What people say about us!

Commendable work

On recommendation of one of my Friends I have today visited your website Whispers in the Corridor. I really appreciate the commendable work being done to keep appraised all concerned people with regard today to day developments. Congrats and keep it up

K K Khanna New Delhi

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Election time means Drama time!!!
For reality they do not care a dime!!

Like Kursheed saying Sonia cried when she saw Batla House pics!!!!
Really 'gems' Kursheed picks!!!

Maybe when she saw the pics her eyes really did shed 'tears'!!!
Pungent onion affects eyes even though at a distance these onions
someone shears!!

Maybe as she saw the pics her Bawarchi was shearing onions in the Bawarchi Khaana!!!!
Preparing to make her favorite ' Mutton Doh Pyaaza' for khaana!!

Sonia's daughter takes her kids to Amethi!!!
Shows them 'My babies these poor people don't have loos and use the kheti (fields)'!!!

Because Priyanka says she brought her kids to show them 'the other side of life'!!!!
Where people literally live on the edge of a knife!!!

Be it financial, health or personal security they life on knife's edge!!!
Literally balancing on 'the ledge'!!

Seems Gandhis have thrown the entire family into electioneering!!!
Seems a reversal in fortunes Gandhis are fearing!!

Reversal …because UP was billed as Rahul's claim to 7 Race Course!!!!
Started early but then his campaign went 'off course'!!!

In fact he ended up annoying and scaring Congress's Vote Bank!!!
The minute he said 'we send money to UP' vote bank started to tank!!!

Then his showing that he did a great 'feet' by staying in Dalit homes!!!
'Ek toh izatt di aur khilaya pilaaya and he shows it's a feet' one of his host in the mouth foams!!

And now his saying 'NREGS was my brainchild' is causing heartburn in Congress!!
Seems this Lad has perfected the 'art to oppress'!!!

Ghadkari is now taken to be a disaster zone!
Just his name makes many in BJP moan!!

First the stage he was sitting did crash
And then the whirlwind caused by his Chopper got a tent a case of 'whiplash'!!

And after his flop flops now he again says Modi is PM material!!!
Modi's on the move to Delhi and what Ghadkari says or does not say is immaterial!!

Much to Congress's discomfort Modi's got a clean chit in a crucial case!!!
Its attack on Modi on this case it did base!!

Mr. Sanjeev Bhatt who has lost out says Raghavan and Rajagopalan are co-brothers!!!
I think now for his 'stories' no one bothers!!!

Congress will now distance itself from Teesta and Bhatt!!!!!
Happens when shove come to push to 'abay hutt'!!!

It is heard that there is a great deal of heartburn in the Congress over Rahul Gandhi making a show of his idea of NREGS.

Bharat Kumar
aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

BUREAUCRACY

Gen Bikram Singh to be new Army Chief?
Now the Government is going to announce the name of Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Bikram Singh as successor to Gen V K Singh as new Army Chief.

Pankaj Saran appointed Ambassador to Bangladesh
Pankaj Saran presently Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh in succession to Rajeet Mitter.
(We said this on August11, 2011)

IFS lobby got ACS Forests changed?
It is widely believed in the bureaucratic circles in Madhya Pradesh that the IFS lobby got shifted ACS Forests, Swadeep Singh.1979 batch IAS officer Swadeep Singh who was ACS Forests has been moved to the Secretariat as OSD on Thursday.

IFS officer to be Principal Secretary in Rajasthan
For the first time IFS officer is being appointed Principal Secretary in the Government of Rajasthan. 1988 batch IFS officer Sankatha Prasad will be Secretary, Environment.

West Bengal Chief Secretary to retire in March
West Bengal Chief Secretary, Samar Ghosh is retiring on March 31. He is a 1977 batch IAS officer.

Arun S Shenoy is Director, (Admn. & Fin.), MERC, Mumbai
Arun S Shenoy, IRS, has been appointed as Director, (Administration & Finance) in Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), Mumbai.

