Fake finance ministry circular gives more money to Central government employees; DoPT's clarification disappoints a lot

FOR many a Central government employee, it was the Diwali coming too soon. After the recent DA hike, the Central government employees’ joy knew no bounds when the finance ministry in an office memo dated March 27, and duly signed by under secretary S Rajan Chandranaydu, announced a revised rate of Overtime Allowance.

But as it turned out to be three days later, it was a fake Office Memo, and the government has no clues who played the prangs. In an Office Memo, this time the real, signed by DoPT director Simmi R Nakra, it was clarified that the office memo purportedly issued by finance ministry, (OM No 1(4)/2010 E-II dt. 27/03/2010) giving a revised rate of Overtime Allowance, was in fact a fake order.

“It is clarified that no such instruction has been issued by this Department or Ministry of Finance. Ministries/Departments are advised not to take cognizance of the fake instructions being circulated in Central Govt. Offices”, the DoPT’s clarification says.

You can click for the REAL CIRCULAR, dated March 30, 2010.

Here is yet another real peice of news that may make Central government employees happy. The government has decided to declare Wednesday, the 14th April 2010, as a Closed Holiday on account of the birthday of Dr BR Ambedkar, for all Central government Offices including industrial establishments throughout India.

Action and Appointments

Air Chief Marshal PV Naik takes over as chairman, COSC

Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik took over as the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) on Tuesday. He received the baton of chairman, COSC from outgoing Chief of Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor at a brief ceremony in the South Block. Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma was also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Marshal Naik said the Indian Armed Forces are in the process of moulding existing and emerging concepts together, to develop capabilities and solutions that will directly benefit the Armed Forces and the joint war-fighter of tomorrow, a government release said. Commissioned into the IAF in June 1969 as a fighter pilot, Air Marshal Naik has flown a variety of combat aircraft and is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader. A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and an alumnus of the National Defence College, Air Marshal Naik is a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. 

24 ex-civil aviation secretaries to fly first class in Air India, get access to any part of all Indian airports

FINANCE secretary Ashok Chawla does not need to worry any longer how he would afford to fly first class with his immediate family members after retirement. Sounds odd, but a recent civil aviation ministry order has a reason to bring cheers to the finance secretary who is retiring on January 31, 2011.

Yes, Mr Chawla and other former civil aviation secretaries will now get a lifelong free air ticket upgrade facilities on Air India and free access to VIP lounge and any part of an airport anywhere in the country. After all, 24 ex-civil aviation secretaries such as K Roy Paul, Ajay Prasad and MK Kaw will be benefited by civil aviation ministry order dated March 16, 2010.

These facilities were earlier given only to former civil aviation ministers and ex-Air India CMDs. The ministry which has now decided to extend the facilities to former civil aviation secretaries too, sought a compliance report from Airports Authority of India, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, airports and airlines by April 30, 2010.

However, facility of upgrades of tickets for self and immediate family of former civil aviation secretaries for travel to the highest class available by Air India or Indian Airlines will be subject to availability of seats, the order said.

Action and Appoitments

The extension of the inter-cadre deputation of Hari Krishna Paliwal, a 1981 batch UP cadre IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre to AGMUT cadre (Arunachal Pradesh) till February 28, 2013 has been approved. He is currently posted in Arunachal Pradesh. 

Lady IPS officer who testified against Advani may be shifted to US, claims Pak daily

1990 batch UP cadre IPS officer Anju Gupta, who has recently become a newsmaker thanks to her testimony against BJP leader LK Advani in an 18-year-old case of demolition of Babri mosque, could head towards an US posting because of security reasons, a Pakistani newspaper said.

According to Daily Times who broke the story said the senior UP cadre police officer who was incidentally was an eyewitness of the destruction at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 is expected to be appointed an attaché at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC.

The newspaper quoting Indian home ministry sources said that she might face security threats because of her deposition and might be shifted to the US along with her husband Safi Ahsan Rizvi, an IPS of 1989 batch. Mr Rizvi who is an MBA from premier B-School IIM-Ahmedabad, is an Officer in Special Duty (OSD) to India’s home minister P Chidambaram.

Significantly, Ms Gupta who as an IPS officer was the part of the administrative arrangements in Faizabad on the fateful days leading to the demolition of the mosque said that Mr Advani delivered a provocative speech to the throng of kar sevaks who eventually tore down the mosque.

Ms Gupta, 47, now serves the ministry of home affairs (MHA) in New Delhi. In late 1990s she was far ahead of her peers in cracking down criminals in and around Lucknow, and was decorated with the Police Medal for meritorious services on February 8, 2009. She also has immense contribution in counter-human trafficking measures in India.

