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B Srinivas

Sharma to move to External Affairs
It is heard that Anand Sharma may move in as External Affairs Minister.

Has industry started wooing BJP?
It is heard that industry houses are already betting heavily on BJP. There is already courting of the erstwhile BJP ministers by many industry houses and industry associations.

BUREAUCRACY

Review of 1990, 91 and 92 batches soon
Review of 1990, 1991 and 1992 batches of IAS officers to the rank of Joint Secretary in the Government of India is expected to take place this month.

7 IAS officers of 1982 batch to be elevated this month
Remaining seven IAS officers belonging to 1982 batch IAS deputed to Government of India are expected to be elevated to the rank of Additional Secretary this month.

Orders of Syedain Abbasi for appointment as JS, Steel issued
Orders of Syedain Abbasi for appointment as Joint Secretary, Steel have been issued. He is a 1990 batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya (A-M) cadre.
(We said this on August 27, 2012)

Deputation tenure of Amitabh Kant extended
In view of brilliant execution of the project central deputation tenure of Amitabh Kant, CEO, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) in Ministry of Commerce has been extended for two years. He is a 1980 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre.

Rakesh Ranjan is new JS, Culture
Rakesh Ranjan will be new Joint Secretary, Ministry Of Culture. He is a 1992 batch IAS officer of Manipur- Tripura (MT) cadre.

Krishnan to take charge on October one
Dr KP Krishnan appointed as Principal Secretary, DIPR, reportedly is expected to take charge on October one. Krishnan, who was appointed to the newly created post, is a 1983 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre.

Ms LT Tochhawng appointed Chief Secretary, Mizoram
Ms LT Tochhawng, Principal Secretary, Planning Department has been appointed as Chief Secretary, Mizoram. She is an IAS officer of 1979 batch belonging to AGMU cadre.
(We said this on August 3, 2012)

Sanjay Mitra to be new Chief Secretary of West Bengal?
A 1982 batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, Sanjay Mitra is all probability will become new Chief Secretary of the state on October one.

Deputation tenure of Hemant Priyadarshy extended in CBI
Central deputation tenure of DIG, CBI in Bhopal, Hemant Priyadarshy after promotion as IG has been extended till August 6, 2015. He is a 1992 batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

Sahu appointed GM FCI in Gujarat
Bhupinder Sahu, SP (Rajasthan Police) has been appointed as General Manager, FCI, Gujarat in Ministry of Foods & Public Distribution. He is an IPS officer of 1999 batch, who belongs to the Rajasthan cadre.

Pandey accredited HC Samoa
AK Pandey, Presently High Commissioner of India to New Zealand has been concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of Samoa, with residence in Wellington.

Ravi Kanta yet to be relieved by CBI
Ravi Kanta, DIG, CBI who was transferred as Deputy Director in IB on a lateral shifting basis is yet to be relieved. He is an IPS officer of 1998 batch who belongs to the Orissa cadre.

Wankhede to be DIG, NIA ?
Vinit Deo Wankhede, DIGP, Tech.Services, Tamil Nadu Police is likely to be appointed as DIG, National Investigation Agency (NIA), Mumbai. He is an IPS officer of 1994 batch who belongs to the Tamil Nadu cadre.

Nath to get extension in CBI?
The tenure of central deputation of Hiren Chandra Nath, DIG, CBI is likely to be extended till September 2014. He is an IPS officer of 1996 batch who belongs to the Assam Meghalaya cadre.

Four IPS posts in CISF yet to be filled
The sanctioned posts of DIG level in CISF is 49 in total. According to recruitment rules, fifteen posts were earmarked for IPS officers and 34 posts for CISF cadre officers. Presently, 11 IPS officers are already working as DIG, CISF yet four positions for IPS are still lying vacant.

Maity to be Director, SAIL
K Maity is being tipped to be new Director Raw Material in the Steel Authority of India (SAIL).

