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This is the best website for vigilant and information seeking people.
Vikram Singh Meena, DGM, MMTC

Is India on way to another debt-induced crisis?
After opening the gates for foreign debt, India has made itself vulnerable to free flow of capital in the country like the 1991-92 period, say some economists. India is sitting on a debt of $102 billion of FII investment in equity and a potential $90 billion of FII debt which is recently allowed -which amounts to a near Rs 10,00,000 crore (Re rate at 51). In addition to this, the $25 billion limit for investment in infrastructure bonds, and the $30 billion in external commercial borrowings (ECBs), not to speak of foreign currency non-resident Indian (FCNR) deposits with banks. With this India will be at the whims and fancies of foreign capital when foreign capitalists are themselves most skittish. The danger comes in if the US asks its banks to recapitalize to reduce the risk of default. This is when there is high probability of pulling out from emerging markets like India. This is like an open invitation to volatile flows instead of seeking the longer-term - and more stable -foreign direct investment.

India gives a fitting reply to China
New Delhi's diplomacy is unapologetic without directly confronting Beijing which was observed when P M Dr. Manmohan Singh made a statement in Bali that India's oil and gas exploration in South China Sea will be purely commercial. This matter should be resolved according to international law. This is a fitting reply to China which was unapologetic to development in Pakistan occupied Kashmir when India had raised the issue.

Will China pull down the Remnibi further?
Given the recent tensions between the US and China with the former reasserting that it will enhance its presence in the Pacific region, it is believed that China is likely to revalue its currency Remnibi further.

Will China save Eurozone?
Will the Chinese start handing out its mountainous foreign exchange reserves to Greeks, Italians to whosoever in the Eurozone asks for it without iron clad guarantees? China has invested nearly 25 percent of its reserves of $3.2 trillion in Europe.

Will rescuing Eurozone give Chinese a makeover?
Currency manipulator, technology thief, human rights violator are some of the sobriquets given to the Chinese in the recent times. But if it saves the Eurozone, will the image of Chinese change to a saviour?

NCP to field independent candidates against Congress
Even though Congress and NCP have a pact to contest the coming Municipal elections in the state together, it is heard that NCP is likely to fund its own rebel candidates to contest against strong Congress candidates to cut votes. Hectic parleys with the dissidents are seen in the NCP offlate, says a source in the Congress.

BUREAUCRACY

S Vijay Kumar to move as Secretary Land Resources?
Latest information says that Secretary Mining S Vijay Kumar is being moved to the Department of Land Resources. He is 1976 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre.

Amrendra Sinha to be AS Small Scale Industry
Amrendra Sinha is being tipped to be Additional Secretary Small Scale Industry in the Government of India. He is 1981 batch IAS officer of Uttarakhand cadre.

Parvez Dewan to be Secretary Indian Overseas Affairs?
P K Sinha seems to be out.Parvez Dewan is being tipped to be new Secretary Indian Overseas Affairs. He is 1977 batch IAS officer of J & K cadre.

Ms. Jyoti Arora poised to be Joint Secretary, Petroleum
As the grapevine has it Ms. Jyoti Arora on central deputation is poised to be aJoint Secretary, Petroleum. Presently she is
Special Secretary (SS) Power with the Haryana Government. She is an IAS officer of 1987 batch who belongs to the Haryana cadre.

1998 batch IPS to get DIG rank in GoI
IPS officers of 1998 batch will shortly be empanelled as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the Government of India as the process has already begun.

4 SPs and one DIG selected for CBI!
1 DIG and 4 SPs have reportedly been selected for the CBI.A meeting to select officers for CBI was held on Tuesday at the CVC Headquarters.

Muktesh Chander to join NTRO
Muktesh Chander,IG,Daman &Diu, Nagar Havelli has been appointed as Center Director,National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). He is an IPS officer of 1988 batch who belongs to the AGMU cadre.

Malay Chatterjee to be CMD, KIOCL (UPDATED)
Malay Chatterjee, CMD, HSCL, has been selected as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), Kudremukh Iron Ore Co. Limited (KIOCL) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on Wednesday. As many as five persons were interviewed for the same.

Difference between 1977 and 1978 batch IAS officers
In 1977 batch, 51 (43 Secretary and 8 Secretary equivalent) officers out of 93 in all were empanelled whereas in 1978 batch only 43 (35+8) out 0f 101 were empanelled. Thus it is clear that the list has been pruned drastically in 1978 batch causing a lot of distress to a number of deserving officer.

