It is nice and very informative.
Rajesh Kumar

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

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Pawar should have been shifted!!!
Now in replacement Food related Food Processing Ministry he has been gifted!!!

He continues as Agri Minister!!!!
For both the Nation and Indians this is indeed very very sinister!!

Deshmukh was shunted out as Maha CM for being a 'filmy guide' at Taj (post 26/11)!!!!
Protector of Moneylenders looks after a vital rural portfolio aaj!!!

Praful made every attempt to finish AI and still he was given a promotion!!!
After all the guplas in the Aviation Sector he should have been given a demotion!!

Kamalnath has already started making grounds for adding to his kitty!!!!!
The 15% allegation in Niira tapes was waived off like a pesky fly... what a pity???

Reddy as MOPNG despite the CWG delays and shoddy work!!!!
He was either part of the ghoos brigade or his duties he sure did shirk!!!

Mulri Deora was in the Cabinet as Mukesh Bhai's rep and continues as his rep!!!
When it came to interests of MOPNG he proved inept!!

Now its being said post Budget Mohna is coming up with a big reshuffle!!
So our 'feathers' by this useless reshuffle why did he ruffle!!!

Congressmen guffaw.... he's just left a carrot hanging!!!!
For those wanting berths and indulging in chest beating and head banging!

Rs. 65 for units of onions, beer and fuel!!!!!
Really this Sarkaar has laden us with prices treating us like a mule!!!

Montek is back to his chant..... inflation will fall ..... this time by March!!!
If it does not from Delhi to Mumbai he should be made to do a barefoot march!!!

He talks now ..... was he sleeping when trends showed prices will rise????
Like now he's standing up at that time why did he not rise!!

Had he set off alarm bells Sarkaar would have been forced to act!!!!
Is it possible with Pawar Mr. Montek Singh the 'wanna be FM' had a pact????

Otherwise why should be repeatedly fib about inflation falling!!!!
He does this on whose calling?????

Now what drama is our Rahul Gandhi thinking off?????
At his previous dramas Public ne kiya hai scoff!!!

I think he should rethink and if Mohna really shuffles his Cabinet post Budget session!
In the list of Ministers his name he should make Mohna mention!!

Maybe rather than being at large he'll do a better job in 'confined `space'!!!!
And this 'no responsibility' barb he will not face!!

Though he may take himself to be a 'know all' but he needs experience of running a Ministry!
Why is he shying away from this vital experience is really a mystery????

Is Tata so desperate for money that it needed to conjure up Camelot Project in Chandigarh's periphery????
The Project stinks of political connivance and hera pheri!!!

Practically all powerful Punjab Netas have been allotted flats in Camelot!!!!
Should Tatas be involved in such a questionable Project.... I think not????

SC says Sibal commenting on CAG's 2 G Report was wrong now what will Sibal do!
Will he at SC's observation boo????

I'm sure he must racking his legal brain to respond!!!!!
Or from the Media glare for a month he'll just 'abscond'!!!!

By the way which Mobile Provider did Mohna drop and which one did he switch over to?????
Actually Mohna after the Niira tapes flushed his Mobile down the loo!!!

So during this Number portability ceremony a dummy phone Mohna used!!!!!
And he had this recorded lest later on for changing his mobile number he be accused!!

Confucius says.....In Delhi's power circles 'talking shop' on Mobile phones is a 'no no'!!!!
If 'shop talk' is to be undertaken to a safe place the talkers chose to go!!!!!

Bharat Kumar

BUREAUCRACY

P.K. Bajpai no. 1 in panel for Director Finance ,BHEL
P.K. Bajpai Executive Director ( ED) Financial Services BHEL is number one in panel for Director Finance in BHEL.

Pattar to be Director Health
Ravindra Pattar has been appointed Director Health in the Government of India. He is 1993 batch IR&AS officer.

Behera is DS Commerce
Mrutyunjay Behera has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He is 2001 batch IES officer.

IA&AS officer Chandra transferred
Prem Chandra, Assistant Director, in the office of AG (C&RA), UP, Lucknow on completion of orientation training course at NAAA, Shimla, is transferred and posted as Deputy Director (Coal : adhoc) in the office of PDCA & e.o. MAB-II, Kolkata against an existing vacancy.

