What people say about us!

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

Zile Singh

Stability: Thy name is Arunachal Pradesh
The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has set best example of a stable administration. Even though it has seen three Chief Ministers in the last one year, there has been no change in Secretary to the CM. Besides, in state bureaucracy at levels also there has been a very little change.

What does youth of today want?
What does youth of today want? At a high profile party it was a hot topic of discussion. It was felt that gen next wants a lucrative job in a Multinational Company (MNC) and an English speaking wife.

Why are Maharashtra's farmers turning to poppy cultivation?
Large tracts of land are seeing a shift in cultivation of poppy in Maharashtra. Much has to do with the money that such a cultivation yields, say officials in the state government.

BUREAUCRACY

R N Choubey to be AS Naxal Management
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
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.

A S Basu selected as MD, CPCL
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.

Orders of Pankaj Chandra as new Chairman of UGC, this week?
Formal orders of Director of the IIM Bangalore, Pankaj Chandra, as new Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) are expected to be issued this week.

Prakash Mishra is new DG, NDRF
Formal orders of Prakash Mishra's appointment as new DG, NDRF have been issued. He is 1977 batch IPS officer of Orissa cadre. Earlier the name of Subhash Joshi was in circulation for the post.
(We said this on February 7)

Anand Prakash joins as IG, BPR&D
Anand Prakash has joined as IG, BPR&D, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. He is an IPS officer of 1986 batch who belongs to the Manipur Tripura Cadre.

Macheria gets extension in CBI
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. 1987 batch IPS is ADG in Jharkhand Three 1987 batch IPS officers in Jharkhand Mssrs, M.V. Rao, Neeraj Sinha and Rezi Dungdung have been promoted to the rank of ADG.

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 a 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 a 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 a 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 a 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 a 1986 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre.

Winds of change, blowing in ICFRE
Director General (DG) of the Dehradun based Indian Council of Forestry and Education (ICFRE) Dr. V K Bahuguna has jolted the entire research set up of the ICFRE during the recent Research Planning Committee meeting of the council. He had rejected the traditional business as usual approach and asked scientists to reform all the projects into national level coordinated projects wherein one scientist's output will be another's input. He had directed the Deputy DGs to recast the projects and focus on livelihood based research to develop model for fringe forests dwellers, tribal people and farmers so that forestry research can contribute for not only climate change mitigation and adaptation and Biodiversity conservation but also in enhancing the GDP from forests. He had also taken the Universities help to focus on NTFP profiles of the country. All scientists have been asked to work and utilise the JRFs and SRFs optimally. ICFRE has become a vibrant organisation and his leadership had come to be praised by none other than Dr M S Swaminathan - the doyen of Indian scientists and all the staff, scientists and other officers of ICFRE.

Change in regime may lead to new CS in Goa
In case the Government changes in Goa, 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
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).

Patiala has a rare distinction
Believe it or not but it is fact that the city of Patiala in Punjab has earned a rare distinction. It has churned out at least four to five officers per year to different All India Services (AISs).To its credit, Patiala city has two toppers in IAS cadres. They are: Ashutosh Jindal and Ankur Garg. Jindal is an IAS officer of 1995 batch who belongs to the Tripura cadre. Presently, he is Delhi based Resident Commissioner, Tripura Bhawan, Likewise, Ankur Garg is IAS officer of 2003 batch who belongs to AGMU cadre. Garg is Secretary to Arunchal Pradesh Governor & Planning Secretary in the State.

Will there be prescribed age limit for Judges?
There is a move to amend act for Judges heading Tribunals for settling Inter-State river water disputes. At present there is no age limit for the Judges who head these tribunals.

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.

13 Manipur State Civil Service officers get IAS award
As many as 13 officers of Manipur State Civil Service have been awarded IAS cadre. Accordingly, two officers R H Gonmei and Gopen Meitei have been accorded IAS cadre against the vacancy of 2009 while eleven officers including H Gyan Prakash, Raghumani Singh, T Ranjit Singh, Maranchan Luikham, M Harekrishna, M Joy Singh M Yaiskul Meitei, Bobby Waikhom, Mrs. Limneikim Singson, Lunminthang Haokip and S Minlianthang Vaiphei get IAS award against the vacancy of 2010.

S Ravi gets addl. charge of CCIT-XIII, Mumbai
S Ravi, CCIT-XI, Mumbai, has been assigned additional charge of CCIT-XIII, Mumbai.