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Govt curtails cabinet secretary’s power to scrutinize complaints against secretaries, received by CVC

IN A major bid to strip off the powers of India’s cabinet secretary in handling complaints against secretaries of the government of India, the government issued a corrigendum to an earlier circular thereby allowing Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to look into the complains including the anonymous ones against the secretaries. According to earlier circular, such complaints would first be scrutinized by a group headed by the cabinet secretary which could even close such a complaint if it is found to be frivolous.

Now, the cabinet secretary will be able to scrutinize only those complaints against secretaries which come to DoPT or PMO. But if any person sends the complaint to CVC, the cabinet secretary would not be able to scrutinize it, let alone closing it. Significantly, the cabinet secretary is the senior most secretary of the government. The current cabinet secretary, an officer of 1970 batch is six years senior to the junior most secretaries of the government of India who are from 1976 batch.

Also, according to the new amendments, the group headed by cabinet secretary would be able to look into those complaints given by the CVC, and not all complaints received by the CVC.

Read the CIRCULAR, dated March 8, 2010 containing the corrigendum

Action and Appointments

a) Naba Kumar Das, a 1976 batch Assam cadre IAS, and currently a special secretary in the department of agriculture and cooperation under the ministry of agriculture has been repatriated to his cadre.

b) The ACC has approved the proposal of the ministry of home affairs for inter-cadre transfer of Ms Nitasha Guria, a 2008 batch Orissa cadre IPS from Orissa cadre to Bihar cadre.

c) Samirendra Chatterjee, a 1976 batch IAS, presently Member Secretary, National Commission for Women has been appointed as Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees Provident Fund Organisation in place of Udai Kumar Varma, a 1976 batch MP cadre IAS.

d) Zohra Chatterji, a 1979 batch UP cadre IAS, presently joint secretary in the ministry of Information and Broadcasting has been appointed as Member Secretary, National Commission for Women in place of Samirendra Chatterjee.

Ex-Babu Tracker

T Nanda Kumar, a 1972 batch Jharkhand cadre retired IAS has been appointed as chairman of the committee on optimization of fertilizer usage, set up under the Cabinet Secretariat. The appointment of T Nanda Kumar as Chairman will be on re-employment on contract basis for a period of six months from the date of assumption of charge with the rank, pay, status and other entitlements of secretary to the Government of India.
Read
1972 batch officers continue to grab key posts

Raghu Menon’s India on a global journey; clinches first chairmanship of IPDC

RAGHU Menon, secretary, ministry of Information & Broadcasting, was elected as chairman of the Inter-Governmental Council of the International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC) defeating Switzerland . This is for the first time in the history of IPDC that a developing country will be in the chair of the Inter-Governmental Council of the IPDC, a government of India release said.

Significantly, Mr Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, is one of the rare officers to have a graduation degree in journalism.

In fact, the candidature of the India, endorsed by Asia Pacific Regional Group and supported by countries from Africa, Arab and Lain American Region, won the election with 23 out of 37 votes against Switzerland’s 14 votes.

The Inter-Governmental Council of the IPDC, which was established in 1980, implements national, regional and inter-regional projects in the areas of promotion of freedom of expression and media pluralism, development of community media, capacity building and promotion of international partnership.

Mr Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, thanked the members of the Inter-Governmental Council for reposing faith in his leadership and assured his full commitment for strengthening programme implementation under IPDC’s mandates.

West Bengal has a shortage of 59 IAS

West Bengal government has urged the Centre to meet shortage of IAS officers in the state. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in a statement said on Thursday that Bengal a shortage of 59 IAS officials out of the total need of 296 IAS officers. In fact, shortage of officers at the state level has been a concern in many other states too. Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has already set up a committee to look into the shortage of officers at states.

Police Complaints Authority at UT Level

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) is setting up Police Complaints Authority at the Union Territory level. The Police Complaints Authorities of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshdweep will be a single member Authority, and in the case of Puducherry, A and N Islands and Chandigarh, there will be chairperson and two members and in the case of Delhi, chairperson plus three members.

The Authorities will be to inquire into allegations of “serious misconduct”, like death in police custody, grievous hurt, rape or attempt to commit rape, arrest or detention without due process of law, extortion, land or house grabbing etc.

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Action and Appointments

a) Justice Venkategowda Gopalagowda, Judge of the Karnataka High Court has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.

b) Justics PV Reddi, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, has taken over as Chairman, 19th Law Commission of India on Thursday. He was also the Chairperson, Authority for Advance Rulings.

Why did Mulayam choose to target bureaucrats’ wives and daughters?

SAMAJWADI Party (SP) supremo’s reported comment on daughters and wives of officers and businessmen have made the bureaucrats red-faced though none of the officers or their wives are likely to take up the issue at any forums. However, the man who could come close bureaucrats across the country is expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Amar Singh, who on Wednesday sought intervention of the National Commission for Women (NCW) over remarks of his political mentor-turned adversary.