Vipul Mittra's "Pyramid of Virgin Dreams" soon to hit stands
Kartikeya, a well settled bureaucrat, is torn between the past and the present after he stumbles upon his first crush Revati - the girl he was smitten by in his college days. As he finally prepares to take the plunge and pursue his love, he finds, here too fate had other plans. Kartikeya Kukreja, is the protagonist of the book "Pyramid of Virgin Dreams" written by Vipul Mittra, IAS, Secretary Tourism, Government of Gujarat. It is a funny satire around the life of Kartikeya -a middle
class boy, his growing years, and his perceptions of bureaucracy and society. Several characters, including Kartikeya's immediate family, his college sweetheart and his very own conscience by the name of 'Selfmusing', find a place in the narrative. From a child to an adult and a bureaucrat, it is a story told differently with candour and ample tongue-in-cheek humour. In the witty and circumstantial accounts of Kartikeya's early years, the author provides a glimpse into the
world of hierarchies, promotions, fawning subordinates and vacuous privileges that accompany growing status. He says "Writing while being IAS is the toughest."Mittra is an IAS officer of the 1986 batch who hails from the Gujarat cadre.Its publishers are Rupa & Co, Delhi.'' Read more about Vipul Mittra on...www.vipulmittra.com

BDT constitutes DRP Kolkata
Central Board Of Direct Taxes has constituted the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP} comprising of three Commissioners of Income- Tax/Directors of Income-tax as its Members. Accordingly, DRP Kolkata includes Virender Singh, D!T (International Taxation)-II, Delhi, Jason P. Boaz, DIT (Transfer Pricing), Bangalore and R.P. Bahamani, C1T-III, Kolkata.

V.K. Sharma Additional Secretary Lok Sabha to retire
V.K. Sharma Additional Secretary in the Lok Sabha secretariat will be retiring on March 31, 2011.

Tayal to succeed Sircar
B K Tayal Second Secretary will replace P P Sircar in March at Damascus.Sircar is retiring.

Bharat Kumar to go Khartoum
Bharat Kumar will join as Second Secretary in Khartoum on a newly created post.

C Raja Mohan nominated to National Security Advisory Board
C Raja Mohan has been nominated to National Security Advisory Board, reconstituted by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

S.C. Saxena CMD, Karnataka Police Housing Corpn.to retire
S.C. Saxena Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) to the Karnataka government's Police Housing Corporation is going to retire on January 31, 2011. He is an IPS officer of the 1976 batch who belongs to Karnataka cadre.

Madhav Lal to be CS J&K for over four years
New J & K Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, an IAS officer of 1977 batch, will remain head of the civil administration in the State for nearly four and half years.

Pondicherry to have new Authority
The Pondicherry government has constituted a Police Complaints Authority to look into complaints against officers.

MHA convenes CMs' meet on February 1, 2011
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Government of India (GOI) has invited Chief Ministers of different states to attend a joint conference regarding internal security in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on February 1, 2011.

16 IAS officers promoted as Special Secretaries in Bihar
The Bihar Government also promoted 16 IAS officers as special secretaries. They include N. Vijaylakshmi, B. Rajendra, Arvind K. Choudhary, Uday N. Thakur, Suresh P. Sinha, Ramesh Lal, Masud Hasan, Daya Shankar Pandey, Indra Sen Singh, Arun Prasad, Arun Chandra Mishra and Arvind K. Singh all from the 1995 batch and Dev Dutt Verma and Kamal Kumar Sinha (Both 1996 batch) and Pankaj Kumar and Santosh Mal (Both 1997 batch)

Misra appointed Additional Judge of Orissa High Court
Bira Kishore Misra has been appointed Additional Judge of the Orissa High Court, for a period of two years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.

Goswami appointed Additional Judge of Gauhati High Court
Arup Kumar Goswami has been appointed Additional Judge of the Gauhati High Court, for a period of two years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.

Mrs. Roy appointed Judge of Jharkhand High Court
Mrs. Justice Jaya Roy, Additional Judge of the Jharkhand High Court has been appointed Judge of that High Court, with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office.

Additional Judges of Jharkhand High Court Appointed
Prashant Kumar and Pradeep Kumar have been appointed Additional Judges of the Jharkhand High Court, in that order of seniority, for a period of two years with effect from 21.01.2011.

