy ? One more indication of India's faied effort to curb corruption is its penchant to frame rules, regulations, Acts , Memorandums ,Instructions, Clarifications, Circulars, and its constant preoccupation to tinker with existing laws. This is a sign not just to unsettle the settled , but to make money out of the resulting upheaval. Have you heard of Cattle Trespass Act ? Where else but India. And who administers those ? Your guess is as good as mine . The Collector , of course.Do you know Income Tax Act has suffered amendment every year for the last 48 years, without fail. For what purpose, except enlarging the judiciary's case load.More laws is a sure fire sign of backwardness and corruption. My advice is to ban passing of any new law for the nezt century or make rule making as difficult as possible , and simultaneously phase out existing laws , which are either irelevant or duplicated in other legislations or are plain vexatious. Less laws would be less corruption , unless Indian bureaucracy comes up with innovative ways to make money out of nothing.
Cribson
We played all our cards too early
Apropos Poonam's comments on 'US' Double cross', was it not Nehru, the founder of the present ruling dynadty, who stopped a winning Indian Army from driving out Pak intruders and took the Kashmir issue to an international forum. Was he not the person who changed the word suzerainty with sovereignty and surrendered Tibet to China and brought Chinese to our border. We played all our cards too early and now there is no reason to creep about it, the dynasty still rules. An ignorant nation looks baffled.
N Krishnan

India should wake up
If USA is guided only by its perceived self interest in relation to India, India should at least even at this late stage, wake up and do likewise. China has over a trillion dollars worth of US treasury bonds and that money is now doing the talking. USA never had a problem dealing with the vilest dictatorships in the past as long as they were pro American. All this talk of democracy and human rights and freedom by USA is hogwash and hypocrisy. We should understand that and deal with it accordingly. To convey India’s displeasure at the new Sino-US-Pakistan axis the Indian PM would be well advised to defer his visit to the USA. This will show that India cannot be taken for granted by USA. It will also put China in its place as its wealth is making it arrogant. America is really saying that henceforth South Asia will be Chinas sphere of influence. India cannot accept such a formulation as China and India are natural rivals for Great Power status in a new multi -polar world order.This is the 21st century and our Two Sardarjis had better visit USA next year.......khatte chalangey te utte guppan karange!
D Choudhury

Career prospects of CSSS – Myth and reality
During the last few days, there is a lot of correspondence from CSSS officers in the website. A dispassionate look on the state of affairs in its entirety is in the fitness of things. The stenographers of CSSS have had a chequered career. While 4% of them have managed humongous increases in their salaries and allowances, 96% persons are working for peanuts and languishing in the official ladder for their promotions. The CSSS is divided into Steno Grade “D”, Grade “C”, PS, PPS, Sr. PPS and PSO. We will deal with the PSO phenomenon a little later.

The total strength of CSSS is around 6000. Out of this, there are around 1500 Grade D, 3000 Grade C, 1600 PSs and around 150 PPS, 100 Sr. PPS and 39 PSOs. The following are undisputable facts about the promotional prospects of CSSS:

(i) Steno Grade “D”: They are waiting for their first regular promotion in their official career for more than 27 years. Persons who were appointed as Grade D Steno in the year 1982 are still waiting to get their first regular promotions. In contrast, some persons who were working as peons in 1982 and who have passed “10th Standard” have managed to become UDCs. Please remember the post of a peon is at two levels below Steno D. Any dispassionate observer would be kind enough to agree that Grade D Stenographers are definitely more qualified than erstwhile peons.

(ii) Steno Grade “C”: They are waiting for their first regular promotion in their official career for more than 20 years. Almost half of the persons who were appointed as Grade C Steno in the year 1989 are still waiting to get their first regular promotion. In contrast, the persons who have been appointed as LDCs in 1982 have managed to become Assistants and are drawing equal pay alongwith these Grade C Stenos. Please remember the post of an LDC is at two levels below Steno C. Any dispassionate observer would be kind enough to agree that Grade C Stenographers are definitely more qualified than LDCs.

(iii) Private Secretary: They are waiting for their first regular promotion in their official career for more than 18 years. Almost half of the persons who were appointed as PS in the year 1990 are still waiting to get their first regular promotion.