In fact, Mulayam Singh Yadav who recently opposed the Women’s reservation Bill tooth and nail in Rajya Sabha, reportedly said on Tuesday that if the Bill was passed, “wives and daughters of officers and businessmen who invite whistles from boys” would enter Parliament. Another expelled SP leader and former cine actress Jaya Prada too termed it ‘an insult to women’ hoped that the NCW will take the complaints seriously.

Though many politicians love to insult their bureaucrats and always want them to behave like their private secretaries, this is probably the first ever seriously objectionable remark by a senior politician about wives and daughters of bureaucrats.

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Ministers and bureaucrats can fly first class again

Finally, Indian ministers and bureaucrats will be able to break free from “cattle class” experiences in air. A finance ministry order has now said that travel on government account by air, both domestic and international, “may take place by the entitled class”, meaning bureaucrats and ministers will again fly first class for foreign junkets and business class for domestic trips from April 1 onwards.

Though the government still has not allowed first class travel for reimbursing the LTC, the recent move is an indication that there has been an improvement of the economic conditions which got exacerbated after the Lehman collapse. The government last September directed the government employees not to fly first class irrespective of their entitlements. Ministers like Farooq Abdullah, Dayanidhi Maran and Anand Sharma had reportedly protested against the austerity drive, but it was the minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor who came into controversy thanks to his description of the economy class as “cattle class”.

SC verdict to bring cheers to state civil servants

The Supreme Court’s ruling that a government employee has a fundamental right to be considered for promotion and it is mandatory for the Centre and states to carry out cadre review of eligible officers for promotion to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), may bring joy to the families of hundreds of state civil service officers. The apex court further directed the Centre and the UP government to consider the promotion of two, Hemraj Singh Chauhan and Ramnawal Singh, to the IAS.

Chidambaram as Cheerleader: Govt to build 1 lac houses for paramilitary forces personnel on PPP mode

IF NOT Roti and Kapda, the Makan may do the magic for motivating India’s paramilitary forces working in difficult terrains. To boost the morale of Central Para Military Forces (CPMF) personnel, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has taken up an ambitious mega housing project for construction of about 1,00,000 houses across the country for personnel from Border Security Force(BSF), Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Assam Rifles(AR) etc.

The massive exercise to be taken up initially in 30 sites out of 245 identified spots, will follow the Public Private Partnership mode, and is likely to be completed in about four years.

According to MHA, the housing satisfaction level among Central Para Military Force personnel is 15.4% which is considered to be a de-motivating factor. Though the CPWD has been constructing houses for the force personnel and the pace of construction has been less than what is required to meet the authorized satisfaction level of 25% for the force personnel. On an average, about 4,000 houses are being added every year. The MHA had engaged consultants with the assistance of the ministry of finance and the Asian Development Bank which completed the Feasibility Study in January, 2010. For floating the bids, MHA has appointed M/s Price Waterhouse as Transaction Advisors.

Mamata announces cash award for crew members of Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee has announced special award to crew members of Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani which derailed near Gaya on Monday. Some of the Railway staff including crew members who were working this train showed exemplary devotion to duty by exercising vigilance and alertness and applied emergency brakes as soon as the bomb blast occurred. Ms Banerjee sanctioned an award of Rs 30,000 each to the two loco pilots RK Singh and co-pilot A.K.Khalku, and Rs 20,000 each to the Guard R Minj and the train superintendent AC Ojha.

A common man’s letter to PM, copied to babu blogger

One Mr Chandan from Jharkhand, describing himself as a common man, has written a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh with CC to babu.blogger1@gmail.com. Though we have decided not to reproduce the letter because of certain unverified allegations, here are a few edited excerpts of the letter with the subject, “The Common Man’s Fight against Corruption”. Here it goes, “Dear sir, since the last two years, I have been fighting against the prevailing corruption in the Jharkhand state. When I started, I was all alone…. In the matter of Madhu Koda and his associates, the Central Agencies were very aggressive and their act had forced me to believe that in India, the truth prevails and the system does work…” Here is at least one firm believer of our political and bureaucratic system!

ON DRIVER’S SEAT: 3 outstanding Indian bureaucrats who chased a global dream of making a people's car

FOR the babu bashers, it may come as a shocker that Indian carmaker Maruti Suzuki which has always been led by bureaucrats, is joining on Tuesday the big league of global auto giants such as Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford, Honda, Renault, Hyundai etc. in producing one million, or 10 lakh units a year. From the time the first “Maruti 800” was rolled out from its Gurgaon plant in December 14, 1983, the company which was headed by Sarkari babus like V Krishnamurthy, RC Bhargava and Jagdish Khattar, took 27 years to reach this rare feat. babu blogger salutes these three outstanding Indian bureaucrats who proved it wrong that babudom stands for laziness and not getting work done.