Additional Judges of Andhra Pradesh high Court Appointed
Gurijala Krishna Mohan Reddy and Kolla Surya Appa Rao have been appointed Additional Judges of Andhra Pradesh High Court, in that order of seniority, for a period of two years with effect from the dates they assume charge of their offices.

22 Excise officials get Presidential Awards
As many as 22 officers of the Customs & Central Excise Department, and the Directorate of Enforcement have been conferred withPresidential Awards of Appreciation Certificate on the eve of Republic Day, 2011. The awards are given for exceptionally meritorious service rendered at the risk of life and specially distinguished record of service. While Satish Hari Kulkarni, Inspector, Customs Commissionerate, Pune, has been awarded for exceptionally meritorious service rendered at the risk of life, those awarded for specially distinguished record of service include Debi Prasad Dash, Additional Director General, Directorate General of Systems and Data Management, New Delhi, Ajay Jain, Commissioner (Central Excise), Central Board of Excise and Customs, New Delhi, Navneet Goel, Director (Drawback), Central Board of Excise and Customs, New Delhi, M.K. Singh, First Secretary (Trade), High commission of India, London, Mrs. Subhagata Kumar, Additional Director, Directorate General of Systems and Data Management, New Delhi, Sunil Tated, Additional Director, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Hqrs., New Delhi, Suresh Kumar, Additional Commissioner, Customs Air Cargo Complex, Bangaluru, Manish Kumar Sinha, Additional Commissioner, Central Excise Commissionerate, Pune, S.D. Chand, Deputy Director, Directorate General of Valuation, Mumbai, R Ravikumar, Deputy Director, Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, Chennai, S.M Mani, Assistant Director, Directorate of Enforcement, Zonal office, Chennai, Dharmvir Singh, Officer on Special Duty, TRU, Central Board of Excise and Customs, New Delhi, G. Gururaghavendran, Superintendent, Directorate General of Systems and Data Management, Chennai, Syed Mohammed Senior Intelligence officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Regional Unit, Cochin, Jayaraj P G Nair, Senior Intelligence officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Zonal unit, Mumbai, Surinder Singh Dangi, Senior Intelligence officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence , Zonal Unit. Ahmedabad, Ramalingeswara Rao, Superintendent, Central Excise commissionerate, Vishakhapatnam-Il, Prabir Kumar Bhadra, Senior Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Sub-Regional unit, Berhampore, K C Meena, Senior Intelligence Officer, Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, Regional unit, Jaipur, Manish Immaneul, Senior Intelligence officer, Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, Bijender Singh Yadav, Superintendent, Central Excise Commissionerate, Delhi-III, of Revenue Intelligence, Hqrs. New Delhi, Sujeet Kumar, Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Hqrs, New Delhi, Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, Intelligence Officer, Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, New Delhi, Santhosh Kumar K, Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Regional Unit, Mangalore. Sanjay Chatterjee, Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Zonal Unit, Lucknow, R S Girish, Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Zonal Unit, Chennai, Niraj Rai, Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, , Zonal Unit, Mumbai, KS Vijay Kumar, Intelligence Officer, Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, Zonal Unit, A Muralikrishna, Intelligence officer, Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, Zonal Unit, Chennai, Ankush Banerjee, Inspector, Central Excise Commissionerate, Kolkata-I, Mrs. Jayalakshmi Balasubramanian, Inspector, Central Excise Commissionerate, Hyderabad-Il, Malay Kumar Paul, Private Secretary, Office of the Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Kolkata, Kumar Singh, Driver (Special Grade), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Hqrs. New Delhi, Nanda Ballabh, Head Havaldar, Directorate General of Audit, New Delhi.

RTI

Filing of RTI application by a Public Authority
The applicant requested for information pertaining to income computation with TDS Challan, Trading Account, Balance Sheet with Schedules, Audit Report, Assessment Order/ self assessment information etc. in respect of 4 persons from the Income Tax department. The applicant stated that they were themselves public authority namely The New India Assurance Company Limited. The information was sought to defend their position in a claim of Rs. 181 crore against the death of individual in a road accident. The CIC directed to provide the information holding that the disclosure would serve the ends of justice and is in larger public interest by causing an unwarranted discharge of public funds.