Transfers and postings in Railways
There is transfers and posting in Railways. Accordingly, Vijay Malviya, SS/IRSSE, has been shifted from ECR to NCR and posted in the same grade while Ajit Kumar, SS/IRSSE, is being transferred from NCR to ECR and Pranabendu Ghosh, JAG/IRSME, CLW was placed in SG. Similarly, Hemant B Godbole, SAG/IRAS, is shifted from CLW to SCR; Walia SG/IRSE from CR to SECR. The transfer order of Satya Prakash Mittal, SS/IRSE from WR to JAG, has been cancelled.

Mrs Nayar is CPO (IR), SR (UPDATED)
Mrs. Aruna Nayar has been appointed as CPO (IR), Southern Railway


K Rajandran is CPO (Admn), SR (UPDATED)
K Rajandran has been appointed as CPO (Admn.) Southern Railway

Mrs. Vedantam takes charge of Chairperson, RRB Chennai (UPDATED)
Mrs. Sunitha Vedantam has taken over as Chairperson, RRB Chennai

Menon to be ADRM, Palghat, SR (UPDATED)
Mohan A Menon is joining as ADRM Palghat in Southern Railway.

Mrs Nayar is CPO (IR), SR (UPDATED)
Mrs. Aruna Nayar has been appointed as CPO (IR), Southern Railway

K Rajandran is CPO (Admn), SR (UPDATED)
K Rajandran has been appointed as CPO (Admn.) Southern Railway

Mrs. Vedantam takes charge of Chairperson, RRB Chennai (UPDATED)
Mrs. Sunitha Vedantam has taken over as Chairperson, RRB Chennai

Menon to be ADRM, Palghat, SR (UPDATED)
Mohan A Menon is joining as ADRM Palghat in Southern Railway.

Tyagi is new Ambassador to Portugal (UPDATED)
B.B. Tyagi presently Ambassador in Morocco, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Portugal.
( We said this on February 3)

Gurjit Singh is new Ambassador to Indonesia (UPDATED)
Gurjit Singh presently Additional Secretary at the Headquarters, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to The Republic of Indonesia.
( We said this on Januray 3 )

Pandit is new Deputy CAG (UPDATED)
Bharat Bhushan Pandit has been appointed as the deputy Comptroller and Auditor General . He is 1977 batch IA&AS officer.

Three IRS officers shifted in CBEC (UPDATED)
Three IRS officers in the grade of Commissioner of Customs & Central Excise have been given new postings CBEC. Accordingly, Ananya Ray has been appointed in Central Excise, Bhopal after returning from deputation while Dr Johan Josebh, LTU, Delhi is being shifted to Central Excise, Delhi-I and Hemambika R. Priya, CX(A), Delhi-IV (Working as OSD to MOSF (R)) was transferred to LTU, Delhi.

Deputation tenure of SP CBI extended (UPDATED)
The competent authority has approved extension in the deputation tenure of C Easwaramoorthy, IPS (TN-1998), SP, CBI for a further period of 3 years from 6.12.2011 to 5.12.2014.

Deputation tenure of Somani extended in CBI (UPDATED)
The competent authority has approved extension in the deputation tenure of Anand Kumar Somani, IPS,(TN-99), Supdt, of Police, CBI for a further period of two years from 11.6.2011 to 10.6.2013.

Transfers and postings of IAS officers in Tamil Nadu (UPDATED)
Mrs. Madhumathi has been made Commissioner, Thoodhukudi Corporation while Mrs. V Kalaiarasi, District Revenue Officer, Salem, will now be Regional Deputy Commissioner (Central) while V Mohanraj, Special Officer, Tirupattur cooperative Sugar Mills is appointed as Regional Deputy Commissioner (South). Similarly, Dev Raj Dev has been posted as Secretary, State Human Rights Commission; Dr. M Jayaraman is posted as Joint Commissioner, Revenue Administration; P Senthilkumar CAO, Market Management Committee, Chennai MDA, will now be Additional Director of Sugar; G Govindaraj GM, TN Warehousing Corporation is now Additional Director, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj; C Manoharan, Sr. Regional Manager, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, Chennai (North) is Additional Registrar, Cooperative Societies; Mrs. S Jayandhi, CE, Perambalur Sugar Mills is posted as Collector, Chennai district.

