A valuable treasure house giving information before it becomes news. Best wishes.
Balasubramanian R

Contact-suresh.mehrotra@yahoo.com> & <mehrotra.suresh@gmail.com>

Bigwigs pipped at the post by Chatwal
As the grapevine has it, bigwigs lost in race for Padma award to Sant Singh Chatwal. Reportedly there were at least four Industrial tycoons who were nominated for this year’s Padma awards by Chief Ministers/Indian Ministers at the center but members of the selection committee in their wisdom rejected them & chose Chatwal instead. Those who were in reckoning but were rejected are: Anand Mahindra, Chief of Mahindra group, Mukesh Ambani Chief of Reliance group, Rajiv Chandra Shekhar MP from South & Azim Premji.
Gurjot Singh Malhi to be DG, BCAS
As the grapevine has it, appointment order of Gurjot Singh Malhi for the post of Commissioner, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be issued soon. He is an IPS officer of the 1974 batch who belongs to the Haryana cadre.
AS Gill’s appointment as Vigilance Commissioner stuck up
As the grapevine has it, the appointment of AS Gill, IPS, seems to have hit a roadblock as Vigilance Commissioner. His file has been returned with a query.
JM Garg leads the race for Vigilance Commissioner
As the grapevine has it, JM Garg, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of the Corporation Bank, is now ahead in the race for appointment Vigilance Commissioner.
Avinash Dikshit poised to be Commissioner, KVS
As the grapevine has it, Avinash Dikshit, an IDAS cadre officer of the 1986 batch, is poised to be Commissioner Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS). He had earlier worked as private secretary (PS) to Indian Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibbal while latter was Indian Minister for Science and Technology (S & T).
Will retirement age be reduced in Air India ?
As the grapevine has it, there is thinking that retirement age be reduced from existing 58 years to 55 years in National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) i.e. Air India.
Empanelment process of 1990 batch IAS is incomplete
CSB will meet for empanelement of IAS officers belonging to 1990 batch on February 8, 2010. During the last CSB meeting held on February 4, 2010 issues like moderation factor & expert panel's recommendations were discussed
Narendra Singh’s new diktat to IT officers
As the grapevine has it, Narendra Singh, Member CBDT, who looks after Adjudication & Judicial besides North Zone has asked for disposal of 60 cases per month. He has also reportedly asked for expediting issuance of orders in cases of high demand.
Lohani’s posting as DRM Delhi raises expectations of a change
The arrival of Ashwani Lohani as the DRM of Delhi has raised expectations of a rapid change in the image as well as passenger related infrastructure of this prestigious division of the railways. If his past record is anything to go by, major improvements would start becoming visible in next few months, on the other hand his departure from the tourism scene has cast a pall gloom in the tourism circles, especially in Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.
No panel received for Director Petroleum
So far no panel has been received for the slot of Director Petroleum & Natural Gas which has been lying vacant ever since Maninder P. Singh joined as Secretary to Governor Assam.
Post of Director (HR), IOC advertised
Indian Oil Corporation has advertised the post of Director (R and D). The term of present Director VC Agrawal is ending in August.
IRS officer quits ?
Grapevine has it that 1977 batch IRS (IT) officer V K Mangotra has taken VRS. He
is presently posted in Mumbai.
Ms. Priyanka Basu Ingty is APS to Mukul Roy
Ms. Priyanka Basu Ingty who was earlier Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur at Reckong Peo, has joined as additional private secretary (APS) to Mukul Roy, Indian Minister of State for Shipping. She is an IAS officer of the 2004 batch who belongs to the Himachal Pradesh cadre.
(We said this on December 23, 2009)
PK Gera poised to join LBSNAA
As the grapevine has it, PK Gera is poised to join Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Dehradun. Presently he is Gujarat Government’s Delhi based Resident Commissioner. He is an IAS officer of the 1985 batch who belongs to the Gujarat cadre.
Vivek Saxena is Director, IFS cadre Management
Vivek Saxena is now Director IFS cadre Management in the Central Government’s Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF). A formal order regarding this was issued recently. He is Haryana cadre Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the 1991 batch.
(We said this on January 18, 2010).
Jairam Ramesh impresses bureaucrats
