What people say about us!

Sir, it is nice that you are covering the excellent work done by outstanding officers. Thanks.

Zile Singh

An Apology

With due regards to all, this is to state that neither Whispers In The Corridors and its affiliate sites nor any of its employees has any malice or any intent to ridicule or damage any of persons or organization, be it Mr. Shekhar Gupta or The Indian Express.

We unconditionally aplogise to all those who have been pained due to our contributor's piece "Aaj Ki Awaaz".

Bureaucratic perception about Goa Assembly polls outcome
There is a perception among bureaucrats that the combine of Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP) & Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party(MGP) has an edge over the ruling combine of Congress & Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) in Goa where polling took place on March 3, 2012.In a house of 40 seats the BJP & MGP combine should get 19 seats while ruling Congress & NCP combine will get 17 to 18 seats.

Manohar Parrikar to be Goa CM
In case the combine of Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP) & Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) wins the Goa Assembly polls, Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar will be the Chief Minister of Goa. In Goa, polling took place on March 3, 2012.

Was fund raising a problem in UP elections for BJP?
As the grapevine has it a Senior BJP politico went with folded hands to get funds for UP elections but, there were not many businessmen forthcoming.

Hike in rail fares on cards?
It is heard that fares of first and ac class are likely to be hiked by the railways in the coming budget.

BUREAUCRACY

Lt Gen Bikram Singh to be new Army Chief
Lt Gen Bikram Singh, now Eastern Army Commander at Calcutta's Fort William, has been named by the Government as new Army Chief. He will take over on May 31.
WE SAID THIS ON AUGUST 11

Lt Gen Bikram Singh to be next Army Chief
Lt General Bikram Singh, now Eastern Army Commander at Calcutta's Fort William, is all set to take over from General V.K. Singh in June next year.

Anoop Kumar Srivastava to be AS Revenue?
Anoop Kumar Srivastava is likely to succeed Amitabh Rajan as Additional Secretary Revenue in the Government of India. He is 1981 batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre.

Alok Srivastava to join GoI
Alok Srivastava is all set to join the Government of India as Joint Secretary non-Renewable Energy. He is 1984 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.

Neeraj Mittal to be Joint Secretary Petroleum
Dr Neeraj Mittal is being elevated to the rank of Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum. He is 1992 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.

Amit Agrawal to join PMs Economic Council
Amit Agrawal is joining the Prime Minister,s Economic Council for one year. He is 1993 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre.

Ravi Mittal to get extension
Advisor in Planning Commission Ravi Mittal is expected to get two years extension in deputation tenure. He is 1986 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre.

Pankaj Chandra to be new Chairman of UGC?
If insiders are to be believed, Director of the IIM Bangalore Pankaj Chandra is going to be new Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).He is said to be a candidate of the HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

IAS officer retired without touching the desired post
Virendra Narayan Gaur seems to be first IAS to retire without touching the post for which he was empanelled. 1978 batch Nagaland cadre IAS officer Gaur has retired on Februray 29. He was CEO (Equivalent Additional Secretary), Food & Safety Standard Authority, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare when he retired.

Ms Suranjana Ray to return to Madhya Pradesh
Ms Suranjana Ray is returning to the parent Madhya Pradesh cadre from central deputation this week. She is 1982 batch IAS officer.

Who will be new DGP of Uttar Pradesh?
Who will be new DGP in the new Government in Uttar Pradesh? Names of present 1975 batch IPS officer Atul and two 1977 batch IPS officers A C Sharma and A K Gupta have started doing the round.

Will Desh Deepak Verma be new CS of Uttar Pradesh?
Desh Deepak Verma who was humiliated by Mayawati Government may be welcomed by the new Government to return to Uttar Pradesh as Chief Secretary. 1978 batch IAS officer Verma is presently DG Sports Authority of India. Infact, Mayawati had recalled Desh Deepak Verma from the central deputation with an offer to appoint him as Chief Secretary but later on appointed Anup Mishra as Chief Secretary. An upset Verma then returned to the centre.

