Jadhav’s Air India may turn a test flight for IAS’ claims on administration skill

IF Air India chairman Arvind Jadhav fails to engineer a turnaround of India’s national carrier, it would impact less of the political career of NCP leader and Union aviation minister Praful Patel but more of the claims of IAS officers that magic rules of administration are applicable from running a district or a department to a complex behemoth like Air India. As 5000 passengers including a sizeable number of government officers got stranded during the recent two-day long flash strike just after the Mangalore air crash, Jadhav was more a talking point in corridors of power than those who were cabinet secretary probables. Many officers even began to introspect whether an IAS officer should head Air India at all?

Those who know 1978 batch Karnataka cadre IAS Jhadav from close quarters claim he is a tough, no non-sense administrator who means business. The sacking of AI employees post strike and de-recognition of two trade unions displayed a tough Air India management headed by Jadhav this time round, but his one-year-long journey of piloting the debt-ridden and strike-infested airline has largely been a turbulent one with no immediate sign of Maharaja’s recovery. Some even questioned whether Jadhav was qualified at all to take up the assignment? That he is an MBA from an Australian University and earlier served as MD in two organizations --- Karnataka Silk Marketing Board and Mysore Minerals Ltd., might have rightly impressed the selectors, but the question today is much bigger --- whether Air India should be headed by a professional CEO with a vast aviation knowledge and experience, or the future of the airline should be left to a politician-bureaucrat duo — Patel and Jadhav?

If you wish to post your comment and participate in this debate, click the “comment” sign below and leave your viewpoints.

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Now, Maharashtra govt wants IAS, IPS to declare assets

The Maharashtra government which has now taken up a series of new measures to evaluate the performance of bureaucrats, now wants the assets of IAS and IPS officers to be declared. To make it enforceable, it has recently written to the Centre to make requisite changes in the All India Service Rule. As was reported by the DNA newspaper, chief minister Ashok Chavan said IAS and IPS officers should declare assets on the line of politicians. 

TKA Nair launches marketing intelligence cell for SME

IT was not the usual intelligence gathering mechanism that home ministry or a section of PMO is familiar with. TKA Nair, one of the most powerful bureaucrats in the country and principal secretary to the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the marketing intelligence cell for micro, small and medium enterprises, set up by the national small industries corporation.

Such a cell was necessitated during this current era of globalization as patterns of fashions or tastes in the domestic and international market besides information about the trends in exports are getting changed now. These are vital inputs for making MSMEs aware about their marketing strategy which this cell would provide.

Dinesh Rai, secretary, MSME, chairman of NSIC Dr HP Kumar, M Raman, Director General (S&D), Madhav Lal, AS&DC (MSME) and other officers of the ministry and NSIC were present during the occasion.

Former UPSC chairman gets 3rd IOS life time achievement award

Vice President of India M Hamid Ansari presented the “3rd IOS Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr AR Kidwai, the former Governor of Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana and the former Chairman, UPSC. The award consists of Rs one lakh, a citation and a memento.

Action and Appointments

a) Kailash Chandra Joshi, has been appointed as an Additional Judge of the Rajasthan High Court.

b) Boregowda Sreenivase Gowda and Keralapura Nanjundaiah Keshavanarayana have been appointed as additional judges of the Karnataka High Court for a period of two years.

Know Your Babu: New defence finance secretary Nita Kapoor, 1973 batch IDAS

 AT LEAST one of the secretaries of the male-dominated defence ministry of India has remained with a woman officer once again. Ms Nita Kapoor, a 1973 batch IDAS will take charge as secretary of defence finance as Ms Indu Liberhan, a 1972 batch IDAS is retiring on May 31, 2010. She has now been serving as Controller General of Defence Accounts

Profile of Nita Kapoor

a) Date of Birth: March 11, 1951

b) Educational Qualifications: BA

c) Date of appointment: July 23, 1973

d) Promotion to SAG: June 30, 1993

e) Promotion to HAG: December 30, 2003

f) Home Town: Shillong

Major Postings

i) Under Secretary: Department of Personal and Administrative Reforms, New Delhi (May 10, 1979 to June 28, 1982)

ii) Controller of Accounts, Department Of Science & Technology, New Delhi (October 12, 1983 to September 2, 1985)

iii) Deputy secretary, UPSC, New Delhi (From September 2, 1985 to December 8, 1988)

iv) Joint secretary (director level post) in UPSC, New Delhi (From December 29, 1988 to June 30, 1990)

v) Student Officer, National Defence College, New Delhi (From January 13, 1992 to November 20, 1992)

vi) Joint Secretary, National Commission for Women, New Delhi (From October 15, 2001 to June 30, 2005)

Punjab and Sind Bank may again be headed by an IAS

WILL Punjab and Sind Bank get an IAS chief once more? The finance ministry has begun a manhunt for an IAS officer to be appointed as chairman and managing director (CMD) of the bank which has received the Reserve Bank of India’s approval for an initial public offer (IPO).

According to Business Standard, the finmin has begun the search within bureaucracy when they were unable to find a senior Sikh banker to replace GS Vedi as the CMD of the Delhi-headquartered bank. Mr Vedi is retiring in the end of June.