Jairam Ramesh, Indian Minister for Environment & Forest, has left an indelible imprint in hearts of Chief Secretaries of different states who were very much impressed by a presentation that he gave, last week. Significantly he neither carried any power point presentation nor did he have any script while delivering his speech. Moreover, he sat like a commoner during inaugural session of the Chief Secretaries conference that was opened by Indian Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh in Delhi recently.
Ms. Nirupama Rao fails to impress
Indian Secretary for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ms. Nirupama Rao, failed to leave an impact during the Chief Secretaries conference that was opened by Indian Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh in Delhi recently.
Hussain to return this month
Chairman of the JNPT Syed Shahzad Hussain is returing to the parent Maharashtra cadre this month. 1976 batch IAS officer Hussain will get ACS rank.
Agriculture and Rural Development committee to prepare RFD for reforms
The GoI has constituted Agriculture and Rural Development committee, for 2009-2010, to prepare results-framework document (RFD) for reforms with JNL Srivastava, (IAS 66 PB) ,  Ex-Secy Agriculture as its convenor. The other members are P. Abraham (IAS 62 -Maharashtra) Ex-Secy Power, former Chairman MSEB, DP Tripathi IRTS (Retd), Ex-Secy M/o Railways, Food Processing Ind. GOI, Arun Kumar (II),(IAS 65 MP)  and Srinibas Rath (IAS 68-Orissa) Ex-Addl. Chief Secy. Orissa
Bihar DGP to retire this month
Bihar DGP Anand Shankar is superannuating by this month end. He is 1973 batch IPS officer .
Oldest surviving member of ICS breathes his last
SK Banerji, oldest ICS -1937 batch passed away  at 8 am in New Delhi on February 6, 2010. He breathed his last at the Vasant Vihar located residence of his son in law Bhaskar Chatterjee (IAS:1975 batch, Orissa cadre), Secretary Department of Public Enterprises. Banerjii was born in on October 21,1913 .He was allotted the CP and Berar Cadre and was Collector in Khandwa, Balaghat, Nagpur and Akola. After independence, he opted for the Foreign Service and opened our mission in Teheran. He subsequently served as our Consul General in San Francisco and as Ambassador in Malaysia, Syria, Germany and Japan. He retired as Secretary (East) in 1972, having played a major strategic role in the Bangladesh war. He was appointed as Lt. Governor of GOA in 1972 and served his full term until 1977. As Lt. Governor, he contributed significantly to the development of Goa as a major tourist destination and as the administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli piloted most of the development efforts of that time. Subsequent to his demitting office in Goa, he graciously and generously donated most of his vast collection of valuable paintings and artifacts to the new Goa Museum where a special gallery has been dedicated to his name.  Banerji will always be remembered for his selfless and devoted service to the nation and as an individual who lived up to the highest values in personal and public life. He is survived by his two daughters Ratna Bhattacharya and Rupa Chatterjee.
IPS changes in TamilNadu
V.H. Mohamed Haneefa has been appointed SP, CSG, Ramanathapuram. J. Baskaran will now be Commandant, TSP, VII Bn. S. Baskaran has been posted as Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, Headquarters, Chennai. M. Sathyapriya has been posted as AIG, Law and Order, Chennai. B. Vijayakumari will be SP, NIB CID, Chennai.D. Kalpana Nayak has been made Commandant, TSP XI Bn., Rajapalayam. Rajasekar has been posted as Commandant, TSP, V Bn., Avadi. P.R. Venmathi, has been made SP, EOW-II, Chennai.A.T. Duraikumar has been transferred as SP, Southern Range, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Chennai.
Modi is Lord Ram and Mahatma Gandhi !
Girish Shah, Collector of Dangi district, has described Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as Lord Ram and Mahatma Gandhi..
Nitin Gadkari to be formally elected
Nitin Gadkari, representatives of 19 States will elect nominated President of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) on February 9, 2010. Election will be held in Delhi and after that Nitin Gadkari becomes constitutionally elected President of BJP.
IAS postings in UP
District Magistrate Ambedkar Nagar Hariom has been moved as Director Sports. Kunwar Vikar Singh will now be DM Ambedkar Nagar.
Book of Rath to be released
A book “ Towards better corporate governance-Independent Directors ‘ written by 1973 batch IAS officer A K Rath will be released on Feb 9 at 5.15 pm by Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh at main auditorium of scope convention Center core 8 by side of MMTC near Nehru stadium close to Lodhi Road, New Delhi.

