PM Modi enters 25th year of public service. From Gujarat CM to PM

On October 07, 2025 -Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 25 years of serving as the head of a government- a journey that began on October 7, 2001, when he assumed the role of Chief Minister of Gujarat. Reflecting on this milestone, PM Modi expressed deep gratitude to the people of India, stating, “On this day in 2001, I took oath as Gujarat’s Chief Minister for the first time. Thanks to the continuous blessings of my fellow Indians, I am entering my 25th year of serving as the head of a Government. My gratitude to the people of India. Through all these years, it has been my constant endeavour to improve the lives of our people and contribute to the progress of this great nation that has nurtured us all.”

This silver jubilee highlights PM Modi’s enduring commitment to national development and self-reliance, a vision that continues to inspire progress across various sectors. Congratulations, Modi ji, on this remarkable achievement!

Congress preparing strategies for Bihar polls from makeshift war room?

The war rooms - the command centre for election management - of different political parties avoid media glare and work in a rather secretive way due to the nature of its work. However,, just before the Bihar Assembly polls, the Congress is working in temporary War Room in Delhi. Till 2023, the party was working out of 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road  for nearly 18 years. But, it had to be vacated after the party’s Rajya Sabha member Pradeep Bhattacharya, to whom it was allotted, retired. In 2024, just ahead of the  Lok Sabha elections, the Congress set up its centre in a small bungalow-- C 1/11, Subramania   Bharti Marg, which was allotted to Congress lawmaker Uttam Kumar Reddy. But, months after he joined the Telangana cabinet, the allotment was withdrawn last month. Now the party has temporarily set up its command centre in bungalow number 17 that is allotted to Congress’s Rajya Sabha member Shakti Sinh Gohil.

Bihar polls: Paswan demands more seats in NDA

Chirag Paswan is reportedly bargaining hard in the ongoing NDA seat-sharing talks ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections. While BJP has offered 25 seats to the alliance, Chirag Paswan was initially allocated only 22 seats but is now demanding 40 seats, reflecting his strong push for greater representation. The negotiations appear intense, with BJP leaders Dharmendra Pradhan, Vinod Tawde, and Bihar minister Mangal Pandey meeting Chirag in Delhi to resolve the deadlock. This meeting is seen as a crucial step to bridge the gap between the two sides and salvage the alliance. Notably, Chirag Paswan had switched off his mobile phone, adding a layer of speculation about his stance and seriousness in the bargaining. The outcome of these talks will significantly impact the NDA’s strategy and candidate distribution in Bihar, highlighting Chirag Paswan’s assertive role in shaping the electoral front for his party within the NDA coalition. The situation remains fluid and closely watched by political observers.

Jitan Ram Manjhi unhappy with NDA’s offer for 5-6 seats; demands over 15?

Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and former Bihar Chief Minister, is reportedly unhappy with the seat-sharing formula offered by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Manjhi insists on a minimum of 15 seats for his party but says he has only been offered 5-6 seats. This offer is far below his expectations and political aspirations to strengthen his party’s presence in the state assembly.

Manjhi’s dissatisfaction stems from his party’s current limited strength and the need for enough seats to push their political agenda effectively in Bihar. He has made it clear that accepting less than 15 seats is unacceptable, reflecting his ambition to establish HAM as a significant regional force. Manjhi is scheduled to travel to Assam and will return to Delhi by October 10 to continue discussions, indicating that negotiations are still ongoing and the final decision is pending.

His discontent is also seen as a push for a better deal to assert his party’s influence within the NDA coalition ahead of the crucial state polls.

Why did Tata bosses meet HM & FM ?

Tata Group bosses including Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, on Tuesday  met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Any significance?

IAS Rakesh Kumar is a 2021 Batch Officer of AGMUT cadre and is currently posted as District Magistrate of Kargil, Ladakh -one of the most challenging districts in India due to its extreme geography, harsh climate, and difficult logistics.
 
His vision is to ensure that even the remotest areas in this hilly and sparsely populated region are not left behind in the journey of development.“Our focus has been on ensuring basic amenities and essential facilities first”he said.
 
Guided by a holistic approach, Kumar’s priorities include improving healthcare services, upgrading educational institutions, ensuring uninterrupted water supply, and enhancing road and network connectivity across Kargil. “Once we can reach people effectively, we can work on improving the quality of these services,” he shared.

In healthcare, his administration is focusing on upgrading all health centres and addressing manpower shortages to ensure timely access to medical services for residents. Connectivity another cornerstone of his vision, is being strengthened by improving roads and through efforts to link villages that remain unconnected or only partially connected.