The PSs are at least getting 5400 Grade Pay in PB-3 on NFSG basis and Transport allowance of 3200. The other 4500 stenographers are rotting in PB-2 and PB-1 only, since entering service around quarter of a century ago.

Compare this situation with UDCs/Assistants/SOs of CSS. These three sister services (who are drawing same pay and allowances compared to Steno D/Steno C/PS) are far better placed in terms of promotions, inasmuch as the CSS enjoy at least an 8-year advantage over the CSSS counterparts. Thus, tremendous amount of frustration among all the 4500 stenographers is understandable.

This is only one side of the spectrum. Let us now turn our attention to the blessed 4% stenographers. All the office-bearers of CSSS:

(i) In the year 1997, without any valid explanation or justification, the Government gave a one-time “in-situ” promotion to PSs up to the 1987 select list alongwith the Section Officers of CSS. Lo and presto, these blessed 4% stenographers were the sudden beneficiaries of the first windfall. In rupee terms, each person gained at least 20% in terms of pay and allowances. With the passage of time, these stenographers, with their new-found status, have since been posted with senior officers in both DOP&T and all other important Ministries and they retain a vice-like grip on all goings on. Any proposal involving these officials moves up and down in the official ladder with lightning speed.

(ii) In 2005, another sham called “re-structuring” of CSSS was enacted. In that, the blessed 4% stenographers (who are around 300 in number) were further blessed with around 80 posts of PPS and 50 posts of Sr.PPS. The first 50 persons in this list were immediately rewarded with 2 promotions (from in-situ PPS to regular PPS in 2003/2004 batch and subsequently as regular Sr.PPS in 2008 batch). The next around 30 to 40 persons are itching to become regular PPSs. Please understand that these are “upgraded” posts. In other words, the promotion and other benefits remained confined only to these 300 stenos and did not have any cascading effect in the official ladder.

(iii) However, one must give credit where it is due. These blessed stenos are lucky also. The Pay Commission recommended the PSO posts (Director-equivalent) in PB 3. However, it is only the Committee of Secretaries that put the “Directors” in PB-4. However, without any re-thinking whatsoever, in an unholy haste these posts of stenos have been upgraded to PB-4.

(iv) Please note that all the stenographers who are strutting around today as “Sr. PPSs” and “PSOs” and behaving as high technocrats belong to these 4% only.

The following revealing observations will show these 4% blessed stenos their proper place:

(i) All the mighty PSOs of today became PSs only in the year 1983. In other words, they were mere Stenographer Grade C in the year 1981, rubbing shoulders alongwith the Grade D stenographers who are still continuing as Steno Grade D till today.

(ii) All the mighty Sr.PPSs became PSs only in the year 1985 and 1986. In other words, they were mere Stenographer Grade C in the year 1981, rubbing shoulders alongwith the Grade D stenographers who are still continuing as Steno Grade D till today.

It also merits mention that the pesky CSS counterparts belonging to ‘1979 to 1983 Batch SOs’ are still rotting as DSs in PB-3 and SOs belonging to “1983 to 1986 batch” are still working as Under Secretaries. Understandably, all these officers are silently sulking. They may consider undergoing tuition classes from these 4% blessed CSSS stenographers in the art of manipulation and deception!

Their long posting with senior officers seem to have morphed these stenographers’ sense of proportion. The long association with senior officers seem to have rekindled in these stenographers their dormant “scientific”, “technical”, “managerial” and “administrative” acumen. These stenographers have started identifying themselves with the officers with whom they have posted and have started treating the same very Grade D Stenographers as their personal factotum. The blessed 4% stenos do not seem to realise their unimportance. In their eyes, the hapless Grade “D” and Grade “C” stenographers are being branded as “unhappy”.

In spite of their professed administrative skills, it is not an uncommon sight that on being transferred to a new Department, the senior officers roundly refuse to take them in their Personal Section. Instances are also not uncommon that a few of these “ steno-technocrats” have been surrendered by their respective officers without even bothering for asking a substitute and these “steno-technocrats” are disorientedly roaming around in the corridors without any work. However, most of these blessed stenographers do not seem to learn and the sickening one-upmanship in attitude continues. God bless the 96% stenographers.
R.K. Agrawal.