Prof Stobdan is Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan 
Prof. Phunchok Stobdan has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Kyrgyzstan, in succession to  J.S. Pande.
Srivastava is Ambassador to Congo
Devendra Nath Srivastava presently Joint Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Congo in succession to  H.V.S. Manral.
88,1990 batch IAS officers considered
Altogether 88 IAS officers belonging to 1990 batch have been considered for the empanelment to the rank of Joint Secretary in the Government of India.

RTI

Transfer of application under section 6 (3) of the RTI Act
Information in a series of 71 points concerning various public authorities including Election Commission of India, Lok Sabha Secretariat etc. was sought from the CPIO of the CIC. The CPIO informed that the CIC was not the custodian of the information as asked for by the appellant and advised him to approach those authorities directly u/s 6(1) as the appellant was well aware of the authorities concerned. The appellant complained that the CPIO, CIC has not exercised his obligation of transferring the application to concerned authorities as per the provision of Section 6 (3). Relying on its earlier decision in case file No. CIC/WB/C/2008/00469, Mangesh Joshi v. CIC, the Commission held that it is not open to a citizen to place questions regarding every public authority before a
single public authority unrelated directly thereto and then expect to get information.
Comments
An applicant cannot bundle a series of requests into one application. However, a request may be comprised of a question with several supporting questions stemming from the information sought. Such an application will indeed be treated as a single request
and charged for accordingly.
[Bindeshwar Shah v. CIC in Complaint No. CIC/WB/C/2009/000081]

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
Yogesh Agarwal CMD, IDBI Bank to retire this year
Yogesh Agarwal CMD, IDBI Bank will be retiring by the end of May 2010.
Bala Subramaniam posted in Sharjah
Air India has posted Bala Subramaniam as Duty Officer in Sharjah.

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Here’s another example of Pawar’s besharmi…..this is his Party’s advice for us!!
Sugar is bad for us and so on the high prices we need not create such a fuss!!
 
Sugar is bad for diabetics and India has the most cases so Pawar has come to their aid!
NCP's logic....by making sugar prices go up their craving for sugar will be ‘stayed’!!
 
‘India is full of bewakoofs’ seems to be NPC/Pawar's take!!
And that is why such ludicrous statements NCP/Pawar do/does make!
 
Ravana is a generic name for someone rotten!!!
And now this title Pawar’s gotten!!
 
Title was given to him by Varun and most Indians will agree title is justified!!
All norms of propriety Pawar’s defied!!
 
NCP’s spokesman says ‘this is now what we meant'!!
To firefight Tripathi was sent!!
 
Pawar can foresee problems for IPL and take remidial action!!!
But when it came to him doing so as a Mantri from him there was inaction!!!
 
Mohna says prices will come down…what a joke???
Mohna this is no time to take at us a poke!!!
 
Mohna’s flunky Montek already tried to put a pacifier in our gobs with the same chant!
Kitchen inflation coming down meaningfully…. simply can’t!!
 
Amar Singh says for SP he gave up his family and his health!!
Fact is the man in his days with SP became politically relevant and made a lot of wealth!!
 
Why do you think post his resignation he’s started looking like a choosa aam???
Because from politically khaas now he politically aam (common)!!
 
Now Amar says he’s sorry about his political past!!!
And he’d like that we forget his manipulating and fixing past fast!!
 
He simply has nowhere to go!!
He’s approached every Party for entry but has been told no!!
 
Chatwal’s name for the Padma Bhushan award was proposed by Praful Page 3!!!
Akin to Papu Pager …..Praful Page 3 because for a Page 3 do he’s always free!!
 
And I was thinking Chatwal got it for his Hillary connection!!
What were the grounds for Praful’s selection????
 
PC says terror groups will be defeated!!!
Don’t know why but when he said this it looked as if he bleated!!
 
With the majority minority appeasement drive that Congress is in,
War against terror we simply cannot under this Sarkaar win!!
 
See the Batla House encounter…. Congress still is trying to score brownie points!!
Someone to say Batla House encounter was wrong every now and then Congress appoints!
 
Recently Diggy was appointed and he did the needful!!
From the majority minority more votes to itself Congress is trying to pull!!!
 
Victoria’s top Cop advise to Indians in Ku Klux Land ‘give a poor look’!!
Advisable that some mental treatment this top Cop took!!
 
Or is he telling Indians that Aussies are a jealous lot!!!
Seeing affluent Indians under the collar Aussies get hot!!
 
Protesting against inclusion of Pakis in IPL is not political!!
It emanates from National Pride and is apolitical!!!
 
Yes if politics is not mingled then all Indians will demand that Pakis be kept away!
It’s because of politics that some political Parties want Pakis to play!!
 
Confucius says…… why do you think Sharukh bowled a ‘chinaman’ after the auction concluded???
And that is why to score brownie points with majority minorty Congress with Sharukh colluded!!