P K Borthakur selected as Director (Offshore), ONGC (UPDATED)
P K Borthakur, ED, ONGC, has been selected for the post of Director (Offshore), ONGC Limited at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on March 6, 2012. As many as 12 persons were interviewed for the same.

PAKISTAN WHISPERS

We are sure CJP Iftekhar Chowdhary isn't aware of this scandal
Legal circles in Islamabad are aghast that 19 persons recently appointed in the District & Sessions Judge (East) neither applied nor appeared at the written test or interview for the posts to which they have been appointed. Not just that, a person by name Mukhtiyar Awan appointed as Reader to the D&SJ is actually an accused in a case of fraud and cheating u/s 420, 468/471, and 109/34 of Pakistan Criminal Code being tried in the court of city civil judge Osman Awan in FIR No: 348 of Margalla PS. The appointments have been reportedly made by a committee comprising of Registrar of Islamabad High Court, D&SJ SKA Zaidi and senior civil judge Abdul Ghafoor Kakar after obtaining approval of the CJ of the high court. President of Islamabad High Court bar Association Chowdhary Mohammad Ashraf is 'planning to send the complaint to Chief Justice of Supreme Court Iftekhar Mohammad Chowdhary.

Rules can't dispose what the CM proposes; can they?
Adnan Bhatti presently a stenographer in the institute of medical sciences is soon to be appointed as Asstt. Protocol Officer in the Punjab CM's secretariat. No such post exists currently but instructions given to the GAD are to create the post after Bhatti has already joined. The incumbent is at present is BS -12 but after joining the new assignment his pay scale will take a quantum jump four steps higher in BS-16. As is usual ion such cases there are whole lot of burnt hearts criticising the move citing the rule book but then rules can't dispose what the CM proposes.

Islamabad police is a worried lot for their Chief's legal status
Bin Amin Khan DIG (ops), Islamabad was given 'current charge' of the post of IGP in September 2011. Under the police act and the service rules 'current charge' can be given for a maximum of three months and Amin Khan's term thus expired in December last year but the federal interior ministry has neither posted a regular incumbent to the post nor extended Khan's term of current charge. Rules permit current charge to be extended but don't permit such extension retrospectively. The net result therefore is that all orders of Bin Amin Khan under the police act, PPC or the code of criminal procedure in his capacity as IG and their implementation by the subordinate officers are without any legal backing. According to an advocate of the high court Riasat Ali Azad, 'this lacuna will imperil all the work done by the capital's police under Khan's authority after 19 December 2011 if someone challenges the actions in a court of law'.

GDP growth to be around 4% this fiscal says Federal Finance Minister
According to Pakistan's finance minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh the country's GDP growth during the current fiscal ending 30th June 2012 is likely to be around 4%. 'During this time of global slow down this rate of 4% growth will be a sign of the strength of the country's economy' the minister added during his speech at Karachi airport for inaugurating the Karachi-Lahore flight of a private airline, Bhoja airlines.

Nawaz Sharif's Advice to Government, 'Don't Grant Extension to Pasha
Amid strong rumours that a two years extension in the service of DG, ISI, Shuja Pasha is being worked out as a condition for truce between the army and the elected civilian government of Pakistan, former PM Nawaz Sharif has declared that he is totally against any such favour
to Pasha who has mired himself in controversies. Nawaz Sharif also had some sound advice for the generals, 'keep away from politics, it will enhance your stature in the eyes of common Pakistani. The nation has had to pay the price for the politics of generals'.

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

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

Giridhar appointed Government Director, Oil India Ltd
A Giridhar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been appointed as Government Director on the Board of Oil India Ltd.

Varghese to be Head (Textile Division), Aditya Birla Retail Ltd
Thomas Varghese, Chief Executive Officer, Aditya Birla Retail Ltd (ABRL) has been made the Head of Group's Textile Division.

Three new directors on Board of Gujarat Narmada Flyash Company Ltd
Gujarat Narmada Flyash Company Ltd., has appointed the following new directors on its Board-- Mitesh Jani, Bhavik Badani, Mansukh Sanghvi and Bipin Patel.