Comments

Filing of a RTI application by a Public authority against another is indicative of the pattern of evolution of RTI Act. Against the time tested method of using the official channel for securing documents, RTI is being considered as a more potent tool for protecting the commercial interest of the company. Many more applications of the
similar kind are likely to be filed in the times to come.

[Sh. S.S. Hira v. Income Tax Department, Jaipur in Appeal No.
CIC/LS/A/2010/001130DS]

- 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)

CORPORATE
Ajay Bansiwal joins Ozone Media as Senior Vice President
Ajay Bansiwal, has joined the Online ad network Ozone Media which plans to expand into the overseas markets. Bansiwal, who has joined the company as Senior Vice President, will be overseeing the North American and the UK markets. He has previously worked in the North American market while he was with Reliance Mediaworks' Big Cinemas and prior to that with Sulekha.com and Times Internet.

Larry Page to take over as CEO, Google
Google co-founder Larry Page will take over as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Google w.e.f. from April 2011. He will succeed Eric Schmidt.

Eric Schmidt to move as Executive Chairman, Google
Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Google will move as the Executive Chairman and will play an advisory role w.e.f. April 2011. Schmidt had became the CEO in 2001.

Kurien named CEO of Wipro
India's leading Software company Wipro has named T.K. Kurien as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He will take over w.e.f. February, 2011. Kurien is currently serving as the chief executive of Wipro's eco-energy division.

Wipro Joint CEOs Paranjpe, Vaswani to step down by Feb 1
The Joint Chief Executives (CEOs) of Wipro, Girish Paranjpe and Suresh Vaswani would step down by Feb 1 said a company release.

Jain appointed Govt Nominee Director on REC Board
Rakesh Jain, Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser, Ministry of Power, has been appointed as Government Nominee Director on the Board of Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd (REC) with immediate effect.

Krishnan appointed MD, Zuari Industries
Zuari Industries Limited has appointed Suresh Krishnan as Managing Director of the Company for a period of five years w.e.f. February 1, 2011

Shroff resigns as MD, Fame India Ltd
Shravan Shroff, Managing Director of Fame India Ltd, has resigned from the company.

Mallick appointed Chairman, Automotive Stampings and Assemblies Ltd
Automotive Stampings And Assemblies Limited has appointed Pradeep Mallick as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company.

Shekhar resigns as Director, PTC India
Shashi Shekhar has resigned as Director on the Board of PTC India Ltd w.e.f. January 17, 2011 and ceased to be Director of PTC accordingly.

Tenure of five Independent Dirs. of Hindustan Copper Ltd over
Five Independent directors of Hindustan Copper Ltd---Michael Bastian, S K Banerjee, Shantikam Hazarika, Arun Kumar Mago and Dr. Mukesh Khare cease to be members of the Board of Hindustan Copper Ltd. On completion of their tenure on Jan 6, 2011.

TOP CORPORATE POWER HOUSES IN INDIA
1. Mukesh Ambani & Anil Ambani
Reliance Group
Apart from heading one of India's biggest and diverse business conglomerates, Mukesh Ambani is the man keenly watched globally. For the record sake Mukesh's worth is over US $27 Billion as per Forbes list and he may be the richest man in the World by 2014. So, it is hard to believe that his footprints are not behind any major policy initiatives, especially that relating finance, taxation or trade and commerce. Mukesh's Man Friday in Delhi, Bala Subramaniam, takes care of the group's networking. He has unhindered access to all power centres in Delhi be it Congress party's Pranab Mukherjee or Motilal Vora, BJP's L.K. Advani or Nitin Gadkari, Communist party's Sitaram Yachuri or D. Raja, RJD's Laloo Yadav or other smaller parties. His aim is to get a Bharat Ratna award for the late Dhirubhai Ambani - his father and founder of Reliance Group - besides, total allegiance of the country's bureaucrats and politicians. His team is feverishly working along with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi. However, the row over lobbyist Neera Radia tapes and her conversations that became public have tarnished the image of the company still, he is not the one who can just be stopped over by such minor irritants.
His younger brother, Anil Ambani had already enjoyed unhindered access to the -corridors of power and ever since the patch up with the elder brother is trying to consolidate his gains. His team is active round the clock keeping a tab on critical issues in governance.

