HEARD IN PRIME MINISTERS OFFICE:

What time do babus come to office in morning?

Sir few minutes before 11 am.

What time do they leave?

Depends it can 3.30 pm 4.30 pm?

Why ?

Sir, WIC is updated at 11 am and then again between 3.30 amd 4.30 pm and every bureaucrat is in office before 11 am to check the site and remains atleast till it is updated again.

Payal Singh

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

Naresh Chandra is Chairman of NSAB
Former Cabinet Secretary / India's Ambassador to the USA Naresh Chandra has been appointed by the Prime Minister as Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB).

Balachandran to be Advisor ISCS
G Balachandran has been appointed as Advisor, Inter State Council Secretariat (ISCS). He is 1977 batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre. He is presently AS & FA Space.

Neeraj Sinha to be promoted
Neeraj Sinha, Deputy Director Intelligence Bureau (IB), SIB Tripura, is likely to be promoted as Joint Director, IB. He is an IPS officer of the 1990 batch who belongs to the Bihar cadre.

V Radhakrishnan CSL's Director (Technical) to retire in August 2011
V Radhakrishnan, Director (Technical) of the Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), will be retiring in August 2011.

Bihar gets 30 IPS in five years
While 30 directly recruited IPS officers had opted for Bihar cadre after Nitish Kumar came to power in November 2005, only five officers had joined Bihar between 2001 and 2004-05. Seven directly recruited IPS officers of 2008 batch had opted for Bihar cadre. They joined in January 2010. In 2008, four IPS officers of 2007 batch had joined Bihar. A year ago, six IPS officers each of 2005 and 2006 batch, respectively, had opted for Bihar cadre. The scene was quite different five years ago. Bihar was allotted only one IPS officer each in 2001 (2000 batch), 2002 (2001 batch), 2003 (2002 batch) and 2005 (2004 batch). Two IPS officers of 2003 batch were allotted Bihar cadre, who joined in December 2004.

Verma posted in MEA as Under Secretary
Abhishek Verma (IFS 2005) has been posted in MEA as Under Secretary in UNP Division.

Gaud is under transfer to Daman
K.K. Gaud, Director, Unauthorised Construction Cell, has been transferred as Director (Personnel). He is under transfer to Daman. He is a DANICS officer.

Pakistan Army abandons cantonment in Baluchistan
Pakistan's Army chief Genl Parvez Ashfaq Kiyani has decided to abandon the military cantonment developed by Parvez Musharraf in the natural gas rich Sui town of Baluchistan's Dera Bugti District because of stiff resistance from the people of Baluchistan. The Baluchistan Provincial Assembly had also passed a resolution objecting to the setting up of new cantonments in the province. The infrastructure already developed for the cantonment will now be utilised for running a military college with 60% seats reserved for the locals. Genl Keyani has apparently reversed the decision of the PPP led government to hand over the cantonment to the frontier corps.

K.B.L. Mittal posted as GM, NE
K.B.L. Mittal has been posted as General Manager (GM) of the North Eastern (NE) Railways.
(We said this on November 5, 2010)

Ms. Vijaya Kanth posted as GM, NF
Ms. Vijaya Kanth has been posted as General Manager (GM) construction of the North Frontier (NF) Railways.
(We said this on November 5, 2010)

R. C. Agrawal to be GM, NW
R. C. Agrawal has been appointed as General Manager (GM) of the North Western (NW) Railways .
(We said this on November 5, 2010)

Vinay Mittal to be GM, SE
Vinay Mittal has been appointed as General Manager (GM) of the South Eastern (SE) Railways.
(We said this on November 5, 2010)

Ramchandran posted as DG, RDSO
Ramchandran has been posted as Director General (DG) of the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

Post of IG vacant in NTRO
One post of IG rank officer is vacant in NTRO under the central government's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Ms. J. Ananya nominated for U.N. SAT
Ms. J. Ananya, DSP, Andhra Pradesh has been nominated for the U.N. SAT for the year 2010-11.She is a state police service (SPS) officer of Andhra Pradesh.

Sai Krishna nominated for U.N. SAT
Sai Krishna, DSP, Andhra Pradesh has been nominated for U.N. SAT for the year 2010-11.He is a state police service (SPS) officer of Andhra Pradesh.

5 SPS officers of Assam nominated for U.N. SAT
As many as five state police service (SPS) officers of Assam of Additional S.P.rank have been nominated for the U.N. SAT for the year 2010-11. They are: B.B. Bogai, P.J. Goswami, Ranjan Singh and Horeneakbi.

3 SPS officers of MP nominated for U.N. SAT
As many as three state police service (SPS) officers of Madhya Pradesh of Additional S.P.rank have been nominated for the U.N. SAT for the year 2010-11. They are: Ajay Pande, Sanjay Singh and Ms. Nimisha Pandey.