In Education,one major policy reform under his leadership is the finalization of a long-pending teacher transfer policy bringing stability to the system.

In addition to this for promoting inclusivity, a survey has been launched to identify people with disabilities and ensure they are not left behind. Based on these findings, a school for children with disabilities is also being planned. Further explaining he said “We are also identifying orphan children and assessing the reach of government schemes to those who have been left out.”

His Dream for Kargil is simple yet powerful: ensure equitable access to basic facilities, improve quality of life, and leave no one behind.

The purported meeting of Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Chairman CBIC with PM, has led to speculation that he may get an extension or a leg up to PMO post retirement in November 2025. Recent roll out of GST amendments seem to have influenced the meeting.

Rajasthan has rapidly replaced the AGMUT cadre as the top choice for inter-cadre transfers on marital grounds, particularly among women officers, marking a significant shift in preferences for young civil servants. The latest example is IAS Shailja Pandey (2021 batch, Bihar cadre), who was transferred to Rajasthan after marrying IFS officer Gaurav Garg (2015 batch, Rajasthan cadre) in October 2025.

Over the past nine months, Rajasthan has welcomed at least eight IAS and IPS officers from other states, underscoring the state's rising appeal among officers seeking family-friendly environments and career growth.

Notable couples who have opted for Rajasthan include:
IAS Shailja Pandey & IFS Gaurav Garg — Oct 2025
IAS Rashmi Rani & IPS Kartikeya Verma — Jan 2025
IAS Garima Narula & IAS Rajat Yadav — June 2025
IAS Charu & IPS Sujit Shankar — June 2025
IPS P.D. Nitya & IPS Pankaj Yadav — June 2025
IAS Pratibha Verma & IAS Jaidev C.S. — Jan 2025
IAS Ashish Kumar Mishra & IAS Anshu Priya — Apr 2025
IAS Chhaya Singh & IAS Mohit Kasaniya — Apr 2025

Under Rule 5(2) of the IAS/IPS Cadre Rules, officers may seek transfers to their spouse's cadre if both states grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Rajasthan’s consistent approvals and welcoming approach reflect its strengthening reputation for stable governance, promising professional opportunities, and family-friendly postings.

This transformation signals a broader trend of rising civil service marriages among younger batches and highlights the government’s increasing flexibility in fostering marital harmony within the bureaucracy. Once dominated by AGMUT as the preferred cadre for such transfers, Rajasthan now shines as the new magnet for officers balancing career and family life.

The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) underwent, biggest revision in 15 years on October 6, 2025, updating rates for treatments, empanelment of hospitals, and coverage for pensioners. This benefits over 1.18 crore employees and pensioners, aligning with the recent 3% Dearness Allowance hike effective July 1, 2025. Whispers suggest this is part of broader pension reforms to reduce fiscal strain amid rising healthcare costs.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) is reported to have approved a list of eight Judicial Members, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT).

Anil Kumar Chawla, GM, NTPC Limited, has been selected for the post of Director (Personnel), Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on October 7, 2025. As many as seven persons were interviewed for the same.

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has observed that the lack of vigilance profile for ten years not only causes inconvenience to the PESB but also renders a candidate ineligible from attending the interview during the selection meeting. The PESB has asked the concerned Ministries/Departments/PSUs to direct the nodal officer to ensure that vigilance profile of the candidate in the prescribed format duly signed by HoD or the CVO is furnished two days before the selection meeting.

Ms Sukriti Likhi, who was appointed as OSD, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, will be taking over the charge as Secretary of the same on November 1, 2025. She is a 1993 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre.

Surendra Singh, a 2005-batch officer of the UP cadre on return from deputation has been appointed as Secretary to UP CM Yogi Adityanath.

The Public Enterprises Selection Board has started searching for a candidate for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Hindustan Shipyard Limited. A vacancy of this post arose on August 1, 2025.

Recent reports indicate that Chief Secretary Sudhanshu Pant returned from an extended vacation on October 6, 2025 (Monday), and is actively finalising pending transfer lists for IAS and IPS officers. This aligns with his role in driving bureaucratic efficiency. Whispers in Rajasthan’s bureaucratic circles suggest he is focusing on performance-based reshuffles to accelerate development projects, such as infrastructure and rural schemes, but his position remains stable at least through 2025 (with potential extension discussions post his superannuation in February 2027).

₹25,000 Cr defence space allocation by March 2026 for satellites. “Aatmanirbhar” exports to $5B by 2025 (from $211B FY24).