2. Shashi Ruia and Ravi Ruia
Essar Group
They are number four in Forbes list of richest Indians with assets worth nearly US$ 15 billion, but maintain an extremely low profile. The government is said to have supported them in the attempt to restructure their group in recent years and they enjoy the most unhindered access to all political parties. The fact that they have no political ambition has stood them in good light with all political parties. Their man in Delhi is Sunil Bajaj, who enjoys an easy access to all political bigwigs and bureaucratic strongholds. They only travel to Delhi when work calls for their presence and their coming and going go unnoticed as they travel unobtrusively with the minimum noise. Of late, the Group's networking too has acquired a higher crescendo, what with all the expansion plans, and acquisitions in foreign countries.

3. Gautam Adani
Adani Group
Forbes has placed him at number 7 in the richest Indians list with a worth of more than US $ 10 billion in kitty. Adani's is the fastest growing group in the country's Corporate landscape forcing observers to say that he is the Dhirubhai Ambani in the making. His political connections are fantastic. His claim to fame is for having been caught on the wrong side of the law more than any other business man in the country. However, he sails out of trouble every time and moves ahead with greater conviction. His strong political connections with BJP patriarch L.K. Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Congress' Ahmed Patel is the talk among observers and the envy of his competitors. His key aide Puneet Sharan presides over the Public Relations activities of the group in Delhi.

4. Ratan Tata
Tata Group
From salt to heavy vehicles to the most high tech IT set ups, Tata's is one of the oldest Indian conglomerates, having touched the lives of every Indian. People have learnt to live with Tata, for Tata's stood for quality, conviction and growth with humility. Though the contents of the Radia Tapes have done great damage to the reputation of Ratan Tata, still his is the most revered business house in the country. For the record, Forbes does not have him on their rich list. Is he a billionaire? No, Ratan Tata is not a billionaire. Of course he is the Chairman of Tata Group having 96 businesses out of which 28 are publicly listed and are worth more than US $ 70 billion. Well, to be a billionaire, on your financial statement, your assets must be worth billions of dollars. The main bulk of the shares of its 96 Businesses are not on Ratan Tata's personal financial statement. Tata Group's Key holding Company, Tata Sons has 65 per cent ownership to various Tata group charitable organizations out of which Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir J.R.D. Tata Trust are the main holders. About 18 per cent of the holdings in Tata Son's are with Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry who maintains low profile and is known as "Phantom of Bombay House". Ratan Tata himself holds less than 1% of TATA Sons, the key holding Company of Tata Group. This is the reason why he is not a billionaire.
Ratan Tata given his respect among common man should have been number one in this list but his public spat with TMC leader Mamata Banerjee over the Nano project and land acquisition in Singur, West Bengal have left his image tarred. Moreover, the shifting of his pet Nano small car project to Narendra Modi's Gujarat has marred his chances of getting a Bharat Ratna, as long as the Congress is in power at the Centre. His personal office general manager, who happens to be son of a senior lady journalist in Delhi, is RNT's networking man.

5. Lakshmi N. Mittal
ArcelorMittal
Steel tycoon and the chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaking company is placed by Forbes at the number two position with a net worth of US $ 26.1 billion. His journey to become one of the richest man in the world, has been very controversial from his association with former
Indonesian President Suharto to British Prime Minister Tony Blair who allegedly helped him in his business ventures. In India his association started with for Union Minister N.K.P. Salve and this helped him move closer to power centres in India. He enjoys personal rapport with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress' Political Secretary Ahmed Patel and enjoyed equally close relationship with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's family.

6. Sunil Mittal
Bharti Enterprises
With a worth of US $ 8.6 billion the telecom czar, Sunil Mittal is placed at number 9 in the Forbes list. Son of a father who was MP from Ludhiana of the Congress Party, he started business with manufacturing cycle parts at the age of 18. He is a risk taker and known to have best networking with political masters in Delhi. His office door conference room) near Qutub Minar says it all SULTANAT. His aim is to be Emperor of telecom world and he has already taken steps in that direction looking for joint ventures, acquisitions and mergers in Africa and elsewhere in Asia.