Former Telecom Secretary to be arrested?
Rumours are rife of the arrest of a former Telecom Secretary.

P Sudhakar to be Director, ECIL
P Sudhakar, GM, Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), has been selected as Director of ECIL at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on Tuesday. Six persons were interviewed for the same.

Asthana appointed MD CRSL
Vinod Asthana, Director Catering Services, IRCTC has been promoted as MD, Center Rail Site Ltd.

Akundi is new JS Ex-Servicemen Welfare
Lakshmi Sowbhagya Akundi has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare under the Ministry of Defence. Akundi is 1987 batch IA&AS officer.

Rajiv Sharma to join GoI
Rajiv Sharma is joining the Government of India as Mission Director, National Mission Clean Ganga, under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), Ministry of Environment and Forests. He is 1982 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre.

B.P. Khare to be GM, DLW Varanasi
As the grapevine has it, B.P. Khare is poised to be General Manager of the Varanasi located Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW).Presently,he is Principal Chief Engineer (PCE) South Eastern Railway Kolkata.

Ms. Pompa Babbar to retire as FC, Railway Board
Ms. Pompa Babbar, Financial Commissioner (FC) in Railway Board, is due to superannuate on November 30, 2011. Ms. Babbar belongs to the 1975 batch of Indian Railways Accounts Services.

Bhattacharya to get additional charge of Jute Corporation
Atri Bhattacharya, Secretary, Jute Manufactures Development Council (JMDC), Ministry of Textiles, Kolkata, is likely to be given an additional charge of Jute Commissioner . He is an IAS officer of 1989 batch who belongs to the WB cadre.

Interviews for SBI's DMD on December 6
As many as six Chief General Managers (CGMs) of the State Bank of India (SBI) are in fray for posts of Deputy Managing Directors(DMDs) interviews for which will be held on December 6, 2011. They are: A. Gupta, BB Chaubal, RK Saraf, Atanu Sen, Sunil Pant & Ramachandran Krishnamurthy. Of them three have bright chances. They are Saraf, Sen and Pant

O. Nabakishore Singh poised to join GoI
As the grapevine has it, O. Nabakishore Singh, an IAS officer of 1984 batch from Manipur cadre, is poised to join the Government of India on central deputation as a Joint Secretary.

Will Negi join CBI?
Name of Shyam Bhagat Negi, Joint Director, Environment and Forest (GoI), is now in circulation for the post of Joint Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He is an IPS officer of 1990 batch who belongs to the Himachal Pradesh cadre.

UT cadre IPS to join CBI?
Ms. Meenu Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police, North-West district, is likely to be inducted as Superintendent of Police Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). She is an IPS officer of 2000 batch who belongs to the AGMU cadre.

Post of CMD vacant in BEML Limited
Post of CMD is lying vacant in BEML Limited. Those willing to apply can send their applications to Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) before January 23, 2012.

Name of Arun Nanda was not approved?
Name of Arun Nanda for the post of Member NDMA was reportedly not approved at the PM level.

Encadrement of newly created posts
Newly created posts of Under Secretary (2), Section officer (2) and Assistant (4) into Central Secretariat Service have been encadred in Ministry of Home Affairs.

Last date of online application for SA/Exe post is Dec 4
Last date of receiving online application for the post of SA/Exe is December 4, 2011.

International seminar on 'organised crime' in Kuala Lumpur in Dec
An International Seminar on 'Organised Crime' (Trafficking & Smuggling in Persons) is being organised at Malaysia Police College Kuala Lumpur, Cheras Selangor from December five to nine.

Pakistan : Memogate costs Haqqani his Ambassadorship
Pakistan's ambassador to US Hussain haqqani tendered his resignation during a meeting of the country's top political and military leadership at the Presidency early Tuesday evening. Prime Minister YR Gilani reportedly accepted the resignation almost instantly and preparations were afoot soon after to grill a beleaguered Haqqani on the basis of questionnaire prepared by ISI Chief Shuza pasha in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister and Army Chief Keyani. Haqqani stated on his twitter account that he would focus his energies on building a new Pakistan 'free of bigotry and intolerance'. Meanwhile Law Minister Maula Buksh Chandio has stated that the 'memo issue' will get clear by tomorrow (i.e. Wednesday) and 'if Haqqani is found guilty the matter will go beyond his resignation'.