Vacancy for Wild Life Crime Record Bureau circulated
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, has circulated to all states regarding the recruitment of Joint Director &Deputy Director, Wild Life ,Crime Record bureau, New Delhi to fill the vacancies. This position comes under the supervision of Ministry of Environment & Forest, Government of India. Maharashtra Government has reverted with a denial of providing any IPS officer for this position.

Umesh Sharaf to be IG, BSF?
Umesh Sharaf, IG Andhra Pradesh Police is likely to be appointed as IG, BSF. He is an IPS officer of 1989 batch who belongs to the Andhra Pradesh cadre.

Chanan Ram relieved to join Labour Ministry in GoI
Chanan Ram, Director, Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), who was posted to the Ministry of Labour & Employment in Government of India, has been relieved to don mantle of new Ministry. He is a Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officer.

Samuel to join GoI?
SR Samuel, SP, J&K Police has applied for central deputation under Central Staffing Scheme (CSS). He is an IPS officer of 1999 batch who belongs to the J&K cadre.

10 C&EC Commissioners transferred
As many as 10 officers of Indian Revenue Service-Customs (IRS-Customs) in the grade of Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise (C&EC) have been transferred and posted at different places. Accordingly, P K Jain has been posted as Commissioner (Appeal), Vadodara while Ms Vandana Jain is being shifted as Commissioner, Kanpur and B N Singh will now be Commissioner (Appeal), Allahabad. Similarly, Himanshu Gupta has been posted as Commissioner, Lucknow; S M Tata as Commissioner (ST), CBEC; Devendra Mishra as Commissioner, Rohtak; Sanjiv Srivastava as Commissioner, Directorate of Legal Affairs, New Delhi; P K Mohanty as Commissioner Customs, Vizag; R B Tiwari as Commissioner (Appeal) CX Bangalore and B P Singh has been posted as Commissioner (Appeal), CX, Mumbai-I.

S Srinivasa gets selection grade
Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, S Srinivasa presently working as Joint Director (M&C), PIB, Pune, has been accorded selection grade.

Mrs Vinita Surie gets HAG
Indian Revenue Service-Income Tax (IRS-IT) officer, Mrs Vinita Surie who was retired in the grade of Commissioner of Income Tax, has been granted non-functional upgradation in Higher Administrative Grade (HAG).

Virendra Kumar posted as DRM, Jaipur
Virendra Kumar, SAG, has been posted as Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Jaipur, Rajasthan. He is an IRSME officer of 1981 batch.

Koventhan moves to Brasilia
S Koventhan has been moved from Indian Embassy, Lisbon to Brasilia in place of Amit Shukla who has been shifted to the MEA Headquarters.

Post of DG, NPC vacant since January, 2012
The post of Director General (DG) of National Productivity Council (NPC) has been lying vacant (since January, 2012) with the retirement of N C Vasudevan, a 1977 batch IAS officer of Orissa cadre.

IRS (IT) officer Chitta Ranjan Pati empanelled as Joint Secretary in GoI
Indian Revenue Service-Income Tax (IRS-IT) officer of 1985 batch, Chitta Ranjan Pati has been empanelled as Joint Secretary or Equivalent in the Government of India.

3 officers found in corrupt practices in IDBI
As many as three officials have been charged with corrupt practices in Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI). The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has recommended action against such officers.

1982 Civil Services batch (all services) hosts dinner on Sept 15
1982 Civil Services batch (all services) is hosting a dinner in Delhi on 15 Sept 2012, to commemorate completion of 30 years of service. Already 85 officers have sent confirmation. Those who have missed out can visit www.1982civilservices.com to confirm participation.

M R Chaudhary is DRM, Ambalal, NR (UPDATED)
M R Chaudhary, SAG/IRSE, has been posted as Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ambala, and Northern Railway (NR).


Mrs Manju Gupta posted as DRM, Bikaner, NWR (UPDATED)
Mrs Manju Gupta, SAG, IRSEE, Railway Board, has been appointed as Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Bikaner, North Western Railway (NWR).