Dr V Krishnamurthy

Coming from an agricultural family of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, Dr V Krishnamurthy did not wish to take up a job till his father lost his entire stretch of land. He then took studies seriously and completed a short-term engineering course, and later in 1954 appeared for the competitive exam for the central engineering services. He joined the Planning Commission as a research officer where he came close to stalwarts like Gobind Ballabh Pant, Chintamani Deshmukh, VK Krishna Menon and TT Krishnamachari etc.

Dr Krishnamurthy served as secretary to the ministry of industry, chairman and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, chairman and CEO of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), and since 2008, he has been serving as National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council. He was so close to the Congress top brass including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi that he earned many an enemy in professional lives leading him to be implicated in a scandal till the Court exonerated him, and the UPA regime bailed him out by bestowing new responsibilities.

(In picture: Former Prime minister Indira Gandhi being shown the Maruti Suzuki factory plan in 1983 by V Krishnamurthy)

RC Bhargava, 1956 batch IAS topper
He was the IAS topper of 1956 batch, and is hence14 years senior to current cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar. A bureaucrat to the core, Mr Bhargava who joined Maruti in 1981 and chose not to return to IAS, has remained the chairman of the carmaker. He was the second MD of the company, V Krishnamurthy being the first. Hailing from a middle class family of Dehradun where his father worked in Forest Research Institute, Mr Bhargava betted on Maruti as it was a dream project of both Mrs Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

Jagdish Khattar, 1965 batch UP cadre IAS

This IAS has done it all -- from selling tea in European market to marketing cars in India before turning an entrepreneur with setting up of Carnation, a complete car solution under one roof. A graduate from Delhi’s St Stephen’s college and LLB from Delhi University, Mr Khattar was the District Magistrate of Chamoli in UP between 1969 and 72, and later became the Managing Director of UP State Industrial Development Corporation (1975-78). In 1979-83, he was the director of Tea Board of India, London. Mr Khattar was also the joint secretary in the ministry of steel between1988 and 93 before joining Maruti as an administrative officer, sales. And the rest is all history. For many years during this current decade, he remained the King of India’s auto world.

If you wish to spot any bureaucrat and find out whether he has been in news for the last 11 months, you can type his name or batch in the “Google Custom Search” placed on the top. Hey there! Wishing to spot babu blogger? Just long onto http://twitter.com/babublogger

Mining lobbies' hands suspected in a newspaper advertisement wishing an AP bureaucrat happy and peaceful retirement days

HOW should a bureaucrat react if there’s a newspaper advertisement greeting him on his impending retirement? M Veerabhadraiah, a promoted Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS of 1988 batch and AP’s industry and mining secretary, has suspected a foul play when he saw advertisements in various newspapers on Saturday wishing him a peaceful life after his retirement on March 31, 2010. The ad which carries the officer’s photograph also praised his recent official visit abroad, a section of media reports said.

Mr Veerabhadraiah, who is tipped to get an extension as mining secretary, complained to the state government and the Hyderabad police about the advertisement. According to reports, the officer finds the episode a “mischievous act”. Significantly, he has been handling court cases involving Karnataka minister and BJP leader Gali Janardhana Reddy, and there have been instances in which he took on the mining mafia after taking charge as the mining secretary!

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Skoch for M Ramachandran and Sunil Mitra

Urban development secretary M Ramachandran and revenue secretary Sunil Mitra are among the Skoch Challenger Awardees for 2010. Whereas Mr Ramachandran, a 1972 batch IAS, won the award in the field of urban development, 1975 batch IAS Mitra, got it in the category of governance. The other awardees include luminaries like Dr Vijay Kelkar, former NASCOM chairman Kiran Karnik and Microsoft Corporation (India)’s chairman Ravi Venkatesan.

And yes, Skoch award has no connection with scotch whisky!

MISSING IN ACTION: Meghalaya police officer turns militant chief

IN A bizarre case of deserting the police force to join insurgency, a police officer from Meghalaya holding the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police reportedly left the force to become the self-styled commander-in-chief of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a militant organization in that North-East state. The officer named Champion Sangma was absent from duties for the last one year, and it is now suspected that he heads the militant organization which has recently stepped up its extortion drive demanding money upto Rs 1 cr from businessmen and coal merchants, media reports said.

The state police has stopped the salary of Mr Sangma who was posted as the Assistant Commandant of the Second Meghalaya Police Battalion in West Garo Hills district when disappeared from the scene without informing the authority. The state has now begun a manhunt to trace the missing officer.

Disclaimer: The picture is symbolic and not of Champion Sangma  

Centre drops plan to set up National Police University

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the dropping of the proposal for establishment of Rs 350 cr National Police University in view of the inherent merits in opening study centers and chairs in the existing universities. It would have incurred recurring expenditure of Rs.25 cr per annum.

Action and Appointments

a) The ACC has approved the proposal for inter-cadre transfer of Shekhar Vidyarthi, a 2004 Gujarat cadre IAS and Ms Nazneen Bhasin, a 2007 Sikkim cadre IPS from their respective cadres to Haryana cadre.

b) Gajendra Bhujabal, a 1981 batch IES has been appointed as secretary for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) at the joint secretary level under finance ministry.