Paul ceases to be Director, Dunlop India Ltd
Samir Kumar Paul ceased to be a Director of Dunlop India Ltd w.e.f. February 29, 2012

Ramesh resigns as Whole-time Director, Spectacle Infotek Ltd.
Gorantla Ramesh has resigned as Whole-time Director of Spectacle Infotek Ltd. w.e.f. March 5, 2012.

Vaghela appointed Director, Sequel e-Routers Ltd
Chandubhai D. Vaghela has been appointed as a Director of Sequel e-Routers Ltd. w.e.f. February 10, 2012.

Soni resigns as Company Secy., Vaarad Ventures Ltd
Hemant Soni has resigned as Company Secretary of Vaarad Ventures Ltd. due to his other commitments.

Bhuskute appointed Company Secy., Vaarad Ventures Ltd.
Ms. Juili Bhuskute has been appointed as Company Secretary of Vaarad Ventures Ltd w.e.f. March 5, 2012

Four new directors on Board of Roselabs Industries Ltd
Roselabs Industries Ltd has appointed the following new directors on its Board--Naresh Rachchh, Surekha Shah, Bhavik Badani and Jitendra Patel

Gupta resigns as Company Secy., Ruchi Strips and Alloys Ltd
Vinay Gupta has resigned as Company Secretary of Ruchi Strips and Alloys Ltd w.e.f. March 5, 2012

Extention of age to 62 years.-Every thing, every activity, every Nation and successful execution of any plan require experienced hand/s as is considered for the posts of ministers/Prime Minister/President, then why not to extend the age of government work foece having unblemished and good track record. At the same time job avenues for youngsters be also explored.

DEBATE (1)

Yes, they are right. The stand of bureaucrats is correct for complaining that why politicians/ministers not be held responsible for policy decisions.

Malik J B

DEBATE (2)

Sir, I feel that bureaucrats are fully responsible for policy decision. It is duty of a bureaucrat to give full facts, rules, complete background note and all information to a minister so that he can decide any matter in balanced manner but the bureaucrat fails to do that. He instead of writing in file what he wants or what minister wants or what persons who approach him want and by giving very little fact he knowingly misguides the politician. Poor politician suffering from insecurity doesn't have adequate time to go deeply into matters and collect information and therefore depends upon bureaucrat and believes him in good faith and takes decision. Later on, when caught politician is left with no option but to depend on bureaucrat and protect him. Therefore all bureaucrats should be punished for giving incomplete and insufficient information in the file noting. At present there is no punishment if wrong information is knowingly noted in files. The Government of India should introduce rules and lay down punishment for bureaucrats giving wrong information in file noting.

Shyam Singh

Sonia's SIP

Irrespective of what predictions are being made about the UP elections, Ms Sonia Gandhi emerges as the greatest achiever of the best results of her political SIP in UP. She, as also the Congress, know it very well that UP is lost for ever. And who wants UP for the Congress? With every leader being as assertive as the late stalwarts in whose names their children are contesting or running political parties or the ones who have caused permanent disability to the social texture of the state and can change parties as comfortably as their caps, the Congress can't accommodate them. These people are welcome to come under the umbrella of the Congress but can not be tolerated to be the Umbrella for the Congress. The Congress has been orphaned after
Rajiv's assassination and has been waiting with baited breath to cultivate in-house leadership. Sonia, though she played her role well, needed a substitute. Rahul could have fulfilled that vacuum, only if he opted to learn the ropes. Indian politics is no cake walk- not even for a Nehru born!( It is best described in the words of Tulsidas: Lanka nikar nishaachar vaasaa, ihan kahaan sajjan kar vaasaa?).Nothing could give Rahul a better training in real politics than the UP electioneering. That he has done. He will not be dependent on others for decisions. He would be practical. He will have his own Sena (Army) to take on internal insurgency as well as outside assaults. The boy comes out adult: nobody would consider him the Babalog anymore! Any mean achievement? Even in ancient India, the princes were made to go through such training. Following up the British tradition, Rahul might also do a short term in active military duty. But, his training at another level needs to be continued. He has been in the company of ground level leaders, for whom even criminal activities are a way of real politics. He will now need the mentoring by superior leadership that can upgrade his level, understanding and ethical value systems, for India is too complex a country, too vast and it goes beyond UP. His rhetoric, idiom, language and body language need immediate correction. There is still no guarantee of 100% success, but he would carve out a big territory for himself in the political arena on his own which he can call his own following, not inheritance from the dynasty.

M L Gupta

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)