Unsuitable Boys: Govt sends third reminder to fill up posts at UIDAI’s Guwahati and Ranchi offices

WHAT could be construed as a clear sign of reluctance of senior bureaucrats to join Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), recently renamed as Aadhaar (Foundation), at least in a few centers, the government has recently given a reminder that the newly created outfit headed by former Infosys co-chairman Nandan Nilekani would require deputy secretary and director level officers in its regional offices located in Guwahati and Ranchi.

Though advertisements for the posts of Assistant Director General of UIDAI were issued first on October 5, 2009, and then a reminder was sent on December 4, 2009, no suitable candidates were found for its Guwahati and Ranchi centers. In fact, it could not be verified whether the department of personnel and training (DoPT) received any application at all for those vacancies, and if it had received applications why it had failed to select the right candidates.

Significantly, the DoPT sent a reminder on April 20, 2010 to all chief secretaries of the state saying, “it is again requested that the names of the willing officers at deputy secretary or director level who are eligible to work in the Centre under Central Staffing Scheme may please be recommended for this office”. The copies of the reminder were sent to the cadre controlling authorities too.

Civil, Yet Not Servants

For those bureaucrats who like to identify themselves as civil servants, a recent article published in Time may not be a happy reading. In a special article titled “The Dangers of Digging Up the Truth in India” written by Daniel Pepper, it was argued how the RTI Act brought a cultural sea change in India while adding, “…More than 60 years state bureaucrats have acted more like colonial masters than servants of the people.” Published from US in partnership with CNN, the Time is one of the most well respected magazines on global affairs.

Action and Appointments

a) The premature repatriation of SK Panda, a 1980 batch Manipur-Tripura IAS and joint secretary in the department of AYUSH to his parent cadre, has been approved. Mr Panda has been appointed as chief secretary of government of Tripura.

b) The government has approved the extension of central deputation tenure of Ms Amita Sharma, a 1981 batch MP cadre IAS and joint secretary in the ministry of rural development for a period of one year beyond April 10, 2010.

c) Taleen Kumar, a 1987 batch West Bengal cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP).

d) T Jacob, a 1984 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the department of food and public distribution.

e) Prem Kumar Gera, a 1985 batch Gujarat cadre IAS has been appointed as joint director in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie at the joint secretary level.

f) Ms Anuradha Mitra, presently additional financial adviser of the ministry of defence (finance) has been appointed as principal advisor (financial analysis) in the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).