3 CHEERS: More Money for Central Babus

In yet another bonanza for Central government employees and pensioners, the government has hiked 8% Dearness Allowance effective from January 1, 2010 mainly to offset price rise. This will be over 27% Basic Pay/Pension. The cost-of-living allowance is linked to the percentage rise in the 12-month average of the consumer price index and is revised twice a year.

BEE SMART: Mayawati’s top cops muster the art of showering praise...

FOR Indian police, it was one of the most bizarre investigations ever when Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ms Mayawati asked her state cops to investigate how and why a swarm of bees hovered around her as she delivered her speech on her birthday rally in Lucknow on March 15, 2010.

But equally bizarre were the results of the investigation as it said there were 1.5 lakhs bees disturbing the chief minister during the rally, and what’s more, the high-level police report prepared by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), showered lavish praise for Mayawati’s “calm and composure” during the bee attack! The rally became controversial when a garland made out of Rs 1000 notes (with a value of around Rs 5 cr) was presented to the chief minister on the occasion forcing I-T department investigate the sources of that huge cash.

Significantly, in UP, the thin line between officials working for the government and the ruling party has vanished altogether, and those who don’t follow the CM’s diktat get immediately shunted out to inconsequential postings.

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Second mysterious death of an IAS

Home Ministry’s clarification on biometrics in North Block

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has clarified that unlike some media reports, there has not been any declining trend in attendance recorded in the Biometric Attendance Control System installed there. As against an average of 1087 employees who marked their attendance in December, 2009, the figure has risen to 1173 in January 2010 and 1240 during February 2010. In fact, MHA has introduced flexi-timing under which those who reach late need to compensate by working overtime.

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Action and Appointments

a) BS Meena, a 1975 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS, presently special secretary and financial adviser in the ministry of steel, has been appointed as secretary, department of heavy industries in ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises in place of Satyanarayana Dash, a 1973 batch Kerala cadre IAS who retired on March 31, 2010.

b) Jamini Kumar Sharma, a 1975 batch MP cadre IAS has been appointed as Member Secretary, Tariff Commission under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the ministry of commerce and industry, in the rank and pay of secretary in the vacancy of Raghubir Singh, IA&AS(1972 batch) (Retd). 

Former IRS officer and key Reliance executive dies in Switzerland

FORMER Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and key advisor to Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Sandeep Tandon is no more. Mr Tandon, a 1975 batch IRS who took voluntary retirement initially to study, and then to join as an advisor to India’s largest company RIL on taxation, international law and liaison matters, died in Switzerland’s Zurich on Wednesday. Born in 1951, he was nearing 60 when he died.

Besides his wife Anu Tandon, a Congress MP from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, Tandon is survived by his two sons Shalin Tandon and Sachin Tandon.

As an IRS officer, he hogged the limelight several time including when he was the director, enforcement, I-T and investigated foreign front companies floated by Reliance. He also conducted a raid in the house of Tina Ambani, wife of Anil Ambani, now chairman of ADAG group. After taking VRS from the I-T, Mr Tandon studied law, first in Delhi University and then at Robert Kennedy University in Switzerland. He developed a specialization in international law and taxation.

In fact, the entire Tandon family is closely connected to Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani’s family, as both his sons work for the company and his MP wife used to be the Managing Director of MoTech Software Pvt. Ltd, a firm launched by Mukesh Ambani. Thanks to their clout in Mumbai, even Bollywood actor Salman Khan specially campaigned for Anu Tandon in her constituency during the last general elections.

Action and Appointments

a) The ACC has approved the proposal for extension of Inter-Cadre deputation of Hari Krishan Paliwal, a 1981 batch UP cadre IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre to AGMUT(Arunachal Pradesh) cadre for a period of 3 years beyond February 28, 2010.

b) V Srinivas, a 1989 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS has been appointed as Joint Secretary, in the ministry of textiles.

c) The competent authority has approved the proposal for assignment of additional charge of the post of Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to SK Srivastava, a 1978 batch Assam cadre IAS, additional secretary in the ministry of labour and employment, in addition to his own charge for a period of three months with effect from February 23, 2010.

d) Dhiman Chandra Pattanayak, a 1982 batch IRSEE officer has been appointed as Financial Adviser(joint secretary level) in the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at Mumbai.

Govt frames new rules to impose 10 years cap on officers working in minister's personal staff

THE government has decided not to permit an official to work in personal staff of a minister beyond 10 years. The 10 years cap with a sub-limit of five years for private secretary (PS) or Officers in Special Duty (OSD), imposed recently by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), will not however be applicable in case of personal staff appointed in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The new rules were framed understandably to discourage a large number of officers who have stayed as personal staff of ministers for a long period, and dissuade them to get rooted in a minister’s coterie.