RP Singh, current DIPP (department of industrial policy and promotion) secretary, and a 1976 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre headed the bank before present incumbent Mr Vedi took over as the CMD. Mr Singh’s main mandate, according to the news report, was to bring the bank on the right track after it had piled up debts and refused to modernize. The new CMD will have a major responsibility as the bank is targeting to raise Rs 500 crore through an IPO. 

Commonwealth Games could be an excuse for govt to give yet another extension to cabinet secretary Chandrasekhar

 THE government may find the Commonwealth Games preparation an excuse to give yet another extension to incumbent cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar, a 1970 batch Kerala cadre IAS and former revenue secretary in Government of India. Mr Chandrasekhar, who got an extension of one year in June 2009 only to dash hopes of then labour secretary and now Member Secretary in Planning Commission Sudha Pillai becoming the cabinet secretary, may now play a spoilsport to the bids of urban development secretary M Ramachandran of 1972 batch and finance secretary Ashok Chawla of 1973 batch becoming the country’s top bureaucrat. Mr Ramachandran is retiring next month and Mr Chawla will retire in January 2011.

According to highly placed sources, the need for a continued co-ordination with various ministries in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games could be assigned as a reason for the unusual second extension for the incumbent cabinet secretary.

What this extension may also mean is a possible homecoming for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS, who had earlier served as a secretary in PMO dealing with all important issues including transfers and appointments.

Significantly, babusofindia.com (BoI) speculated such a situation in a post dated way back to March 2, 2010. It wrote, “…if Mr Chandrasekhar is given another extension, it could also pave the way for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS and close confidante of UPA chairwoman Sonia Gandhi, to supersede a few officers to grab the top bureaucrat’s job. A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during UPA’s first innings, Mr Chaterji is now in Washington DC serving as the executive director of the World Bank…”

(In Picture: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh congratulating Dr Shah Faisal, the Civil Services topper for 2010 from Jammu and Kashmir, in New Delhi on May 26, 2010.)

Action and Appointments

a) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Ms Nita Kapoor, a 1973 batch IDAS as secretary (defence finance) in place of Ms Indu Liberhan, a 1972 batch IDAS who is retiring on May 31, 2010.

b) The ACC has also approved the appointment of Manbir Singh, a 1976 batch IFS as secretary, at the headquarters of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in place of Ms Parbati Sen Vyas, a 1975 batch IFS who is retiring on July 31, 2010.

c) Niten Chandra, a 1990 batch Orissa cadre IAS, presently working as director in the department of rural development has been appointed as joint secretary in that department.

BoI Extraa

Like to send your children for a theatre workshop to be held from June 15, 2010 to June 30, 2010, in New Delhi to be organised by Central Civil Services Cultural and Sports Board. Just follow THIS LINK 

Russia bans gifts for bureaucrats; accepting Diwali mithais as gifts still spared in India

COME Christmas, Santa won’t visit Russian bureaucrats’ homes! Had Russians celebrated Diwali, there would have been no mithai packets during the coming festive season.

In fact, Kremlin has sought to ban gifts for bureaucrats totally and even decided to follow strict rules of seizing assets of bureaucrats as a part of its new move weed out corruption.

Currently, accepting a gift upto 3,000 rubles ($100, or Rs 4400) is allowed under the civil codes. But now, Kremlin spokesman Alexei Pavlov confirmed that Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin had ordered the justice ministry to draft a new law by June end to ban gifts for civil servants altogether, Moscow Times reported. In India, public servants including politicians and bureaucrats are allowed to take gifts upto a specified small amount. After all, the CVC does spare Diwali mithais!

In fact, Russia was ranked 146th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s global corruption index last year. India was reasonably up at 86^th position.

Global Window

Retired Korean bureaucrats spotted for grabbing plum posts

Japanese babus face highest ever bonus cuts

Brand building in European bureaucracy

Chinese officials buying fancy cars at state expenses questioned

Action and Appointments

Sanjay Kumar Panda, a 1980 batch IAS officer hailing from Cuttack, will be the new chief secretary of Tripura. A gold medalist in chemistry in Utkal university, Mr Panda is also a litterateur. Earlier, he was handling the affairs of AYUSH as joint secretary in the Government of India. 

CAG’s report card on implementation of social schemes may impact collector’s ACR

AIMING at becoming a Tendulkar or Dhoni by scoring 10 out of 10? The annual confidential report (ACR) of an IAS officer may now depend on administrative skills of an officer in implementing Centrally-sponsored social sector programmes, a report by a national daily newspaper said.

According to a report by The Times of India, the large-scale leakages in many of the social sector schemes are forcing the Manmohan Singh government to ask its official auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), to take the district as a unit to evaluate how it has performed while implementing several developmental programmes funded by the Centre. Till now, CAG had been auditing a particular scheme or evaluating the state’s performance as a whole.