Arvind Mittal is DRM, Adra, SER (UPDATED)
Arvind Mittal, SAG/IRSSE, Railway Board, has been posted as Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Adra, South Eastern Railway (SER).

Retirement of IAS plans in jeopardy. (UPDATED)
The Central Information Commission (CIC) and State Information Commissions will now be headed by judges, courtesy a Supreme Court controversial judgment on Thursday that ended the tradition of retired bureaucrats gracing the statutory bodies constituted under the Right to Information 2005. Going by the rule that the functions of the CIC and the State Information Commissions was necessarily judicial in nature, the apex court held, "Chief Information Commissioner at the Centre or State level shall only be a person who is or has been a Chief Justice of the High Court or a Judge of the Supreme Court," said a bench of Justices AK Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar. Such appointment shall be in consultation with the Chief Justice of India, it added. The court further ruled that the Commissions at Centre and States would hold sittings in benches comprising of two members each, one being a judicial member and the other an expert member, drawn among persons of public eminence having wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media, or administration and governance. By stating so, the court held that the Centre may preferably consider appointing judges and lawyers as Information Commissioners as well. While the slew of directions would require the Centre to suitably amend the RTI Act, particularly Sections 12(5), 12(6), 15(5) and 15(6) of the 2005 Act, the court directed the Centre to undertake this exercise at the earliest to bring it in consonance with the Constitutional mandate. It upheld the validity of the above Sections of the Act along with the recommended changes. The order of the court came on a PIL filed by one Namit Sharma, who pointed out that the role of CIC and State commissions under RTI being largely judicial work, interest of justice demanded having judicial members to head such bodies. Currently, none of the eight CIC members have a judicial background. It found the duties of these statutory bodies to be largely adjudicatory in nature. It said, "They are required to give notice to the parties, offer them the opportunity of hearing and pass reasoned orders." In doing so, the court held, the authorities need to strike a balance between freedom under Article 19(1)(a) - right to know, and Article 21 relating to right to privacy. Regarding appointment of expert members, the bench suggested drawing up a panel of persons empanelled by DoPT or the concerned State Ministry, three months prior to the creation of vacancy.

V K Saxena assumes charge as MD, IMPCL (UPDATED)
V K Saxena, GM, IMPCL, has taken over the charge as Managing Director, Indian Medicines Pharmaceuticals Corporation Limited (IMPCL).

Ravi Kant joins as Director, NRHM, Haryana (UPDATED)
Ravi Kant has joined as Director of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Haryana. He is an Indian Revenue Service-Income Tax (IRS-IT) officer of 2005 batch.

CORPORATE

Sanjay Khatal selected as Director (Comm.), NSC
Sanjay Khatal, GM, MSSC, has been selected for the post of Director (Commercial), National Seeds Corporation Limited (NSC) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting. As many as 11 persons were interviewed for the same.

NMDC Director gets HR leadership award
Rabindra Singh, Director (Personnel), NMDC Limited, Hyderabad, has been conferred with the HR Leadership Award at the Asia Pacific HRM Congress 2012 at Bengaluru on September 6, 2012. He was also honoured with a citation on inclusion of his name as one of the "Most Powerful HR Professionals of India". Singh received the award from Y V L Pandit, Managing Director, SHL India Pvt. Ltd. and the citation from Dr Y V Verma, Chief Operating Officer, LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. in recognition of his exemplary service in the field of HR and having strong faith in the human possibilities and innate ability to connect with people.

Tomar quits, TFCI
Shivendra Tomar, Managing Director of Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd (TFCI) has resigned from the company. He will however continue on the Board of Directors of the company as Non-Executive member.

Yadav quits Samsung India
Ranjit Yadav has resigned as Head (Mobile Business), Samsung India.

Nowlakha quits Assambrook Ltd
Madhukar Nowlakha has resigned as Director of Assambrook Ltd .

Srivastava appointed MD, Sennheiser India
Sennheiser India has appointed Gunjan Srivastava as Managing Director (India) operations)

Menon appointed Addl. Director, Assambrook Ltd
US Menon have been appointed as a Additional Director of Assambrook Ltd.