“Every time an appointment in the personal staff is made, the cadre authorities may check whether the officer has worked in the personal staff of a minister earlier and if so, his total tenure be restricted to not more than 10 years in his entire career. Further, his tenure as Private Secretary and OSD to the Minister should be limited to five years within this overall limit, on the personal staff of the Minister,” the new rules say.

The department of personnel and training (DoPT) in an office memo dated March 4, 2010, further reiterated that the 10-year cap would be inclusive of any stint that the officer may have worked in, earlier at under secretary or lower levels also in the personal staff of any minister.

Read, the OFFICE MEMO, dated March 4, 2010

“Tinoo Joshis” of Pakistan identified

The National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan named five officers against whom major corruption cases are being clamped, Pakistan media has reported. Significantly, the same Bureau, headed by acting chairman Irfan Nadeem, decided not to pursue any action against politicians.

The allegations against these five Pakistani officials including the retired ones, are mainly related to incomes beyond their known sources of income, and allotments and transfer of plots. One of the former DG of police, for example, could not explain expenditures worth over 8.5 million Pakistan rupees, and bank transactions amounting to over 6.5 million rupees.

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Action and Appointments

The ACC has approved the proposal for the extension of Central deputation tenure of BS Bhullar, a 1986 batch UP cadre IAS and joint secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs for a period upto completion of 50th Training Programme on Defence/Internal Security at National Defence College, New Delhi commencing from 4th January, 2010.

Govt follows ‘zero tolerance’ on sexual harassment against women Army officers

THE government has issued instructions on ‘zero tolerance’ towards sexual harassment cases against women Army officers. Also, orders have been issued on definition of sexual harassment and procedure to deal with such complaints, defence minister AK Antony informed two Lok Sabha Members through separate written replies on Monday.

It was also informed in Parliament that there were six cases of alleged exploitation or harassment of women officers in the Armed Forces reported during the last three years, out of which three culprits were punished. In case of Air Force, there were five such cases in the last three years out of which punishments were awarded in three cases.

Significantly, the present strength of women officers is 1012 in the Army excluding Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Service. Twelve women officers are however due to retire in 2010 after 14 years of service. According to the present policy, the tenure of both women and men Short Service Commissioned (SSC) officers is 10 years but extendable up to 14 years.

But women SSC officers are not yet eligible for being considered for grant of Permanent Commission in all branches. Permanent Commission to SSC (women) officers has been granted prospectively in Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department and Army Education Corps (AEC) of Army. Also, women officers in the Indian Army are not assigned to the combat arms. A study carried out by Headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff in 2006 on all aspects of employment of women officers in the Armed forces, recommended exclusion of women officers from close combat roles.

Incentive package for Central govt employees in J and K to remain for another year

Good news for the Central government employees working in Kashmir valley, as the Centre has decided to extend the incentive package for a period of one year up to December 31,2010. Those working in Central PSUs will also be eligible for the package.

Click here for the DoPT CIRCULAR, dated March 15 2010

Action and Appointments

a) Rakesh Garg, a 1980 batch UP cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the department of food and public distribution.

b) Vijay Kumar Thallam, a 1983 batch AP cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the department of rural development.

c) GV Venugopala Sarma, a 1986 batch Orissa cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of home affairs.

d) The deputation tenure of SJM Gillani, a 1994 batch IPS and DIG, CBI has been extended for a further period of two years or up to March 20, 2012.

e) The comptent authority has approved premature repatriation of DC Jain, a 1991 batch Rajasthan cadre IPS, and DIG, CBI to his parent cadre with immediate effect.

f) The competent authority has approved curtailment of deputation tenure of Zaki Ahmed, a 1993 batch UP cadre IPS and DIG, CBI so as to enable him to take up his new assigenment as DIG in National Crime Records Bureau on lateral shift basis.

g) Prabhu Dayal Meena, a 1980 batch MP cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary, in the ministry of tribal affairs.

h) The ACC has approved the proposal of the ministry of home affairs for inter-cadre transfer of Ms Rohini Katoch, a 2008 batch Jharkhand cadre IPS from Jharkhand to Karnataka

No need to travel by Air India to claim LTC under railway entitlement, clarifies DoPT

DOES a government officer need to travel by Air India alone if his travel expenses are to be reimbursed against Leave Travel Concession (LTC)? The government now says “No”.

In fact, the government has clarified that if you are entitled to reimburse your railway tickets for LTC, but you have instead traveled by air, you don’t necessarily travel by Air India.

The department of personnel and training (DoPT) in an office memorandum dated March 11, 2010, said that the restriction of travel by Air India only need not apply to non-entitled officers who travel by air and claim the LTC reimbursement by entitled class of rail. The office memo titled, “regulation of journeys by private airlines while availing Leave Travel Concessions” however made it clear that it would be applicable with effect from the issue of the office memo, and “past cases already settled will not be reopened”.