Will Jawed Usmani return to U P as Chief Secretary?
Another theory doing the round in the corridors of power says that Jawed Usmani may be asked to take over as Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh by the new Government. 1978 batch IAS officer Usmani who is back from his foreign assignment otherwise is likely to be appointed Secretary Planning Commission on April 1. One can only wait and watch.

Good news for retiring IAS officers
Now the UPA Government has opened gates for state governments to ask for six months extension in service to the retiring IAS officers. Infact, the UPA Government led by Manmohan Singh has given six months extension in service to Mizoram Chief Secretary Vanhela Pachuau beginning March 1. Mizoram Chief Minister had asked for the extension to his Chief Secretary on the ground to implement policies and programmes of the Congress. Now Narendra Modi, Jayalalitha, Navin Patnaik can also ask the same thing for their retiring IAS officers on the same pretext.

S Lakshminarayanan is Director Shriram group of companies
S Lakshminarayanan is a Director Shriram group of companies. He is retired IAS officer of 1970 batch from the Madhya Pradesh cadre.

IAS changes in Tamil Nadu
Apurva Varma has been appointed MD of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. K Sellamuthu will now be MD of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board. S K Prabakar has been made secretary, information technology, replacing Ramesh Kumar Khanna.G Santhanam is now
secretary, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi Department replacing C V Shankar. Thanga Kaliyaperumal will be secretary, backward classes, most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare

Textiles Ministry to choose candidate for MD, CCICL
The Ministry of Textiles will itself choose a candidate for the post of Managing Director, Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Limited (CCICL) on deputation basis after the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) did not find suitable candidate for the same at the interview meeting. The Board has recommended the Ministry to explore the possibility of appointing the candidate as a one time measure for a period of five years.

NERAMAC South Asian Horti-Congress being held at New Delhi (UPDATED)
As a part of observing 2012 as the year of Horticulture, a South Asian Horti-Congress is being held concurrently with International Flora Expo-2012 and International Horti Expo 2012 from March 3 to 5, 2012 at NSIC Complex, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi. Focus on the conference is the Investment opportunities in different countries, latest green-house technologies, irrigation-fertigation solutions, pre & post-harvest management, productivity improvement, supply chain management and opportunities in modern retail markets etc. S Bhattacharjee, MD, NERAMAC gave a presentation on Horticulture Scenario of North East - NERAMAC initiative, during the session International & Indian Scenario of Horticulture immediately after the inauguration of the event by Chief Minister of Delhi. His presentation highlighted on the naturally organic scenario of Horticulture in the north east and covered details with an objective to create more and more employment and business opportunities for existing farmers and also attract new generation of agri-entrepreneurs for sustainable growth in this horticulture sector. Given the role of NERAMAC in development of this sector with south Asian market, a three member delegation from NERAMAC is attending the Conference along with its Managing Director. NERAMAC has also participated by making a Theme Pavilion displaying the products & services in a befitting manner. Strawberries of Meghalaya and the King Chillies from Assam & Nagaland were the focus of Pavilion. Besides NERAMAC, Manipur & Mizoram state also participated with their pavilion during the event.

Cheema starts second inning as Vice Chairman NYKS (UPDATED)
Amardeep Singh Cheema senior Youth Leader from Punjab is starting his second inning as Vice Chairman of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS). A notification in this regard has been issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. Cheema a seasoned youth activist from village Cheema Khuddi in Batala of Gurdaspur District belongs to a freedom fighters family who is known for always taking a firm stand for National Integration even during height of terrorism is son of M M Singh Cheema veteran trade unionist. Cheema is also youngest ever Member in the history of India on the Board of Directors of Life Insurance Corporation of India and GB of Indian Council of Agriculture Research(ICAR).




BHEL records 13 MW of solar power plants in 2011-12 (UPDATED)
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has set a new record in its Solar Photovoltaic (PV) business in a single year, by commissioning 13 MW of Solar Power Plants in various parts of the country during the current financial year, marking a significant contribution to the Nation's Green Initiatives. Solar Power Projects commissioned by the company during the year include a 3 MW Grid Connected Solar Power Plant at Raichur in Karnataka, a 5 MW Plant in Rajasthan, 2 plants of 2 MW each in Maharashtra and over 1 MW in the Lakshadweep Islands. Significantly, all these projects have been commissioned by BHEL on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis. BHEL has successfully commissioned a 3 MW Grid-Connected Solar Power Plant at Yapaldinni Village near Raichur for the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). In the current financial year, the company has also commissioned, a 5 MW Grid-Connected Solar Power Plant for Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at Rawra Village near Phalodi, Rajasthan. This project was commissioned under the NTPS Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) programme of the JawaharLal Nehru National Solar Mission
(JNNSM).