Bharat Kumar

 
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)
WHO WILL BE THE QUEEN'S CHOICE FOR PRIME MINISTER AFTER DR. MANMOHAN SINGH?
Is it fair to call her "queen" ?
I feel it is rather unfair to call someone a queen in a democracy like India. How easy we, the people, find it convenient to call others names, without as much courage to even mildly protest against crass injustice, criminality, regionalism, casteism, communalism etc blatantly practiced by our own people or sons of the soil! It is because we fear severe backlash from these organised criminal outfits whereas the foreign born pose no such threats. How easy to cause symbolic damage to old lime & stone structures when Humayun had died, but cannot face even a lesser enemy like a handfull of terrorists! How easy to aim a pistol at a superb human being like Mahatma Gandhi, who walked fearlessly without any weapon in hand or armed guards but fearing to look up even the smallest official of the British government in the face!! See the mouthfuls against the British in serials, but we have failed to produce even a single film of the same category as Gandhi by Attenborough, on any of our icons of the past or present!! The British Empire might have ended, but we are proud to nurture the English Empire, without which our vocal aggressive minority of toughs would not be able to earn even their two meals! What is our contribution in institution building, in modern India, independent of intellectual assistance from the British, American, Germans, French etc & even Israel? All that we can boast of is riots in the name of language, region, gender, creed, party etc. Rather than directing anger at a woman, aim it all the males(???) in the organisation, who are not barred by law to take up leadership of the organisation or impose their choice of a PM on the nation. But that courage who is going to show--barring ,of course, some Forums! Meanwhile, I have no objection to the several Emperors of every street corner in India, where they hold their court, get tributes from their raiyats, dispense justice in their own indigenous ways and occupy most space in the print and electronic media!!
M L Gupta mlgupta@nic.in

I think following would be the choice of the queen:
1) Kapil Sibal
2) Pranab Mukherjee
3) AK Antony
Dr Deepak Kapur DKAPUR@PU.AC.IN

Make the All India Services more Professional
The All India Services were created after much thought and experiment. It is the need of hour to review the All India Services and other Central Services and to see where we are lacking in fulfillment of the desired objectives. There is need to make these Services more professional and full of public spirit. To motivate these officers, the Government should provide adequate money and other facilities so that they could do justice to their duty. There is need to provide the freedom of work also. The Under Secretary, Dy. Secretary, Director, Jt. Secretary, Addl. Secretary, and Secretary should have independent powers instead of being part of the chain. If the Addl. CIT (Equivalent to Director) in Income Tax Department can have vehicle, why the Directors of Ministries can't have the same facility?
Y.Mishra

Kishwan is matchless
So much has been said about Jagdish Kishwan, IFS:1975:J&K, former DG, ICFRE and present PCCF, Jammu & Kashmir, that some more things need to be said. Kishwan is an officer of high caliber and spotless integrity. He has delegated all powers to his officers below, which obviously indicates that he is not insecure. His meetings in the State are dreaded by many officers as he means business and only business. He doesn't go unprepared for any meeting and so he dislikes that in others. He is liked by the State Govt. as an honest, upright officer. He worked to bring up the ICFRE to its lost glory. But, there are problems in the Govt. set-up. Besides, many scientists did not co-operate with him and simply wanted to have a nice time in the Council and still having. Look at any such Institutes/ Organisations, the non-IFS people have been having a nice time at the expense of the Govt. and enjoying all the facilities that have been created and maintained by the IFS officers. Does it happen in case of IAS, IPS or other services ? The Scientists are using all the facilities and still talking about the IFS. Its true that the IFS do not know how to market themselves and so they are suffering.  The Scientists lobby in the country knows that the Indian Forest Service has probably the best mandate as a Service and that this mandate has international appeal and implications so they just want to have it all themselves rather than sharing with the IFS. However, the truth is that the IFS are the benevolent ones to be sharing their space with the Scientists. Let us not get into this debate as the tiger, though sleeping, is still a tiger. All IFS, please wake up and show your worth. Give statistics and quieten all.
R S Livin

Padma “Awards” or Loyalty “Rewards” ???
Sant Singh Chatwal has been awarded Padma Bhushan despite all odds. A genuine query from the President of India was summarily brushed aside by the MHA mandarins. Due diligence clause was overlooked in compliance of orders from someone--may be the Clintons for whom Chatwal was the fund raiser besides being instrumental in executing the Indo-US nuclear deal! At least, so he claims. No mean achievement this! Undaunted by the controversy, now he justifies the award by further claiming that “he worked on behalf of Dr Man Mohan Singh in the USA”.A self proclaimed Foreign Minister. The media is replete with several stories about Chatwal’s proximity to PM. Dr MMS took time off to attend Chatwal’s son’s marriage in Delhi’s K A Nair ,his Principle Secretary attended the inauguration of Chatwal’ 5-Star hotel in Kerala. Two Union ministers forwarded Chatwal’s nomination for the award. Some say, he missed getting Padma Vibhushan as Obama rejected his offer of election funds in 2008.The detail of CBI’s closure report based on Director (Prosecution)’s recommendations despite charge sheets and detention orders against Chatwal could not be accessed. These will surely be summoned by the Madras High Court in due course where a PIL is pending adjudication.
“Mera Desh Mahaan! Baaki Sub Be-imaan!”
A K SAXENA ( A retired civil servant)