IPS changes in Andhra Pradesh
M. Mahender Reddy and Rajiv Trivedi will now be ADG of Intelligence and AP Police Academy respectively. A. Sivanarayana of CID and S. Venkataramana Murthy (Co-ordination) were transferred. Other new postings are Mssrs V.S.K. Kaumudi - Railways, R.P. Thakur - Technical Services, Vinay Ranjan Ray - Fire Services, Aruna M. Bahuguana - Training and T. Krishna Prasad - Road Safety.

Nayak to be CIC Karnataka
AKM Nayak has been chosen as the state chief information commissioner of Karnataka Information Commission.He is retired 1974 batch IAS officer.

Romila Dubey to be Chairperson of PSERC
Romila Dubey will be new chairperson of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC). She is 1973 batch IAS officer.

RTI

Inspection of records
The PIO had first given a date and time to inspect the records and then did not facilitate the inspection. The CIC held the PIO responsible for harassing an RTI applicant by first fixing a date and time for inspection and then not facilitating the same. Under section 19(8)(b) of the RTI Act, the CIC awarded a compensation of Rs. 2000/- to the applicant for the loss and humiliation suffered by him.
Comments
Before fixing an appointment, a PIO should ensure availability of records and any other requirements for inspection, lest there be a charge of dereliction of duty. A PIO must honour his commitment and abide by the responsibilities under the RTI Act.

[Mr. Rajendra Gupta v. MCD in Decision No. C/SG/A/2010/003216/10705]

- 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
Jain no longer Director PFC
Ministry of Power has relieved Rakesh Jain from his appointment as Government Nominee Director on the Board of Power Finance Corporation of India . Consequently, he has cessed to be a Director on the Board of Power Finance Corporation Limited w.e.f. January 6, 2011.

Sharma resigns as Director, Integrated Technologies
Narender Sharma, Director of Integrated Technologies Ltd has resigned from his office.

Shukla appointed Director, Integrated Technologies
Venkatesh Narayan Shukla has been appointed Director at Integrated Technologies Ltd .

Ranjan joins Emporis Projects Board
Rajesh Ranjan has been inducted on the board of Emporis Projects Ltd as an Independent Director w.e.f. December 28, 2010.

Patel resigns from Emporis Projects Board
Kalpesh Patel has resigned as Director from the board of Emporis Projects Ltd w.e.f. December 28, 2010 on personal grounds.

Banerjee elevated as National Head (Sales & Mktg.), Raj TV
Raj TV Network has elevated Sanjay Banerjee to the post of National Head - Sales & Marketing. He assumed charge from January 5, 2011.

Pant joins as Head (Brand), Delhi Press
Vandana Pant has joined Delhi Press as Head of Brand and GM - Brand Marketing. She took charge from December 14, 2010.

IPS changes in Uttar Pradesh (UPDATED)
D K Rai will be new SP Lakheempur Khiri.Manoj Kumar has been made SP Gazipur.R K Bharadwaj will now be SP Railways Allahbad.R K Srivastava has been posted as SP CBCID.

IRAI during Vibrant Gujarat Summit on Jan 10
In the first event of its kind, 25 foreign universities from 9 countries represented by 33 participants will come to Gujarat on January 10,2011 to take part in an International Round Table of Academic Institutions (IRAI) at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University Campus in Gandhingar. This Round Table will also be attended by Vice Chancellors/Directors/Provost of all the Gujarat-based public and private Universities to talk about how the Universities of Gujarat could collaborate with foreign universities for joint research, faculty exchange and student exchange. Eminent speakers who would be addressing the round table are Prof. Brian Taylor of University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Mohammad Hosni of Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA, Dr. Ernie Barber of Universitry of Sasktchewan, Canada, Prof. Jeffrey Romm of University of California, USA and many others. The 9 countries represented at this Round Table are USA, Canada, Brazil, France, Taiwan, Korea, UK and Singapore. The Academic Institutions are also expected to work out MoUs about collaborative research, faculty exchange and student exchange during this Summit. Some industries are also likely to participate in this venture to sign MoUs with Gujarat-based Universities for contracting out research to
the Universities. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is supposed to remain present during the MoU signing ceremony.

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)

Pyaaj ki dukh bhari kahani - ek Babu ki Jubaani

If Pakistan Government has banned imports of Onion to India, then why did the government put all its eggs in the same basket. Why it did not have a contingency plan in place. If Contingency Plan-A fails then Plan-B will be implemented & so on. What action has been taken to import onions from Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Bhutan and Sri Lanka - all neighboring countries from where onion can be imported from land route. What about china? If the Indian markets can be flooded with Chinese made goods then what harm is there to import onions. Why this over concentration on Pakistan - a failed democracy searching for cause to settle its grudges. Or is it that these jonnies sitting in Ministries were enjoying their cup of tea & do not want to be disturbed from their complacency. For what are we all bearing such huge costs of maintaining these useless bunch if they can not rise upto expectations of common man in times of crises.