Dhanu appointed Head (M3 Project & Strategy Team), Allied Media Network
Allied Media Network has appointed Shilpa Dhanu as Head (M3 Project and Strategy Team)

Slym takes early charge as Tata Motors M D
Karl Slym has assumed charge as Managing Director of Tata Motors ahead of his appointment which was from October 1, 2012.

Menon appointed as Director of Assambrooks Company
US Menon has been appointed as Director of Assambrooks Company.

Sharma appointed as MD of Tourism Finance Corporation
Dr Raju Sharma has been appointed as MD of Tourism Finance Corporation.

(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)

Reservation in higher posts - Is it for General or for SC/ST

The data provided by PMO proves defacto reservations for general castes in higher posts. At lower rung of posts in Government, reservation policy has been huge success. However, more needs to be done at Director-level and above posts in Govt. Reservation Policy has forced people to stick to Hindu Religion, thus strengthened the religion.

R K Singh

I agree with Puliprath. SC/ST Officers are a rare privileged class from date of entry to date of superannuation. Let us do away with reservation on experimental basis for five years and see how it really impacts the system.

Pratik

Much has been written about no SC/ST officer reaching Secretary level. Does anyone believe that a few SC/STs reaching the Secretary level will save all the problems faced by the poor SCs/STs in this country? We had even a SC President. Has anybody thought about any man
roam a BPL (irrespective of caste) family reaching the Secretary level? For generations in the past a section of people belonging to SC/ST/OBC are cornering the benefits in the name of their castes. They vociferously object to demarking any creamy layer among them. I have seen three generations of bureaucrats benefiting from this reservation. They do not much differ from those from the other classes. Since their caste men could not give enough dowry or an educated girl, they hunt from upper castes and marry. Those who cry hoarse about injustice to their caste men in promotions belong to this category. If inspite of 65 years or reservation, life of a SC/ST have not improved, the problem lies with the present system of reservation. A few secretaries here or there will not change it. Introducing this system into promotions will result in a catastrophe and the SCs and STs will be the first sufferers. Time we scrap all these caste based reservations and make it class wise.

N Krishnan

As a person belonging to OC community and free from all bias and prejudice have seen the havoc played with CR's of the reserved category. An OBC official who i'd interact directly was very efficient, sincere and hard working. When his CR came up for Review I was shocked to see him given a grading below expectations by a Brahmin reporting officer. It was very unfair, there is a Point and Truth when the Reserved category complains about the CR's being spoiled. I am a
witness to these wrongs.

Anita Nandi

The comments of Sri Puliprath are indeed amusing. As a Reviewing officer i have seen many officials of sc/st/obc and minority communities who are hard working and extremely efficient are not given appropriate grading by the controlling officers (read Brahmins) in many cases. This can be found in all departments.

Gautam

The reservation policy for SC/ST should be applied for one generation of the family only. There are many instances that higher officers of SC/ST category who have got upliftment due to the reservation policy still get the same opportunity for their children when it is no more needed by them. Instead it should be given to those SC/ST families who are yet to get upliftment. It is actually misused by those persons who have got benefit out of this policy, and those (SC/ST) who are still down trodden are still suffering and are totally unaware of this Govt.'s policy.

Kalyan

SC/ST Issues

There are hundreds of things to be said pro and against these communities. No body has gone into soul searching about their real upliftment. Even their own representatives in the politics and bureaucracy are lame duck. I have personal experience that the non-SC boss of an SC will judge him better than his own caste boss. An SC Minister will say boldly to a victim of caste harassment that 'what if someone abuse me by my caste on the road.' Recently I have gone through some cases under SC/ST ( Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Merely on some absurd grounds the accused were acquitted. For example, (i) the Investigation was not done by a designated Police Officer, i.e. the DSP. Is the victim responsible for that, (ii) The accused was not aware that the victim was an SC/ST. Does an SC/ST write on his forehead that he is so and so, (iii) the intention of the accused was not against the victim . Was hurting physically, torturing mentally and raping was an act of good intention. (iv) the case was quashed because the SC/ST produced an X-ross copy and not the Original Caste Certificate, (v) The witnesses on behalf of the victim should be non-SC/ST. Isn't impossible. Cases were quashed because the proper legal procedure was not followed. Is the victim responsible for that? So on and so forth.