IAS changes in Rajasthan
LP Kothari has been moved to Harishchandra Mathur Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration as director general. He will replace CM Meena who has been shifted to Rajasthan State Warehousing Corporation as CMD.KL Meena has been made divisional commissioner of Udaipur.

Sunder is new Director CSL
R S Sunder has taken over as Director (Operations) of Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL).

Justice Kakru is Chairman of AP HRC
Former Chief Justice of the AP High Court Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakru is being appointed chairman of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

Shashi Kumar is now awaiting posting in Mumbai
Commissioner Income-Tax in Mumbai Shashi Kumar is back from Study leave.1984 batch IRS officer is now awaiting posting.

IPS changes in Bihar
Shivdeep Lande will now be SP Araria.Garima Malik has been made SP Darbhanga. New city central SP is yet to be names.

Vikas Vaibhav to join GoI
Vikas Vaibhav is going on central deputation. He is 2003 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.

Lt Gen Sujlana (retd) to be Chairman of Punjab PSC (UPDATED)
Lieut-Gen RS Sujlana (retd) is being appointed new Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission.

Transfers and postings in railways (UPDATED)
H G Tiwari, JAG/IRSEE of Central Railway has been shifted to CLW; H K Sharma, SS/IRSSE of North Railway (NR), has been shifted to NCR. P K Srivastava, SS/IRSEE of North Railway (NR), has been transferred to North Central Railway (NCR). While, the transfer order of Nihar Ranjan Dash, SG/IRSEE, on return from deputation, to South Eastern Railway (SER) has been cancelled.

Vishwapati Trivedi appointed Secretary Mines (UPDATED)
Vishwapati Trivedi has been appointed new Secretary Mines in the Government of India. He is 1977 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.Trivedi will replace S Vijay Kumar.
( We said this on October 14 )

Parvez Dewan Secretary Indian Overseas Affairs (UPDATED)
Parvez Dewan has been appointed new Secretary Indian Overseas Affairs. He is 1977 batch IAS officer of J & K cadre.

Vijay Kumar moves to Land Resources (UPDATED)
Secretary Mines S Vijay Kumar has been moved as Secretary Land Resources in the Government of India.1976 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre Vijay Kumar will replace Anita Chaudhary who has been put on wait.

(DEBATE)
EMPANELMENT IN GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Whether administrative procedure for empanelment of Additional Secretary and Secretary in the Government of India is fair and legally sound?
Mail your views to suresh.mehrotra@yahoo.com or mehrotra.suresh@gmail.com

CORPORATE

Is RBI unlikely to manage the Re?
It is heard that Reserve Bank will not intervene with the Rupee and wants to give exporters advantage in months to come especially when the new calendar year starts. This will make exports strong as the foreign companies are going to start making new purchases in the next three months of the calendar year, making Indian products a preferred buy.

Gokhale new fund manager for Tata Fund
Tata Mutual Fund has appointed Pradeep Gokhale will be the new Fund Manager for the scheme Tata Capital Builder Fund.

Two day India Power Summit - 2012 to be held from February 7 at Mumbai
Sparta Strategy is organizing, India Power Summit 2012, focusing on Conventional Renewable Energy sectors - Wind, Solar, Hydro, Thermal and Biogas. India Power Summit 2012 is India's largest power conference focusing on promoting foreign direct investment, partnerships, and capital raising opportunities in India's high growth power sector. The 2-days summit will be held on February 7th and 8th, 2012 at ITC - Grand Maratha - Luxury Collection, Mumbai, India.

Nalini resigns as Director, Kakatiya Cement Sugar Industries Ltd
Ms. J. Lakshmi Nalini has resigned as Director of Kakatiya Cement Sugar & Industries Ltd on November 19, 2011 and the same has been accepted by the company's Board of Directors with immediate effect.

Nasimuddin appointed CMD, Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd
Md. Nasimuddin, IAS, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Tamilnadu Industrial Investment Corporation Ltd. (TIIC) has been appointed on the Board of Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd as the Nominee Director of TIIC in the place of Dr. T. Prabhakara Rao, IAS.

Heda resigns as Director, Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd
L. N. Heda, Director of Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd has resigned as Director of the company with effect from November 21, 2011 on account of personal reasons.

Pawar appointed Chief Creative Officer, JWT India
Bobby Pawar has been appointed as JWT as Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner-India, JWT.

Kailash elevated as Exec, VP & Head Sales , ESPN Software India
ESPN-STAR Sports has promoted Sanjay Kailash to the post of Executive Vice President & Head of Sales (India) of ESPN Software India (ESI).