Indian Bank SO Recruitment 2025 notification out for 171 vacancies (Chief/Senior/Manager); apply September 23-October 13. IBPS RRB revises to 13,301 vacancies (50 for Agriculture Officers).

The CGDA has transferred 30 IDAS officers to various units. These officers belong to the 2005 to 2023 batches. Senior-most Pueet Sharma, 2005 batch, will join as IFA, to MD, ECHS, Delhi and Dr Sukhshobhit Singh, 2009 batch.  has been transferred to Chandimandir as IFA, WC.

After an NGO scam involving 5 IAS (one promoted and transferred in October 2025), whispers predict further suspensions and transfers for 4 officers by November, signalling an anti-corruption push in state services.

Mrs Suman Bala, Additional Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, will also look after the charge of Additional Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Home Affairs, in addition to her regular charge. She is a 1991 batch ICAS officer.

The 93rd Indian Air Force Day celebrations will be held on October 8, 2025, at Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh will preside, showcasing aerobatics, flypasts, and indigenous tech demos. This event highlights IAF’s operational readiness amid squadron shortages (31 vs. sanctioned 42).

Last date to apply online for Assistant Government Advocate, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice has been extended. Applications must reach latest by October 12, 2025.

Last date to apply online for Assistant Government Advocate, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice has been extended. Applications must reach latest by October 12, 2025.

NITI Aayog has extended the last date to apply for the post of Protocol Officer on deputation basis. The revised date is November 27, 2025.

Post of Consultant (Architect) for Global Estate Management (GEM) Division, New Delhi in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been advertised. Applications must reach latest by October 27, 2025.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is seeking to engage one Young Professional on contract basis for Regional Passport Office, Pune. Applications can be emailed at rpo.pune@mea.gov.in.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has advertised four Consultant posts in the Hazardous Substances Management Division on contractual basis. Applications must reach latest by October 25, 2025.

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas has advertised the posts of Legal Adviser, Deputy Legal Adviser, Senior Principal Private Secretary and Principal Private Secretary on deputation basis. Applications can be emailed to https://caqm.nic.in.

Post of Deputy Director (Finance) in the National Tiger Conservation Authority has been advertised. Applications can be emailed to dig1-ntca@nic.in.

Brijesh Kumar Yadav, who is presently working as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Varanasi, Northern Railway (NR), has been appointed to officiate in senior administrative grade (SAG). He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) officer.

Mohammad Nasir, who is presently serving in Eastern Railway (ER), has been transferred to South Eastern Railway (SER) and posted in the cadre. He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) officer.

Akhilesh Verma, who is presently serving in Western Railway (WR), has been transferred to East Coast Railway (ECoR) and posted in the cadre. He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) officer.

Harijan Prem Chandra, who is presently working as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Hubballi, South Western Railway (SWR), has been appointed to officiate in senior administrative grade (SAG). He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) officer.

Two Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers have been given new responsibilities in Chhattisgarh. Prem Kumar has been appointed as MD, State Forest Development Corporation, Nava Raipur, while Mrs Sanjeeta Gupta will join as ED, State Minor Forest Produce Federation.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has approved the encadrement of 302 new posts into the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) based on the requests from various Ministries and Departments. Notably, the CSS Forum has consistently requested DoPT to expedite approval of encadrement proposals which were pending its approval from the last 3 years. However, CSS Forum maintains this is a short-term measure and continues to press for the implementation of the 4th cadre review recommendations to ensure time-bound promotions and restore service parity.

P S Thuingaleng has been appointed as General Manager at Director level Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) at Guwahati (Assam-North East Region), on deputation basis. He is a 2008 batch IRS-IT officer.

Ms Preeti Maithil has been appointed as Deputy General Manager at Director level, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh region) on deputation basis. She is a 2009 batch IAS officer of MP cadre.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas will be filling the vacancy of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) through Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC).

Seven IAS officers have been reshuffled in Maharashtra. Shekhar Singh has been appointed as Commissioner for 2027 Nashik Kumbh Mela, while M Devendra Singh  is posted as Member Secretary, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Mumbai and Jalaj Sharma will now join as Metropolitan Commissioner, Nashik Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA). Similarly, Ayush Prasad has been appointed as District Collector, Nashik; Rohan Ghunghae as District Collector, Jalgaon; Sanjay Kolte as Sugar Commissioner of Maharashtra; and Manoj Jindal has been assigned the responsibility of District Collector, Ratnagiri.

Mashhood Ur Rehman Farooqui has been appointed as Director in the National Health Authority--Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. He is a 2009 batch IRS-C&IT officer.