In July last year, the government issued an instruction saying that all air travel (including LTC), both domestic and international where the government of India bears the cost, the concerned official may travel by Air India only.

In a related development, the government may end restrictions of ministers and bureaucrats compulsorily travel only in economy class by March 31, --- a decision which resulted into junior external affairs minister Shashi Tharoor tweeting about his controversial “cattle class” comments. Though the ministers and bureaucrats have abided by the finance minister’s diktat resulting into a saving of Rs 2000 cr for the government, a few ministers raised the issue in a recent cabinet meeting.

DoPT OFFICE MEMO, dated March 11, 2010

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No more taxing times; FM asks tax hounds to have human face

CALL it a tax collection with a human face. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has asked the country’s taxmen to take a human approach in collecting taxes. Urging the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers to consider tax payers as important stakeholders in nation-building, he pointed out the shift in policy whereby tax payers are not seen as adversaries, and that has resulted in a significant growth in tax collection during the past decade. Finance minister gave his own prescription to the taxmen while addressing the 63rd batch of IRS trainees on Thursday evening.

No wonder, direct taxes collection has increased by 10 times during the past decade, and its share has now gone up to over 55 %. He also appreciated efforts by the taxmen when he reminded the IRS officials that it was due to increased tax buoyancy and collection efforts of revenue departments that the government was able to waive off the loans to farmers amounting to Rs 71,000 crore.

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2200 officers apply for 228 Type IV quarters

The government has acknowledged that there is a massive shortage of type IV government accommodation meant for Central government employees. The current stock position of type IV government accommodation is 5300, out of which 5072 houses are already occupied by eligible officials, leaving just 228 type IV houses lying vacant as on date. This is too less in the backdrop of 2200 eligible civil servants still in waiting list for allotment of type IV accommodation. 100 such vacant quarters are located in RK Puram area in Delhi. The statistics were provided by Saugata Roy, minister of state for urban development in reply to a question by Rudra Madhab Ray in Lok Sabha on Friday.

Home secretary Pillai to chair security commission for UT

Ministry of home affairs (MHA) has constituted a security commission for Union Territories early this month in pursuance of directions of Supreme Court. The Commission will be chaired by home secretary, and will have joint secretary (UT) as its convener. The Commission, which will frame broad policy guidelines for promoting efficient, effective, responsive and accountable policing and identify performance indicators to evaluate the functioning of the police service, will have chief secretaries of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry as Members. 

Beyond Cabinet Secy’s Letter and Spirit: 3 don'ts for Indian bureaucrats

WITH India’s top bureaucrat, cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar, directing his fellow civil servants to turn more image-conscious in a letter dated March 3 last, BoI presents once again a quick guidebook on a few things that an Indian bureaucrat must not do under the current circumstances. Though the cabinet secretary’s letter was written in the backdrop of the recent I-T raids in IAS officers’ premises, here are a few additional tips for an Indian bureaucrat.

A) Don’t take a casual approach when you write on an official file. After the DoPT finally conceding that disclosure of file notings comes under the Right to Information (RTI), it is now clear that every word you write on hitherto secret sarkari files is like a spoken word in a press conference. When you write something in a file, imagine you are writing on a big black-board in front of millions of people with everyone having a mike and lots of queries. And it’s not file notings alone, that are in public domain. Every word you speak in an internal meeting where minutes are being taken, you imagine you are in front of a large gathering. Remember how CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat took the RTI route to get what additional secretary of rural development ministry Arvind Mayaram (1978 batch, Rajasthan cadre IAS) said in an internal meeting. In 2010, more journalists and politicians are likely to file RTI applications than to wait for answers of Parliamentary questions.

B) Yours is no longer just a 9 to 5 job. Reason? Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s second innings of UPA will be judged on the basis of performance as the Congress this time got a pure positive mandate. That means many of the ministers would make it a point to prove their mettle and the fallouts will be more work-load on backroom boys like you. But you can’t take your career too lightly either. The numbering system of appraisal which is now being practised now only for some select cadres like IAS and IFS would be followed for all Group A services. Also, third party assessment of bureaucrats has already begun on a pilot basis as 1990 batch IAS became the first officers in the country to be appraised by a group of outside experts, all former bureaucrats, when they were picked for joint secretary’s posts. The bottomline is clear --- your performance will now be better monitored.