7. K.P. Singh
DLF Limited
Forbes pitches him shade ahead of Sunil Mittal at number 8 in the India rich list with a worth of US $ 9.2 billion. His chance meeting on the road with late Rajiv Gandhi turned him from a small time builder of south Delhi to the biggest builder in India. His controversial tie up with Dubai World company Emaar Group has tarnished his image and probably made him loose a few billions. He is regarded as the Ambassador of Good times by the political glitterati in Delhi. He is said to be richest person in the national capital.

8. Venugopal N. Dhoot
Videocon Industries Limited
Videocon Industries limited being headed by its Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) Venugopal N Dhoot, is the flagship company of US $ 5 billion Videocon Group having diversified business interests in white and brown goods, power generation (both conventional and renewable energy). Exploration and Prospecting Oil and Gas, Providing GSM Mobile Telephone Services, last mile retail, and Direct to Home Delivery of Television Contents. Its activities are well spread out in India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Mozambique, with employee strength of more than 15,000. Venugopal N Dhoot, a second-generation entrepreneur and an engineer by training, transformed Videocon from a conference room-sized assembly line in 1979 into a conglomerate across the verticals of consumer electronics and home appliances, office automation, telecom, power, crude oil and natural gas. Dhoot has a vision to led Videocon and make it a Fortune 500 company in the next five years. Dhoot is an environmental enthusiast having successfully completed a project of planting 2,00,000 teak saplings across India.

9. Subrata Roy Sahara
Sahara Group
Chairman of the Group having India's biggest - land bank, NBFC, Media & Entertainment Company, Service & product company, exclusive Aamby Valley City along with Major housing & commercial building projects including Malls, Premium Apartments, Hotels and Hospitals, Life Insurance Company, Mutual Fund House, Housing Finance Co., Consumer products & Retail Chain, Integrated travel & tourism services. Subrata Roy Sahara's worth is about US $ 3.3 billion and as Chief Guardian of world's largest family, providing livelihood to millions, directly touching the life of one out of every fifteen Indian, believing in collective sharing & caring for collective growth, proved over decades through CSR projects and activities carried out all over India and particularly in UP & Bihar, one of world's poorest regions, up to the assistance to families of Martyr's of Kargil war and 26/11 Mumbai attack.
Biggest supporter of Sports, being a character builder of nation, more than 60 % medal winning Indian athletes in CWG 2010 sponsored by Sahara India Pariwar. Extended critical support which made the event wonderful for India. Exploring overseas value adding acquisitions like England's legendry soccer club Liverpool, one the oldest Hollywood Studios MGM, iconic London Hotel Grosvenor House. A visionary par excellence, one of the all time great entrepreneur, dedicated to nation building.

10. Kumar Mangalam Birla
The Aditya Birla Group
Like Tata, the name Birla is synonymous with Indian Industry and has been among I the country's oldest business houses. Kumar Mangalam Birla, the Chairman of the US$ 29 billion Aditya Birla Group, a global conglomerate with operations spanning 27 countries. An iconic figure, Birla holds several key positions on various regulatory and professional boards. He is a Director of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India and Chairman of the Staff Sub-Committee of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India. He serves on the Prime Minister of India's Advisory Council on Trade and Industry. Birla group has however,not changed like other business groups. They still believe in traditional business style and instead of expanding their empire are trying to consolidate their present business establishments. They do not want to walk on the waves of the time.

11. Anil Agrawal
Vedanta Group
Vedanta Group is an LSE-listed diversified FTSE 100 metals and mining company, and India's largest non-ferrous metals and mining company. Anil Agrawal, the NRI Chairman of the Vedanta Group has a worth of US $ 7.9 billion. Agrawal's ambition is to become the richest businessman in India. If things would have gone as he had planned out with the IPO and the expansion of mining activity in Orissa, Agrawal would have overtaken Mukesh Ambani as the richest Indian businessmen. He is said to have a direct access in the Ten Janpath.