We have been let down by the Minister for Agriculture & his faithful assistant the Secretary Agriculture, the Minister for Commerce & his Secretary the Foreign Affairs Minister & his Secretary & the list goes on ......

The tax payers money is spent in maintaining these fellows but they do not deliver at crises moment then throw them out & have better people who can show results. This open loot must end & they should be held accountable. For what they are taking salary if they cannot work. If we have to bear the brunt & wait for kharif crop of onions from Rajasthan then what kind of action packed crises management is this? Sit, wait, close eyes, talk, talk, discuss, talk, hold high level meeting, inter-departmental meeting, committee of secretaries (COS) meeting, group of ministers meeting(GOM), inter ministerial meeting-all on onion crises, issue minutes after minutes, Babus not worried about solution but about grammatical mistakes in minutes of meeting under issue, all gainfully occupied, time goes by, public crying weeping, farmer commit suicide, no solution, still talking, then new crop comes prices fall on its own, press conference held politician take credit & pat each others backs. If this is crises management then abolish these redundant Ministries at least we will save money & space. If these Mantris and IAS Babus just sit cross legged in boat club lawns hopefully looking towards sky now & then & after one month give a loud laugh that solution to problem has been found & kharif crop arriving then sorry to say they have lost trust of people of india.

Lok Nath Mehra

Servants of the Nation

Why is there so much inefficiency in Ministries and Government offices? One main cause is that there are too many idle people roaming about. It is only a handful of dedicated officials who are putting in extra effort & it is on their hard work that the government is actually running. If these handful of persons stop work the Office can come to stand still. Thus it is because of this miniscule number of workers who silently work with dedication & keeping low profile. Such workers are there in all services & posts. Now question is why there is such a large number of idle unemployable workers who if thrown out of job their value will become like garbage. Reason is so many officers and Netas have fixed their own servants against posts of Group-D, LDC and Peons, Drivers etc.

The Mantri employs some person from his constituency as servant in his house like Mali, Cook, Driver etc he works with dedication & Shrimatiji of Mantri is also very happy, after some time Mantri fixes him on daily wage basis in his Ministry or PSU under his charge, but the servant continues to work in his house, then after some more time the Mantri senses it is time for election & leaving Chair & as that Servant has worked with selfless devotion for five years standing on one foot & never said no & he has to be rewarded so he regularly appoints him in the Ministry against any available post. This servant cum government official works with full dedication for one year & pleases every one & once he completes one year & his service is regularized he then sits back & relaxes, does not work & in case any problem creator officer comes who tries to make him work he complains to his Mantri & gets Officer transferred or Officer compromises with situation. The servant cum government official gets emboldened & continues to not do work & becomes a life long liability.

When Mantri getting his servants employed then why should the Babu be left out. Bahati Ganga mein haath dho lo. The IAS Babu gets his servant fixed in some post, in exchange he is more than willing to do anything for the CSS official looking after Administration like giving him his right arm! The police officers use services of constables for housework & washing dishes what policing work will such constables do. He becomes a liability. Then the fauji wants to show what a burra sahib he is so he also use the batman now called sahayak for doing housework & washing clothes. A sipahi who is recruited to fight for country & instilled values of valour & courage forgets self pride & does menial jobs, he thus becomes a liability. Thus the government is chock-a-block full of such unemployable persons and therefore government work suffers. Open selection through Merit is not followed.

Mantri cozies up with IAS Babu, curries his favour gets his work done, IAS Babu obliges & also hands over his wish list to Mantri & gets his work done, IAS Babu connives with CSS gets Mantris & his own work done, CSS hands over his own wish list to either Babu or Neta & gets his work done. This is called Vicious Circle of Sifarish. God Save Our Country From These Servants.

Dimpy Chopra

Services develop serious vested interests unchecked

Lok Nath Mehra makes a very good point. Not only is it CSS that is always posted in Delhi in the ministries, but also other services like the MoD's CSS counterpart, AFHQCS, and the IDAS. These services develop serious vested interests and start twisting things in illogical ways, but cannot be checked, because minister and bureaucrat alike rely on their knowledge. This leads to much benefit for the members of these nominally subordinate services. Otherwise, can anyone imagine persons from a Group B service like CSS rising to Additional Seretary rank?