File of EDs in banks with FM
File relating to elevation of General Manager (GMs) as Executive Directors (EDs) in Public Sector (PS) banks has been lying with Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee.

Dua gets extension
Director in the Cabinet Secretariat Rahul Dua has been given an extension up to April 30, 2012. He is a 1983 batch IDES officer.

Asit Singh gets extension
PS to Minister of State Petroleum, R P N Singh, Asit Singh has been given extension till March 15. He is a 1990 batch IRS (IT) officer.

Goa DGP gets pro-forma promotion
Krishnan Kumar, DGP Goa has been granted proforma promotion (Grade of ADGP). He is an IPS officer of 1985 batch who belongs to the AGMU Cadre.
(We said this on 25December 2011)

Basu to get three months extension
Tamal Basu, Principal (CDTS) Central Detective Training School, BPR&D, is likely to get three months extension in deputation tenure. He is an IPS officer of 2000 batch who belongs to the West Bengal cadre.

Roy is back to Army
Chief of the Assam Rifles Lt Gen Rameshwar Roy is back to the parent Army. Now a new DG is being appointed.

Mohanty gets extension in Geneva
P.K Mohanty, Minister Customs, Geneva has been given three months extension of Central Deputation. He is an IRS (C&CE) officer of 1982 batch.

M. Thirumalai is new VC of Tamil University
M. Thirumalai has been appointed new Vice-Chancellor of Tamil University, Thanjavur.

Now fourth Police range in Delhi
Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed the Delhi Police for setting up Fourth Range to be headed by Joint CP by an IG level officer.

Post of Sr. Administrative officer vacant at PGIMER, Chandigarh
The post of Senior Administrative officer has been advertised lying vacant at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The penal of eligible candidates can be sent before February 22, 2012.

Chahar unlikely to join Rajya Sabha Secretariat
S S Chahar, DIG, BSF is unlikely to join as Director, Rajya Sabha, Security .He is an BSF cadre officer.

Rajpal Singh transferred to State Election Commission in Delhi
Rajpal Singh, Deputy Secretary, Home NCT, Government of Delhi has been transferred as Deputy Secretary, State Election Commission, (MCD) on deputation. He is a DANICS Cadre Officer.

Arun Gupta transferred in Delhi
Arun Gupta, Admin officer, (TTE) NCT, Government of Delhi has been transferred as Deputy Secretary, Home. He is a DANICS Cadre Officer.

Shailender Singh transferred in Delhi
Shailender Singh, Joint Director Education NCT, Government of Delhi, has been transferred as ADM, North-west District. He is a DANICS Cadre Officer.

Dogra transferred in Delhi
K D Dogra awaiting for posting, has been transferred as Joint Director, Education, NCT, Government of Delhi. He is a DANICS Cadre Officer.

Uday Kumar gets additional charge in Delhi
C. Uday Kumar, Additional Secretary, (UD) NCT, Government of Delhi will be holding the additional charge of Additional Secretary, (Art, Culture & Language) till further orders. He is a DANICS Cadre Officer.

Post of Superintendent vacant in DLC&CE, New Delhi
The post of Superintendent has been advertised lying vacant on deputation basis in the Directorate of Logistics, Customs & Central Excise (DLC&CE), New Delhi. The names of the candidates can be sent to the Department within one month.

D N Sahay gets new assignment
Former governor of Chhattisgarh and Tripura, D N Sahay has been appointed new chairman of the Board of Control of the A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies (ANSISS), Patna. He is former IPS officer.

PAKISTAN WHISPERS
Dr Qaiser is Karachi University VC
Prof Dr Mohammad Qaiser a distinguished member of Pakistan academy of Sciences, Editor in Chief of 'the journal of Botany and author of 'Flora of Pakistan' a well researched compendium of the different species of flowers found across the country has been appointed VC of Karachi University. He replaces Dr Pirzada qasim raza Siddiqui who has completed two terms as VC.