C) You have always been careful of CVC and CBI. But now, threats have come from various other quarters thanks to the new-age technology. India has 500 million cell phone users with many of those handsets having advanced feaures such as camera, MMS etc. That means almost every person around you is carrying a camera with him and he may click your picture and record your conversation with anyone knowingly or unknowingly. The moment you step out of your white ambassador, remember, you are amid millions of photographers though they are not paparazzi following celebrities. Last year, White House gatecrasher socialite Michaele Salahi photographed herself with India’s deputy chief of mission in US Arun K Singh (click here to see the actual photograph) and happily posted the picture in her Facebook! Not a big deal as she even shook hands with US president Obama and hugged American Vice President! But remember, you can easily be featured in much popular social networking sites and make you an instant hero or a villain. No harm in trying out such platforms yourselves to understand the power of new-age media like blogs, facebook, twitter etc. But don’t wait for first committing a mistake as minister Shashi Tharoor repeatedly did, or wait for a formal DoPT clarification to come on how to use such a medium. Frame your own set of dos and don’ts while reaching out to the young audience. Already, a British bureaucrat’s guide to Twitter etiquette and strategy has drawn a laxman rekha. Simply follow that!

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Black and White: Cabinet secretary reaches out to civil servants on image make-over

CALL IT Tinoo and Arvind effect! Cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar has written an official letter to all government of India secretaries and state chief secretaries insisting on the need of an image make-over of India’s civil servants. Though Mr Chandrasekhar has not referred to any of the recent instances of Income-Tax raids in IAS officers’ premises, the tone and wordings of the letter have made it crystal clear that the recent incidents have a bearing on India’s top bureaucrat shooting off a letter to his junior colleagues around the country on the need to refurbish the image of civil servants.

Both the letters dated March 3, 2010, however mentioned how the recent “disturbing incidents” called for “serious introspection by civil servants”, and reminded the officers of the government’s policy of zero tolerance on corruption. “Preventive vigilance should be strengthened. Transparency must be introduced in decision making and in all our systems. Stringent action must be taken against officers found guilty. Disciplinary proceedings must be expedited”, he warned.

He also listed integrity, honesty, objectivity, impartiality, transparency, accountability and devotion to duty as the core values which every civil servant should cherish.

Cabinet secretary’s LETTER on INTROSPECTION, dated March 3, 2010

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PM gives nod to new format of civil service exam

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has given nod to the proposal for introduction of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) in place of the existing Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, introducing a new era of preparation for becoming the country’s top civil servants. The new format of exam, designed to keep the civil service exam in tandem with changing environment, is expected to come into effect from Civil Services Examination, 2011. This information was given by the minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions, Prithviraj Chavan in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Action and Appointments

a) Dr Amar Singh, a 1981 batch MP cadre IAS has been appointed as Executive Director (Transport) in the Food Corporation of India (joint secretary level) for the period upto October 6, 2011.  

b) Nandkishor Digambar Deshpande, Smt.Rekha Prakash Sondur Baldota, and Kailashchand Uttamchand Chandiwal have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court.

c) Jora Singh has been appointed as an Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

d) Akhilesh Chandra, Gopal Prasad and Mungeshwar Sahoo have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Patna High Court.

e) Benedict Victor Pinto, Bijoor Manohar, KGovindarajulu and Hosahalli Sheshadri Kempanna have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Karnataka High Court. 

Massive IPS recruitment drive may become a reality soon; junior state police officers to gain

FOR junior ranking police officers of various states, it’s a rare chance to clinch the IPS status. If home minister P Chidambaram has his way, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) may have to change rules to conduct a special recruitment drive, open to serving junior ranking police officers from State and Central police forces, to fill about 490 IPS (Indian Police Service) posts.

To overcome the shortage of direct recruitment quota of IPS officers, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has proposed to fill about 490 posts in that quota through the mode of Limited Competitive Examination in a time span of seven years. The unique proposal is under consideration by DoPT and UPSC. Minister of state in the MHA Ajay Maken revealed it in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

IIM-A discontinues course for bureaucrats 

India’s top B-school IIM-A has suspended a course specially designed for bureaucrats understandably after the government had refused to pay more money for its sponsoring candidates. IIM-A said it will not be announcing admissions to its one-year course, Post Graduate Programme in Public Management and Policy (PGP-PMP), offered to Group A service civil servants in India since 2007.

According a section of media reports, the hike of fee structure is one of main reasons for the suspension of the course. The DoPT, which sponsors the fees of the selected candidates, has reportedly told the institute its inability to pay Rs 20 lakh fee per student, up from Rs 8 lakh last year, and the 3-year-long MoU between IIM-A and DoPT was not extended.

Action and Appointments

a) 3 Selection Grade (deputy secretary) officers of CSS have been elevated as directors. They are, AK Sood (to be director in rural development), Anil Malhotra (director, Planning Commission) and RC Gupta (director, defence).

Babus in Demand

The government has proposed to fill up the post of chairman, Tea Board at the joint secretary level at the pay band of Rs 37,400 to Rs 67000 (PB-4) with a grade pay of Rs 10,000 on deputation basis. The selected officer will be posted in Kolkata. The officers empanelled as joint secretary at the Centre may apply for the post.

Detailed DoPT CIRCULAR, dated March 8, 2010