To commemorate World Habitat Day, the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO), a Navratna NBFC-IFC has been hosting a painting competition for underprivileged children for over three decades. This initiative, highly valued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and participating NGOs, provides children from vulnerable communities with an invaluable platform to creatively express their vision of an ideal urban habitat. Marking the official World Habitat Day celebrations at Vigyan Bhawan, the Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu inaugurated the exhibition showcasing the award-winning paintings from this year’s competition. Winners were felicitated by the Hon’ble Minister in the presence of Shri Srinivas Kathikithala, Secretary MoHUA, Sanjay Kulshrestha, CMD HUDCO, Shri Kuldip Narayan, Joint Secretary MoHUA and Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India. To further enrich the occasion, three HUDCO special publications were released. The 2025 competition, held on 20th September at HUDCO Bhawan, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, saw enthusiastic participation from 176 children representing various NGOs and orphanages. Contestants competed in two age categories—Junior (8-11 years) and Senior (12-14 years). The theme for this year painting competition was in line with the theme identified by UN- Habitat for World Habitat Day 2025 “Urban Solutions to Crisis”, encouraging the children to reflect on the challenges faced by urban areas and to offer innovative ideas for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban futures. HUDCO remains committed to nurturing the creative expression of underprivileged children, empowering them to envision and contribute to the future of our urban spaces. The continued success of this initiative highlights HUDCO’s dedication to the promotion of sustainable and inclusive urban development, in line with global efforts towards creating better urban futures.

Speculation swirls around Linda Yaccarino’s post-X role at eMed as CEO, while Jaguar Land Rover eyes P.B. Balaji as new CEO after Adrian Mardell’s exit. Trends point to AI-driven upskilling for executives, with 80% of C-suite leaders prioritising it for 2025 growth.

Speculation about a 20% offshoring surge to India due to US H-1B hikes, potentially creating 50k IT jobs by 2026. Prediction: Fintech funding to hit $56 Bn in 2025, up 15% YoY, per EY.

Corporate adoption of crypto as treasury assets accelerates; Japan’s Gumi Cryptos added BTC and XRP to its balance sheet on October 3, 2025, signalling a shift from speculation to strategic holdings. Globally, ESG-linked bonds hit $50 trillion projections for 2025, with new issuances focusing on green tech.

Sangram Kumar Mishra has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL).

Rajeev RA has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Authum Investment & Infrastructure Limited.

Ms. Ranu Jain has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) of Swojas Foods Limited.

Abhay Kumar Sethia has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) of Swojas Foods Limited.

Pallav Pareshkumar Dave has been re-designated from Independent Director to Non-Executive Non-Independent Director of Swojas Foods Limited.

Ajay Beniprasad Jajodia has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Zodiac-JRD-MKJ Limited.

Tajinder Singh Kukreja has been appointed as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of GB Logistics Commerce Limited.

Jiteshkumar N Agrawal has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Rajasthan Gases Limited.

Tirth Tapan Mazumdar has resigned from the position of Independent Director of Rajasthan Gases Limited.

Mrs. Dhwani Naishadh Modi has resigned from the post of Non-Executive Independent Director of Swojas Foods Limited.

“Condemnable”

Hurling shoe at CJI in open court room, is the most reprehensible act that attracts serious contempt of court. An affront to Judiciary by a lawyer citing Sanatan Dharma.

But,why should the CJI ignore the criminal misconduct?

Worse, the accused has no regret.His membership must be revoked by the Bar council of India.

A K Saxena (Former civil servant)

Certified copy of the RNI Registration Certificate

The appellant asked for a certified copy of the RNI Registration Certificate of "Dominican Ashram" vide Registration No. 46971/88. Before the CIC, the Appellant stated that the information has not been provided to him and it was wrongly denied by the then PIO ignoring the fact that it is a public document. The Respondent submitted that the registration certificate of registered newspapers are in public domain which can be easily accessed from their official website https://prgi.nic.in/registration-title-data-details/. During the hearing before the CIC, the Respondent opened the link on the computer system of the Bench and showed the e-certificate and also handed over a hard copy of e-certificate to the Appellant which was taken on record. The CIC held that appropriate reply has been given by the Respondent to the Appellant during hearing which is as per the provisions of the RTI Act.

Comments

A PIO must be thorough with the content accessible on the website of the organization failing which errors may be committed or, time may be spent on making available an information which has already been made public.

Citation: Jose Abraham v. Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India, File No: CIC/RNIND/A/2024/609589; Date of Decision: 25.08.2025

Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com