Prime Minister Gilani's appeal in contempt case dismissed
The intra-court appeal filed by Prime Minister YR Gilani against an order issued by a seven judge bench of the apex court asking the PM present himself before the court on 13th February for framing charges of contempt of court has been dismissed by a larger bench of the court headed by chief justice Iftekhar Mohammad Chowdhary. The PM is being indicted for contempt of court due to his refusal to write to the Swiss authorities for reopening a money laundering case against President Asif Zardari that was dropped as a result of the national reconciliation ordinance (NRO) issued by the former President Parvez Musharraf. The NRO was declared unconstitutional and annulled by the apex court in 2009. Dismissing the petition the CJ observed that 'the court can go to any extent to have its verdict implemented'. If convicted the PM may be jailed upto six months and also disqualified from continuing in office.

Inauguration by PM and stay By High Court almost simultaneously
A housing project for senior government functionaries was stayed by Islamabad high court almost at the same time when it was being inaugurated by the Prime Minister. Contract for Kurri Road Housing Project comprising six hundred residential units for officers of grade 20-22 belonging to the professional services group, ISI, MI, IB and the Senate and the Supreme Court was awarded to Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHAF). Even as the PM was delivering his inaugural speech lauding the project news came that the execution of the project has been stayed after preliminary hearing of a petition filed by a former Deputy Registrar of the court and two joint secretaries to government who claimed that the rates at which the contract was awarded to PHAF were much higher than the rates at which the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) was executing similar projects.

Memogate errand boy Mansoor Ijaaz continues to elude and dictate
US businessman of Pakistani origin and self confessed errand boy in the memocase Mansoor Ijaaz continues to elude and at the same time dictate his terms to the supreme court appointed judicial commission to probe the case. On 9th February the judicial commission headed by the CJ of Baluchistan high court met to consider Ijaaz's offer to testify before it in London or Zurich in view of alleged threats to his physical safety in Pakistan and asked his lawyer Akram Sheikh if he could guarantee his client's appearance in London or Zurich. After speaking to Ijaaz the lawyer refused to hold out any guarantee. Ijaaz has now come up with yet another offer that he would record his statement via video link from the Pakistan High Commission in London on 22nd February. The commission is making arrangements for its secretary to travel to London for the purpose. The secretary has also been instructed to take possession of any documentary or physical evidence from Ijaaz and carry it to Islamabad for making over to the commission. Whether the gentleman keeps his promise or eludes once again will be clear only on 22nd February.

Apex Court acts tough in missing persons case
Pakistan's supreme court came down heavily on the counsel for ISI during the hearing of a case in which eleven persons went missing from Adiala jail after the high court ordered their release in May 2010. Dead bodies of three of them were recovered by their relatives from Peshawar on leads provided by some 'mystery caller' on phone between August and December 2011. The fourth person's dead body too was recovered under similar circumstances soon after a habeas corpus petition was filed in the apex court. The intelligence agencies after initial denials about any involvement agreed that all the eleven persons were picked up 'from conflict zone' and were to be tried under the army act. On 9th February Advocate Raja Irshad appearing for the ISI informed the court that four of the detainees had died, another four were hospitalised in critical condition and the remaining three are 'at a detention facility' but could not be escorted to the court due to their condition. Chief Justice Iftekhar Chowdhary rejected the plea and directed the counsel to produce the detainees in the court latest by evening of 10th February or face the consequences.

Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital is firsthand witness to Intelligence Agencies' cruelty
Authorities of Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital have disclosed that detainees are often brought in critical condition by the intelligence agencies due to which the hospital has to take the blame for their death. The hospital authorities have repeatedly written to the agencies not to bring people to them so belatedly when chances of their survival are thin. Four of the eleven detainees picked up from Adiala jail who died between August and December last year were brought to hospital in such bad shape that any one could say that it was impossible for them to survive. The other four who are undergoing treatment presently are suffering from intestinal obstruction, continuous high temperature, hernia and urinary complications. The detainees are kept in the medico legal ward and no one including their relatives allowed seeing them as intelligence staffs in plain clothes keep round the clock watch on them.