DoT seeks applications for post of Chairperson, TRAI (UPDATED)
Department of Telecommunication has invited applications for the post of Chairperson, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Willing officers can send their applications before March 20, 2012.

R N Choubey to be AS Naxal Management (UPDATED)
R N Choubey is being appointed Additional Secretary, Naxal Management in the Government of India. He is a 1981 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.
( We said this on January 16 )

1981 batch IAS to get in-situ promotion (UPDATED)
With the appointment of R N Choubey all the remaining 1981 batch IAS officers in Government of India will be reportedly promoted to the rank of Additional Secretary.

Change in regime may lead to new CS in Goa (UPDATED)
In case the Government changes in Goa then existing Chief Secretary to Goa Government Sanjay Kumar Srivastava may be changed. He is an IAS officer of 1980 batch who belongs to the AGMU cadre.

Several contenders for post of CS, Goa (UPDATED)
There are many contenders for the slot of Chief Secretary to Goa Government .They are Deepak Sopolia (1979 batch), Vijay Shankar Madan (1981 batch) & B. Vijayan (1982 batch).

Macheria gets extension in CBI (UPDATED)
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved extension in tenure of Santosh Macheria, IPS(MT-84) as Joint Director in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of six months beyond 8.12.2011 i.e. upto 8/6/2012.

A S Basu selected as MD, CPCL (UPDATED)
A S Basu, ED, IOCL, has been selected for the post of Managing Director, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on March 5. As many as seven persons were interviewed for the same.

PAKISTAN WHISPERS

Book on Ayurveda launched in Islamabad
'Shurti : Ayurveda for Wellbeing' authored by Aasiya Rizvi was launched in Islamabad on Friday last. Herself a practitioner of the ancient system of medicine indigenous to the subcontinent Aasiya belongs to a family of medical practitioners. Her grandfather Hakim Shamsuddin Qazi was a well known yunani doctor who had written a book 'Ahsan Ilaaj' and Aasiya claims to have drawn immense inspiration from it. Talking to a select gathering at her residence Aasiya extolled the
virtues of Ayurveda stating that its medicines can cure a disease completely without any side effects at all.

Shuja Pasha is most powerful and most influential
DG ISI Lt Gen Shuja Pasha figures in the 2011 rankings of the most influential persons by Forbes magazine and also in the list of most powerful persons compiled by the Time magazine of Washington. In the list of 70 most powerful persons of Forbes Pasha is at No: 56 ahead of the Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev and the Japanese Premier. In the list of 100 most powerful persons published by Time magazine, Pasha ranks No: 17 ahead of a galaxy of the who's who of the US including Barak and Michelle Obama. Lt Gen Pasha was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Frontier Force regiment of the Pakistan Army after he completed the 49th long course at PMA in 1974.

CJ cancels Karachi visit as administration declines security clearance
Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftekhar Mohammad Chowdhary had to cancel a scheduled visit to Karachi City Civil Courts as the administration declined security clearance for the visit. CJ was to visit Karachi on an invitation of Karachi Bar association. Administrative authorities justified the refusal for clearance on the plea that the city courts are in a congested area and high rise buildings in the vicinity create security related problems for high profile visitors. President of Karachi Bar Association Mahmood ul Hassan however termed it 'ironical that the chief justice of the country should be a security problem for the administration'.

Mansoor Ijaaz'z claims rubbished by Army for whom he thought he is batting
In his deposition (during cross examination) via video link from London, US businessman and central character in the memo case Mansoor Ijaaz had claimed that on the day of the midnight raid by US Navy Seals in which Osama Bin laden was killed in Abbottabad, COAS Kayani wanted to send F-16 fighter planes to chase away the intruding US choppers but President Asif Ali Zardari stopped him. Ijaaz also claimed to be in possession of transcripts of the telephonic talk between Kayani and Zardari even though he refused to divulge the source who made the same available to him. Pakistan Army has through a press release from the ISPR completely denied these claims terming them baseless and false.