12. G.M. Rao
GMR Group
Founder Chairman of GMR Group-global Infrastructure major the Group is well
diversified and professionally managed with focus on business verticals of Airports, Energy, Highways and Urban Infrastructure including SEZs, apart from interests in Agri-business. Born on July 14, 1950 in a small town of Rajam in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, G M Rao established the GMR business empire starting from a single jute mill in Rajam in 1978.G M Rao expanded the group's presence in the infrastructure sector by leading the group's foray into Highways. The group bagged its first global project by winning the bid to modernise the Sabiha Gokcen International (SGA) airport at Istanbul, Turkey and also ventured into the new business sector of Urban Infrastructure. The group will set up a 3300 acre multi-product SEZ in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu. It is marching ahead on lines of the Adani group. With a strong desire to serve the needs of the marginalised sections and the rural society, Rao set up the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, to raise their living standards. The Foundation is active in the areas of education, health and hygiene, community development and empowerment.

13. Gopichand Hinduja
Hinduja Group
Hinduja is worth billions of dollars, but he still shares a kitchen with his three brothers. He co-chairs the Indian multinational corporation Hinduja Group with his eldest brother Srichand. Srichand, 75, and Gopichand, 70, are based in the exclusive district of Mayfair in London. The third brother, Prakash, 65, is in Geneva, while the fourth, and the youngest, Ashok, 60, remains in Mumbai. In each country, there is a house with a joint kitchen for all four of the brothers and their families to use. They are estimated to be worth a total of about US$9.5 billion (Dh34.89bn), according to The Sunday Times 2008 Rich List. At one stage they had fast emerged as a force to reckon with in the corridors of power, but now seem to have preferred lying low.

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. However, we would also request our contributors not to be personal, directly or indirectly, in presenting their views. Instead of countering the views which ‘X’ has already expressed, our contributors are advised to present their own views. Also be brief, say about 200 words at the most since any views longer than that if eliminated at our end would carry the risk of the contrbutor’s item losing its original essence)


Disparity with UDC/Steno D

We want to raise our voice against disparity with UDC/Steno D through your esteem website. After 13 months of issuance of OM dated 16/11/2010 for granting of 4200 (GP) to UDCs/Steno'D' of Central Secretariat/AFHQ/Ext. Affairs/Railways Board, we couldn't hear anything from DoP&T as there is no one to take pain. Sixth pay commission equated us to Group D and our big brother Asstt of CSS are also makeup their mind that we couldn't deserve to get 4200 GP. In this regard, one thing is very heartening that our Big brother i.e. Assistant move their file for granting of 4600 GP after three days of issuance of OM dated 13/11/2010 for grant of 4600 (GP) to Inspector etc., This shows their good behave with junior. But in our case, they are not keen to positive noting so that we may also get our due at earliest. It is a matter of concerned for UDCs/Steno D. In other organization junior colleagues also get benefit in front of Promotion and Pay while in Central Secretariat we have been cheated by our Big- brother as they want all benefit for themselves. It is therefore, once again requested to competent authority to grant 4200 GP after 4-5 yrs of approved service in UDC grade. Tax Asstt in CBDT/CBEC, Jr. ACCtt/Auditor in various organization are getting 4200 GP after 4-5 years of service.

Prabha

Pay Scale and Pay Band IAS/IFS v. the others

Officer has painstakingly showed the huge anomaly in the pay scales of IAS/IFS v. the others. These anomalies are not an accident. Why should one expect the IAS/IFC to reduce their own salaries when the government gives them a free hand to set their own pay scales. The DOPT secretary and the Cabinet Secretaries are IAS officers. One should not expect a rational argument as these arguments have been made before. One cannot expect the Ministers as well as the Prime Minister to do anything as all their advisors are IAS. The solution is to go to courts to implement the principle of equal pay for equal work and gross misuse of Central Staffing Rules.

Palani T

No comparison of Mayawati !

UP chief Minister Ms. Mayawatiji is doing her job really as per the aspirations and expectations of each and everyone in the state for which she has been voted with thumping majority in the UP Assembly. I am sure there is no force/ political party to be compared with her as on today.

Brij mohan

Seniors succumb to political pressure

One of the arguments that is often extended by the top bureaucrats is that they can do little as the bottom rungs of bureaucracy have totally been corrupted. However my own personal experience after working with the state bureaucracy has been entirely different and I have observed that more often then not, it is the senior officers who succumb to political pressures and pass directions to their subordinates to not initiate action against the malpractices. Infact even the honest officers are made to bend as not to comply with the hierarchy within bureaucracy has serious consequences for the carriers of the bureaucrats. I am now sure that it is the bureaucracy at the top which is responsible for the state of nation today.

Sandeep