Paddock appointed MD, Indian Operations, General Motors
General Motors (GM) has appointed Lowell Paddock as President and Managing Director of its India operations effective January 1, 2012.

Sawhney appointed Senior VP and Legal Counsel, Wipro Ltd
Wipro Limited has appointed Inderpreet Sawhney as Senior Vice President and General Counsel while heading the company's legal function.

Banga resigns as Director, Aadi Industries Ltd
Surjit Banga has resigned as Director Aadi Industries Ltd w.e.f. July 6, 2011.

Muralidhar resigns as Non Exec. Independent Director, Alfa Transformers Ltd
The Board of Alfa Transformers Ltd accepted resignation of L. V. N. Muralidhar, Non-Executive Independent Director.

Ali takes charge as Director (Domestic Division), Container Corporation of India Ltd
Shahnawaz Ali has taken over the charge of Director (Domestic Division) of Container Corporation of India Ltd w.e.f. November 17, 2011.

Sequeira resigns as National Creative Director, Cheil Worldwide Southwest Asia
Elvis Sequeira has resigned as National Creative Director of Cheil Worldwide Southwest Asia has resigned.

A welcome step by CBI

Sir, it is very good thing that CBI is at last trying to assert its authority. perhaps this may be so because of Lokpal bill as now it is feeling threatened of its identity as separate unit will end if it is merged with the Lokpal office. Therefore now it is trying to show its effectiveness. Nevertheless if even for the sake of appearance CBI is able to put behind bars all the CWG beneficiaries, then it will be great service to the nation. As expected and feared, the Congress government has delayed the CWG probe so much that even Media focus has shifted. It has deflected all attention to 2G scam so that everyone forgets CWG scam. Why is it so? This is because in CWG scam, its own Ministers are involved both at the centre and state level. MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy, Sheila Dixit - the trio have to be saved. In the case of 2G, the Ministers behind bars are not from the Congress so all this alacrity showing. As for Sukhram he has already lost his relevance for Congress. therefore in CWG scam a handful of clerks and engineers will be held responsible and matter will be closed. because the case of Sukhram lingered on for 15 years and he freely roamed about so it emboldened Raja, Maran and party. Similarly if the trinity of Gill, Sheila and Jaipal are let off then you can sit and wait for another Games fiasco and the nations dignity and standing will once again be publicly auctioned and another dance of corruption will take place with free loot and no one to stop it.

Shekhar J Paul

Will the Chief Information Commissioner intervene ?

In this day and age of RTI Act, I do not know why department of post is not allowing free access to all so that its government orders issued can be seen by everybody. When government orders are issued, it means it is public order and not a secret order and it is accessible for all. But Department of Post in website of facilitation management centre also called sahuliat has made it compulsory that only those who are registered can get access. Therefore it is essential to supply proof of being postal department employee to see these government orders. Because of such narrow mindedness, the website of staff unions are becoming more popular as they also reproduce all orders being issued. If I am right, the RTI Act says that all information should be provided suo moto. Here is a case where even information already made public is being withheld. Will the Chief Information Commissioner, please intervene.

Jalaj Srivastava

Killing Department of Posts

Kapil Sibal has not taken a final decision on winding up the Indian Telecom Service. He is wondering what to do with so many officers as they have all reported in Delhi. One good suggestion is to induct them in the Department of Posts. The Department of Posts has been greatly mismanaged by Delhi based officers. These officers remain posted in Delhi, then go on deputation in Delhi, return back and getting posted again in Directorate. All this leading to policy paralysis because they not having knowledge of field. They have not worked even for one day in important field posting. If such kind of officers who are like making guest appearance for short duration and coming and going and still department is running rather limping. It is better, the surplus ITS are adjusted in Department of Posts. This will not make any difference in its efficiency. It will make no difference. Positive result will be the Indian Postal Service Officers currently fighting with each other will stop infighting, get united and start cleaning up operation. The post of DDG Vigilance, Director Vigilance and ADG Vigilance should be given to ITS so that corruption can be ended. Due to IPOs handling Vigilance, it is quietly closing all cases and settling complaints on money consideration. Sibal must seriously take up this issue and give this post as well as post of Secretary - Postal Services Board to the ITS. ITS is very professional service and will do better job. IPOs lacks professionalism because its officers avoid being posted in feild and want to remain in delhi and have no knowledge of its working of the department. ITS in comparison is willing for posting anywhere in country. This will also ensure that vacancy arising and ad-hoc arrangements can end in one go and it will improve the working. the JTOs can be adjusted against post of Inspectors. at present inspectors post are lying vacant no one wants to join postal inspector post. if JTOs adjusted it will fill up backlog. DOT should start calling for options from willing officers for opting for Department of Posts. Working of postal department can improve after that. At present, it is delivering ordinary letter in 45 days when earlier it taking only 3 days. This is what these postal chaps have done to department. They have destroyed it. ITS can bring efficiency.