Yes, the creamy layer should quit the benefit. Let it go to the real downtrodden. SCs and STs must unite. Some NGOs taking advantage on the subject should be watched by the SC/ST population.

Hope it will find place in the WIC.

Z S Nirwal

Reservation in Promotions

I share my views with Shri Krishnan. It is the need of the hour to provide financial assistance in primary/ secondary/senior secondary education to economically weaker sections irrespective of the castes to which they belong. In fact, Government of India/State Government may come forward in shouldering the responsibility of providing free education to the needy students. When they are well educated, they should be free to compete with general students with no reservations based on caste system. Let the fair competition play its role in shining their future in a casteless society.

V P Sharma

Tours abroad by officials

The details to be uploaded on visits abroad of JS level officers and above is very commendable and a step in the right direction. However it just does not give a clear picture of true goings on in the Ministries. The information should cover Under Secretary level and above and positively, Deputy Secretary/Director level and above. Information on joy rides being undertaken to various exotic destinations by these levels too, on various pretexts, and on govt account, would be an eye opener indeed. If bleeding of the govt exchequer by rogue officials has to be stopped then these details, Ministry wise are required to be maintained too .Let visits with a justifiable purpose be permitted and welcomed.

S Singh

Poor cadre Management of ISS

One post of DG fell vacant wef 1.8.2012 has not been filled due to complaint of financial irregularities against one officer. Another post is falling vacant from 1-11-10.The name of other officer with has not been sent to ACC despite vigilance clearance? Worse, 4 posts of Addl.
DG (HAG level) lying vacant for more than an year have not been filled due to poor cadre management. The ISS Officers wonder whether inaction is due to callousness and lack of direction in ministry.

A Retired DG, NSSO, Faridabad, Haryana

RIT

Can an appellant demand inforamtion in Hindi under RTI?

The appellant sought information in Hindi regarding ICDS projects operating in Delhi including details of each project on a CD, number of Anganwadi centers operating along with details of Anganwadi centers, details of budget allocations for each Anganwadi and also the details of beneficiaries (women and children) of Anganwadi centers etc..

The appellant filed a complaint before the Central Information Commission (CIC) alleging non-disposal of his request by the Public Information Officer(PIO) and First Appellate Authority (FAA). The respondents stated that information has been furnished by all the 94 PIOs of different ICDS
projects to the appellant and that they had provided the information as available in the records and some on CDs in cases where the information was available as computer data. The appellant stated that only 71 PIOs had furnished him the information, that too in a delayed manner and it has not been translated into Hindi or provided on CD. Further, the FAA had not bothered to dispose off his appeal.

The CIC issued SCN to the PIOs as to why penalty u/s 20(1) should not be imposed upon them for not responding to the RTI Application within the prescribed time period. The CIC also directed the FAA to show cause as to why disciplinary action should not be recommended against him. The CIC ruled that there is no provision for translating documents and then providing them to the Applicant under RTI Act. The CIC also ruled that information may be provided on CD, free of cost if the information is already available as a computer record. Details of all ICDS projects including budgets allocated to them, details of personnel working for these projects etc. were directed to be put up on the website of the Department as per section 4(2) of the RTI Act.

Comments

Translation or reducing the documents to electronic form in order to transfer them on to a CD just because the Appellant wants the information on a CD, is not mandated as per the RTI Act.

Citation: Mr. Shiv Kumar Saxena v. Department of Women and Child Development in File No: CIC/AD/A/2012/000794

Weekly article by Dr. (Mrs.) Anuradha Verma
(dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in), RTI Consultant to IIM, Indore and Co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO's Guide to RTI by Taxmann. (The views are Personal)