NERAMAC's North East Council programmes at Bangalore on Feb 24 & at Kolkata at March 2 (UPDATED)

In order to boost the potential of north east in the sectors related to agriculture, horticulture, food processing, tourism & handicraft, NERAMAC, a Govt of India Enterprise under the Ministry of DoNER & National Skill Foundation of India is organising a series of North East Connect programs at different Metros in the Country with the support of North Eastern Council, Shillong, informs S Bhattacharjee, MD, NERAMAC. He further said that these initiatives are being made to bring investment on the related potential of the region and to embark upon agro-horticulture value addition and processing. While two such programs have just been concluded at New Delhi & Mumbai, the subsequent destinations are at Bangalore and Kolkata on February 24, 25, 2012 and March 2 and 3, 2012 respectively, he said. These programs are organised such that Exhibitions show casing the potential of NER are held for two days while a conference is held on the first day to have an impact on the potential investors on the subject. Both the programs are in Pride Hotel, Richmond Road, Bangaluru & New Town, Kolkata. Interested professionals & business groups are welcome for the event. No registration fee is charged, adds Bhattacharjee.

DEBATE - Should bureaucrats alone be held accountable for policy decisions ?

Bureaucrats now feel that Ministers and Politicians also be held responsible for 'policy decisions' taken by the government. They also want that entire cabinet should be held accountable for policy decisions. How far they are correct in their thinking ?

Mail your to the point views to suresh.mehrotra@yahoo.com or mehrotra.suresh@gmail.com

CORPORATE

Analjit Singh is new boss of Vodafone in India
Telecom Industry veteran Analjit Singh has been appointed by Vodafone as the non-executive chairman for its India unit.

Lall appointed Addl. Director, Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd
Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd has appointed Dr. Rajiv B. Lall as an Additional Director of the company w.e.f. February 10, 2012.

Leah appointed Executive Chef, Hilton, Chennai
Daniel Robert Leah has been appointed as Executive Chef, Hilton, Chennai.

Lekhwani resigns as Company Secy. Parekh Aluminex Ld
Jitendra Lekhwani has resigned as Company Secretary of Parekh Aluminex Ltd w.e.f. February 10, 2012.

Shetty appointed Company Secy. Parekh Aluminex Ltd
Ms. Savitri Shetty has been appointed as Company Secretary of Parekh Aluminex Ltd w.e.f. February 10, 2012.

Jain resigns as Director, Can Fin Homes Ltd
Ashok Kumar Jain, Director, Can Fin Homes Ltd has resigned w.e.f. January 19, 2012.

Dhanoa resigns as Director, Pasupati Fabrics Ltd
S S Dhanoa has resigned as Director of Pasupati Fabrics Ltd w.e.f. December 1, 2012.

Sharma appointed Addl. Director, Pasupati Fabrics Ltd
Kailash Chandra Sharma has been appointed as Additional Director of Pasupati Fabrics Ltd w.e.f. December 1, 2011.

HRD Minister has destroyed education system

HRD Minister has already destroyed the education system in the name of reforms. In the Kendriya Vidyalaya his reforms during the last three years has resulted into steep decline in quality of education. A student who comes to 6th standard from within KV is not able to write or read anything in books. Failures can not be detained, kicked out, instead teacher has to ensure they pass and onus lies on the teaching faculty. The bright students who wants to study will not be allowed to study by these third rate students as they have be cleared and can not be detained, as you have to make everybody literate till 12th standard even if he is not in a position to read 5th standard book. quality of education has gone to docs but you will be having 100% literacy rate. Education is a very delicate subject, it should not become a political field and yes improvements needs to be done but with caution and if not found upto mark Govt. should not hesitate in course correction. Combined CPMT has not seen the day of light only due to politics. May good sense prevail and right decisions are taken.