11 missing persons' case : Isn't this whitewash too black?
A report of the 'oversight board' submitted by the chief secretary of Khyber pakhtunkhwa to the supreme court toes the ISI's line in the case of 11 persons picked up by the ISI from outside Adiala jail after their acquittal by the Anti Terrorism court of Rawalpindi as well as by the Islamabad High Court in May 2010. The report declares that they were arrested under Action (in aid of civil power) regulations 2011 which empowers the ISI to arrest and keep any person under detention for indefinite period without any charges or trial. As these regulations apply in terrorism infested areas, and not Rawalpindi from where they were picked up, the report says that they were arrested from the FATA area in November 2010. Why they were not quizzed during their long detention on how they reached from Rawalpindi to FATA and what happened to them between May and Nov 2010 remains unexplained. The report further touts the ISI story that at the time of arrest they were carrying explosives, Kalashnikovs and hand grenades planning to carry out terrible attacks on the security forces and their personnel. The oversight board failed to ask the ISI (or even itself) that how these Rambos who were in such robust health as to carry the explosives etc have been reduced to such bad shape now and how four of them have died during the intervening period. The oversight board seems to have grossly underestimated the juristic, moral and intellectual stature of the SC bench hearing the case in putting together this cock and bull story and nor learnt any lessons from the sharp snubs the bench had given to the ISI's counsel on the last date of hearing

ISI's poser to the Apex Court, Does Parliament represent the will of people?
In a written affidavit filed by counsel for ISI Raja Mohammad Irshad in the eleven missing persons case - four of whom died while under illegal detention by the ISI - questions have been raised about the role of the country's Parliament. Putting the blame for the controversy on Parliamentarians who according to the counsel have not passed suitable law for dealing with the missing persons' case the statement questions whether they (the parliamentarians) are working and whether they represent the will of the people. Taking strong exception to the averments the bench asked the Counsel whether he has the authority to make such statements on behalf of his client. 'Yes they are working otherwise you would have had martial law in this country', justice Khilji Arif Hussain remarked.

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

Oil at $200 a barrel?
Cheap money being pumped in the US economy and the heightening tensions in the Middle East are likely to push crude oil to $ 200 barrel say policy watchers.

Sunil Sood is COO Vodafone
Sunil Sood has taken over as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Vodafone, India.

Sanjoy Mukherjee is new CCO Vodafone
Sanjoy Mukherjee has taken over as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the Vodafone India.

Tayal resigns as director of KSL & Industries
Mrinal Tayal has resigned from the directorship of KSL & Industries. Nayyar appointed as additional director of Jaybharat Textiles and Real Estate Kulwinder Kumar Nayyar has been appointed as additional director of Jaybharat Textiles and Real Estate

Soota declassified as Indian promoter of Mind Tree Ltd
Ashok Soota is declassified as the Indian promoter of Mind Tree Ltd.

Mankal appointed MD and CEO of Premier Energy and Infrastructure
Vikram Mankal has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Premier Energy and Infrastructure

Reddy appointed MD of Prajay Engineers Syndicate
D Vijay Sen Reddy has been appointed as the Managing Director of Prajay Engineers Syndicate

Prasad appointed as additional director of Vijay Shanthi Builders
D V B Prasad has been appointed as the additional director of Vijay Shanthi Builders

Babu resigns as Company Secy. Crew B.O.S. Products Ltd
Sanjay Kumar Babu, Company Secretary of Crew B.O.S. Products Ltd has resigned from the company w.e.f. March 1, 2012.

Jani appointed Company Secy. Aroni Chemicals Ltd
Aroni Commercials Ltd has appointed Ms. Avani Jani as Company Secretary of the company w.e.f. March 1, 2012.

Mehta resigns as Company Secy. Usher Agro Ltd
Saurabh Mehta has resigned as Company Secretary of Usher Agro Ltd w.e.f. February 9, 2012.