-Aditya

Prejudiced about CSS

It seems that views expressed about CSS are of a person prejudiced about CSS. Rotational Transfer Policy for CSS has been formulated and it is being implemented. Now, as a rule, on promotion no CSS Officer is being retained in same Ministry/Department and compulsorily transferred to other Ministry. In addition to that 174 officers have been transfer on rotation. More transfers are in Pipeline. No doubt rotational transfers are in the interest of government functioning, these are in the interest of CSS Officers also. As far as reluctance to transfer order is concerned, reason is that the cadre officers have been made so static and stagnated over the years. In a survey 80% of officers have chosen to be posted in U.T. Secretariat and State Secretariat on rotation. If this is implemented, not even a single CSS officers shall oppose it. Section Officers of CSS had to wait for 19 years to be promoted as Under Secretary. There was no proper training, no transfer, no timely promotions.

CSS Officers unlike field officers don't get any chance to be posted near their home towns. There are a number of officers who come from far flung areas of North East and Southern states but are confined to Delhi for whole life. Field officers get a fair opportunity to be posted near their hometowns but not the CSS Officers.

Field officers get a number of benefits (by fair or foul means).Even a group C official in field office gets official vehicle with driver to be fully misused as his personal vehicle. In Ministries two Under Secretaries are sitting in one small rooms but in field services, even a junior officer gets a huge room with services of contractual workers. Field service officers can take decisions but in CSS even Deputy Secretary level officer can not take decisions. There is no punctuality for field services. Each and every reform is implemented on CSS officers, like bio metric attendance system and many more, while these should be implemented on field services first because they deal with the public directly. Allegations of vested interests, poor treatment to other services are baseless. CSS Officers perform functions and duties honestly and do not succumb to any pressure. CSS had worst promotion prospects and after Cadre restructuring in 2003,situation has improved to some extent which is a reason of jealousy to many. CSS don't have all advantages, it has some disadvantages also- like remaining confined to Delhi during whole service, each decision being taken by Cabinet but in field services even major decisions are taken by the organisation themselves or their administrative Ministry at the most, so they can decide whatever they like. However, thanks for projecting CSS as powerful as IAS and Politicians. CSS officers has got it because of their skill, honesty and diligency. Other service officers joining secretariat under Central Staffing Scheme know that they get huge burden of work for no additional benefit.

With regards

W.Mishra,CSS

It's ironical

I full endorse the views expressed by Rajagopalan regarding Kakkar. Ironically, Kakkar, who took keen interest and vigorously pursued the promotional avenues of Sr. PPSs to PSOs, himself, has been denied the same on the verge of his superannuation due to reasons best known to DOPT. His case deserves sympathetic consideration. Best of luck to Kakkar.

Aparna

Petroleum Ministry

When these two had invested for bringing their favourite Minister then naturally their voices will be heard.

S K Singh

Fooling the youth again?

There was a time when political netas were happy to make announcements about several projects, programmes or schemes for one or the other section of the society on a regular basis. They had the wise counsel of zealous bureaucrats, who explained to the press how many bills they were proposing to bring in the next session of parliament. There was yet another breed that was happy to inaugurate as many projects as possible in a month so long as a marble stone with their name engraved in bold was put up. In fact some shop keepers were so smart they kept ready such stones excepting the date of the inauguration! Vast tracts of land looked like cemeteries! Then came a young man in a hurry, keen to push India into the 21st C much before time, who went into execution rather than announcements. But his followers seem to be reverting back to the old fashioned policy of making announcements. One such announcement is reported about " translating higher education text books across 69 disciplines in 21 Indian languages". Simply fantastic! What a child's play they think "translation" is!! More so when it talks about 21 languages!!! It is crystal clear that the people making such announcements have simply no idea of what they are talking. Obviously, they have never paid any serious attention or attached any value to either "languages" or "translation". Who is their 'target'? Is it not the youth? Are they simply not misguiding the youth? What is the "source" language from which these texts will be translated into 21 languages? Why should the youth not read the texts in the source language itself rather than in the translated languages? At present there is no accredited translator of text books of higher education in these 21 languages! How long will students have to wait for appointment of such translators in 21 languages, their training or aid material preparation? What is our achievement of the past 63 years? Dismal? Waste? Uninspiring? The question is: when we have failed to achieve much in the past 63 years, why do we continue to trick gullible youth, especially those coming from economically and/or educationally weaker sections of society? If the mushrooming of "english medium public schools" is any indication, the aam aadmi has broken the spell of 21 languages and adopted what their brown masters have kept as a preserve for themselves--only one language, howsoever poor the education, as can be seen from the spellings in the quotes aforesaid. Before the announcers display their wrath, may I humbly suggest they browse the site of the National Knowledge Commission, which took up an ambitious programme for translation but has made zero progress, even with a budget of Rs 300 crores and under the chairmanship of one of India's most sincere sons! The youth should not bite such baits, which are meant to push them in utter darkness of lack of education & equitable employment! This is my experience as an academic & a civil servant and hence my concern for the youth, who will form 60% of the national population in the next 20 years!

M L Gupta