Monday, March 08, 2010

Women’s Bill In Raisina Hill: Indian politicians bank on power women of great Indian babudom

IF THE Indian government has its way, the “Monday, the March 8” won’t just be remembered just for routine celebration of international women’s day. In fact, India is on the verge of making history as the ruling party coupled with the main Opposition, the BJP, is determined to enact a new law that will ensure 33% reservation for women Parliamentarians in Lok Sabha.
Whereas more women politicians are likely to enter corridors of power in coming days, let’s do a reality check of the most powerful women bureaucrats in India and why they are so important in Raisina Hills.
In fact, the BoI (babusofindia) ranking of the country’s three most powerful women has remained unchanged during the last five months. Even now, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar, also a 1973 batch IFS and 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS and Planning Commission secretary Sudha Pillai have remained the three most powerful women bureaucrats in the country.
But they are not alone. One out of four secretary level officers (at the Centre) happens to be a woman --- a marginally improved statistics than 13.7% serving IAS in the country being women officers.
Some of the power-women in New Delhi include expenditure secretary Sushama Nath, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS, school education secretary Anshu Vaish, a 1975 batch MP cadre IAS, mining secretary Santha Sheela Nair, 1973 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, health secretary Kanuru Sujatha Rao, 1974 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, higher education secretary Vibha Puri, 1976 batch Uttarakhand cadre, secretary in department of AYUSH S Jalaja, 1974 batch Bihar cadre IAS, land resources secretary Rita Sinha, a1973 batch UP cadre IAS, drinking water secretary Rajwant Sandhu, a 1975 batch HP cadre IAS, food secretary Alka Sirohi, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS, textile secretary Rita Menon, a 1975 batch UP cadre IAS, sports secretary Sindhushree Khullar, 1975 batch UT cadre IAS, urban poverty alleviation secretary Kiran Dhingra, also a 1975 batch UT cadre IAS etc.
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Questions in Lok Sabha on changes in UPSC’s recruitment process
WATCH out for the official answer of some of the important questions that you have been guessing for far. The government will give a formal reply to a question admitted in Lok Sabha on possible changes in the recruitment process of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Though the changes in the methods of recruitment through UPSC have been indicated in various forums, it has not been made clear so far.
The list of unstarred questions that are being admitted in Lok Sabha for March 10, 2010, also includes amendment of RTI Act, CBI raid in government offices, reservation for Muslims, travel concessions for pensioners, OBC in Central government services, bureaucrats in vigilance cases, induction of state civil services to IAS, vacant posts in CBI, reservation to ex-servicemen etc. For the same day, there is a starred question on single recruitment examination too.

1 comment:

  1. Do you need women reservation for bureaucrats at the higher level too? I feel, reservation is always counter-productive for the larger good of the country. Let merit prevail.

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