Paresh Jain appointed as Independent Director Vikash Metal and Power Ltd
Vikash Metal and Power Ltd has appointed Paresh Jain as Independent Director of the company w.e.f. February 14, 2012 .

Vijay Jain resigns as Independent Director, Vikash metal and Power Ltd
Vijay Kumar Jain has resigned as Independent Director of Vikash Metal and Power Ltd w.e.f. February 14, 2012.

Three additional directors on Board of Atcom Technologies Ltd
Atcom Technologies Ltd has appointed Dilip Mehta, Sanjay Shah and Pushkarsingh Mehra as additional directors of the company.

Two directors resign from Board of Atcom Technologies Ltd
Vickram Dosshi and Rajendra Pradhaan have resigned as directors of Atcom Technologies Ltd.

Hickman appointed Addl. Director, Hickman Cotton Ltd
Greaves Cotton Ltd has appointed Dr Clive Hickman as an Additional Director of the company.

Kumar resigns as Company Secy. L S Industries Ltd
Arun Kumar has resigned as Company Secretary of L S Industries Ltd w.e.f. February 22, 2012

Ramaswamy resigns as Director, VTX Industries Ltd
Durai Ramaswamy, Director of VTX Industries Ltd has resigned from the company w.e.f. February 4, 2012.

DEBATE (1)

It is surprising that even this issue is being raised. Politicians are ruling by overruling even the obvious sane advises by arrogating their supremacy and authority. How can one think of absolving them from accountability?

Anil Kumar

DEBATE (2)

Why has no browser commented on the collective responsibility of the empowered GOM and the Cabinet in the policy decision making?

Roop Narayan IRS (Retired)

Kudos to Kapil Sibal

When ever there is any wrong, the perception is that, politicians are responsible and bureaucrats being servants are subservient to these political masters. However, this is not the case every time and all are contributory including corruption watchdog who is in dire need of tone up. It has come to light there was coveted attempt brush aside a serious vigilance matter but it was Kapil Sibal ji who has put his weight and bring justice whereas experienced and bright image key bureaucrat of his department buried the case.

Adarsha Gupta

Has whispers in the corridors started imagining such web-posts? LBSNAA conducts scheduled/ mandatory training programmes. Therefore, the issue of choice does not arise.

Ashish Vachhani

Rolling coins gather problems.

It is strange that nobody in the Government of India (Deptt of Economic Affairs) puts on his/her thinking cap to ponder what is happening in the country outside their department! The Rs. 5/- coin,Rs.2/- coin, Re.1/-coin and 50 paise coin have all been reduced in size( all are the same size). In a crowded market place or bus etc. it would be difficult for the giver as well as the taker to identify the value of the coin. Some distinct mark should be made so that anybody, even in the dark, or the visually challenged could take out the correct fare.One suggestion could be a tinged embossment of 4,3,2,1 dots or some such thing. Any responses or any suggestions.

K S Palachandran

Should the legal course of action against a party be disclosed to them?

Information on the implementation or otherwise of Hon'ble Gauhati High Court's order dated 6.1.2010 and 29.6.2010 in the matter of Writ Petition No. 591 of 2008 (including Miscellaneous Case No. 479 of 2010), 1048 of 2008 and 2814 of 2008 preferred by M/s Dharampal Satyapal Limited and others was sought. The PIO rejected the application by claiming exemption u/s 8 (1) (h) of the RTI Act holding that the disclosure of the same at this stage may dilute the process
and harm the revenue interest. On appeal, the FAA rejected the first appeal upholding the decision of the PIO that information sought by the appellant at this stage is in the private domain and is not eligible to be disseminated. The CIC upheld the stand of the respondents.

Comments

As a third party, a Public Authority is entitled to protect an information which relates to it and which it has considered confidential. A person cannot have the right to access all information about how the Government is seeking to defend its position in a legal proceeding without having access to similar information of the opposite party. Hence, the disclosure of the information which the department has internally processed through consultation with the legal advisers and officers of the department can cause serious harm to the Public Authority's ability to safeguard public interest as well as the Department's interest in any litigation.

Citation: Ms. Amreeta Swarup v. Central Excise & Customs in Case No. CIC/SS/A/2011/000808

- 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)