Sridhar Pahadia

Posting a Technocrat as Secretary Telecom?

Whether Minister will also consider for posting a Technocrat as Secretary Telecom which is more technical Department than IT. Earlier also, Sam Pitroda was Secretary Telecom.

Dr Usha Agrawal

Antonyms or Synonyms?

Words play wonderful roles for active politicians. However even the Economists too have started using them most effectively e.g. BPL, poverty, APL etc. But here is one that is simply astounding: "bailout"!! The aam aadmi is given "subsidy" but the rich get "bailout". The most exhilarating thing is that "socialist republic" exists happily in these neo-liberal market regime (the Constitution of India is yet to be amended to drop the word socialist).So we continue with something called BIFR or Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction, especially created to take care of the "sick units" under the Nehruvian policy since the beginning of the 1980s.Some instructive cases concerned big units of the times in the private sector that I refrain from naming. Now the government seems to have fast tracked recovery of sick units by devising the SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle)of bailout! Seems sickness and bailout are antonyms and not synonyms. Pray bailout the aam aadmi from devastating price rise !!!

M L Gupta

CBDT importing untested ideas

The usual practice of CBDT of late is to import untested ideas and structures of other countries' legislations and push them through without much thought or deliberation. Take for example the Disputes Resolution Panel. The concept was workable except a massive blunder in implementation- the jurisdictional Commissioners were notified as DRP members. A clear case of conflict of interest and Uttarakhand High Court came down heavily on the Department. Now who would tell the CBDT to steer clear of the issue of " bias " or even "apprehension of bias" when implementing it's own procedures. What a blind man can feel through his senses , what is that about CBDT that it can not make out with it's own eyes . Either incompetence or arrogance or a bit of both.

Harihar

Export of Iron Ore from India not viable

In the first place, there should be no export at all of Iron Ore from India, forget the Export Duty part. Our Total available reserves in the country will not last for very long. We are a developing nation and iron ore happens to be the basic raw material for making of steel. Even today, our per capita consumption of steel is way behind any developed country, including China. Why don't we learn from US, which though, has huge resources of Oil, but still conserves the same and resorts to imports. We are answerable to our future generation as well. We should be in no hurry to export iron ore. If we continue to do the same in the garb of iron ore fines, in future, on account of non-availability of iron ore, we shall be only compelled to import finished steel to meet our requirements of steel. It is a crime to even think about export of iron ore. If we have iron ore fines, surplus to our requirement today, we may convert the same to pellets. It is the mine owners lobby which is very strong in our nation which always succeeds in getting the Government's nod for export. It is very pathetic. But such is our governance.

B.K.Bhutiani

TAIL=PIECE

'For sale' sign on India?

If Pawar becomes PM, we might as well put up a 'for sale' sign on India!

By -A Contributor

Non appearance of the respondents before the Commission

Vide order dated 15 September 2011, the CIC had directed that the CPIO must provide the desired information to the Appellant. The CIC further directed that the officer who had received the RTI application but preferred not to act on it thereby preventing the information seeker from getting the information, should appear before the CIC to explain if he had any reasonable cause for his inaction. The CIC noted that in spite of such clear direction, nobody turned up for the hearing. Holding that non-appearance of the respondent shows that the officer concerned has no explanation to offer, the CIC imposed the maximum penalty of Rs. 25,000/- on the Branch Manager of the bank. Further, the CIC directed to provide the information sought for in the application.

Comments

A PIO must use the opportunity to present his case before the Commission during the personal hearing. Failing to utilise this opportunity may cost him dearly.

Shri Deena Nath Prasad V. Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank in CIC/SM/A/2010/001254

- Weekly article by Dr. (Mrs.) Anuradha Verma
(dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in), RTI Consultant to IIM, Indore and Co-author of the book: RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE by Taxmann. (The views are Personal)