Raman

Ruining the IIT entrance examination

This is regarding bent upon ruining the IIT entrance examination. I disagree, in all the advance countries there is a fare system of one examination the score of School and entrance score decides the fate of the child. The system has to be totally fair to all. We must have a system of tougher than SAT I SAT II type examination which can be taken by student any time of the year with no limitations of appearing.

Harish Kumar

Joint Entrance Examination for admission to IITs made more difficult

This is regarding the change in the pattern of Joint Entrance Examination for admission in to IITs. The reasons cited for the change in the pattern of examination are reducing stress on the children and checking the role of Coaching Institutions. Now let us see the impacts of the proposed changes. Now the poor students have to cope with three components of the test namely good marks may be securing 100 % marks in XIIth Board examination which will have papers in Literature also, preparing for PCM which will require studying the entire sylabus and the third component will be the aptitude and intellingence test. The combines effects of the proposed changes will rather increase the stress on children and now the students will have to devote some good time on the aptitude test. For coaching institutions, it is like a bonanza. There will now get students for coaching them for the third component of the test. Thus the twin objectives of HRD ministry is defeated. Jai Ho Sibal Saheb.

Neelam Kumar

Strange and Shocking

Why Normal Banking be affected. Promotions of CMDs and EDs is a routine exercise. To my mind it should not be affected at all.

K K Khanna

There is already a review mechanism

There is already a review mechanism within FRs and Pension Rules which appears to have been applied only during emergency selectively. Then what is the need for further regulations. This needs to be addressed.

Upreti

Postings only for those who have godfathers

The process of appointments in MEA, especially for Ambassadors, is only for those who have some one to help them in Delhi and get what they want, otherwise they just send anyone any where not to the posting desired.

Beatrice Warjri

Expand Dept of Youth Affairs as a full-fledged Ministry

The Department of Youth Affairs, Govt. of India should have been expanded as a full-fledged Ministry as more than 50% of the total population is young as per latest definition. Second thing, the National Service Scheme the only major programme under Youth Division has been functioning with a Full Time Programme Adviser for the past 20 years. Till 1992, the post was occupied by only Professionals in Youth Development. When so much importance is being attached to youth as the future of the country, it is the prime responsibility of the Prime Minister to ensure a thorough professional as Secretary (like the ones being appointed as Secretary in Department of Space, Science & Technology etc.). When Economic Advisers could be brought from Foreign Universities on short term contract, why not Advisers for Youth ? This is a matter for serious consideration of all.

Sivakumar

Process of appointment of Ambassadors to be disclosed

The applicant sought various information from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) like the budget allocated to various divisions; salary and allowances being paid to the staff in Indian embassies; appointment process of Secretary/ Joint Secretaries/ Ambassadors; minutes of meeting of the Committees in MEA dealing with the above appointments etc. The PIO suggested the applicant to refer to some information available on the website of the MEA. The PIO further
informed that the appointment is as per the procedure laid down by the Government of India and as it involves examination of the ACR records of the officers, it cannot be provided under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The minutes of meeting of the Committees in MEA dealing with the above appointments was denied under section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act. The Commission accepted that it would not be in the national interest to disclose the quantum of allowances paid to the staff exemption under Section 8(1)(a) was upheld. The Commission, however, directed to provide the process of appointment. The PIO states that there are three boards for dealing with personnel and postings. The Commission directed to provide the information on these and minutes of the last three meetings of these board.

Comments

The process of appointment /posting at the senior level has been talked out in whispers in the power corridors. Officers from other services are also likely to use this order to remove the wall of secrecy surrounding such appointments.

[Mr. Kishanlal Mittal v. Ministry of External Affairs in Decision No. CIC/SG/C/2011/001204/17022]

- 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)