“The ACRs of an administrator in the district and those coordinating and monitoring the schemes at the Centre will take into account the CAG review and the briefing made to the chief secretary in a state,” the newspaper report says. The report has quoted CAG Vinod Rai as saying that the skills of an administrator would be one of the factors in evaluating his performance in future.

The CAG has started district-specific audits in Himachal Pradesh (HP), Meghalaya and Uttarakhand.

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Can every IAS, IPS or IFS be a Tendulkar? Govt says 'no'

Action and Appointments

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of tenure of Dr Pronab Sen as Chief Statistician of India, with concurrent charge as secretary, ministry of statistics and programme implementation for a period of two months beyond May 20, 2010 or till the appointment of his successor, whichever is earlier.

Babus in Demand

a) Applications are invited for the post of chairman of Rubber Board at Kottayam, Kerala in the rank of a joint secretary.

For details, click DoPT’s WIRELESS MESSAGE, dated May 18, 2010.

b) Applications are invited for the post of secretary, Damodar Valley Corporation, Kolkata under the ministry of power at the level of a joint secretary.

For details, click the DoPT’s WIRELESS MESSAGE, dated May 24, 2010.

Japanese town bans sporting beard by bureaucrats

SOUNDS funny, but if the same rules apply in India’s corridors of power too, food processing industries secretary Ashok Sinha who sports a French cut beard or urban development secretary M Ramachandran will have no other options but to rush to the bathroom with a razor in hand and come clean, virtually.

Yes you have guessed it just right! Officials of a Japanese town Isesaki under Gunma Prefecture were recently told to shave off their facial hair after the municipal authority received a strange complaint from public that dealing with bearded bureaucrats is "unpleasant".

A section of media reports said that the ban, the first of its kind among Japanese public officials, is applicable to all kind of facial hair, “from lovingly cultivated full beards to trendy goatees and designer stubble”. Though Japanese companies too emphasize on physical appearances, it’s the first time that there has been a diktat on how a public servant should look. But the big question remains --- will smooth-chinned bureaucrats deliver better, or deal with public more efficiently? Only time will tell that. But for now it’s more a bureaucratic decision!

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Japanese bureaucrats get lessons from comedians

IAS contemplates to leave service to join politics

Uttam P Khobragade, a Maharashtra cadre IAS of 1984 batch, is reportedly leaving his job to join active politics. An LLB degree holder, Khobragade, who served as GM of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST), was recently relocated as principal secretary of the tribal development department. Mr Khobragade, who was unhappy with the transfer, has not yet joined his new post. What’s more, several Dalit organizations staged protests in parts of the state in support of the IAS officer. A believer of Ambedkar’s ideologies, he is close to several political bigwigs including former CM and union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. 

Also Read

An Australia-based former IAS wants to join active politics

Action and Appointments: KP Krishnan to move to EAC to PM; MR Anand back to DEA

a) Dr KP Krishnan, a 1983 batch Karnataka cadre IAS and joint secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the ministry of finance has been appointed as secretary, Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister in the rank and of joint secretary with effect from July 1, 2010 and upto September 15, 2012 or until further orders. (babusofindia.com wrote about it two days ago)

b) S Vijay Kumar, a 1976 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS and special secretary in the ministry of mines held the additional charge of the post of secretary in the ministry of mines during the period of absence on leave of Ms Santha Sheela Nair, a 1973 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS from May 17, 2010 to May 21, 2010.

c) Anil Kumar Khachi, a 1986 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS has been appointed as Deputy Director General (Headquarters) (joint secretary level) in the Unique Identification Authority of India under the Planning Commission for a period of five years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders.

d) The Competent Authority has approved premature repatriation of MR Anand, a 1981 batch IES, Deputy Director General, CAPART under the department of rural development to his parent cadre, the Department of Economic Affairs.

e) 28 IAS officers were transferred in Mumbai in a major reshuffle of top administrators in Maharashtra. Joint secretary in the chief minister’s office CV Oak is the new collector of Mumbai. OP Gupta is the new chief of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking.

(In Picture: Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Vinod Rai, a 1972 batch IAS, releasing the book “Whispering Mind” written by the Director General, The Comptroller & Auditor General of India, KP Shashidharan, in New Delhi on May 21, 2010.) 

Govt to sponsor 35 civil servants for a public policy course with a 6 months’ study in US

THE government is sponsoring 35 civil servants to study a 15-month-long Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management (PGDPPM) at the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon. The programme which will commence on October 25, 2010, will also include an international module of six weeks’ duration at the prestigious George Mason University, USA. The selected candidates will also have an on-job work experience of three months. The course is a compulsorily residential programme.

The department of personnel and training (DoPT) in a letter dated May 20, 2010 asked all chief secretaries of state and Union Territories and secretaries to Government of India to nominate suitable candidates for this programme in public policy and management.

In fact, the cost of the international component of the programme will be met by the DoPT whereas the domestic expenses of Rs 4 lakh tuition fee will be met by the cadre controlling authority.

The last date of nomination is July 15, 2010

For details of the eligibility criteria and contacts, kindly read the DoPT CIRCULAR, dated May 17, 2010

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Govt to sponsor civil servants at Harvard, IDS, Duke, ISS etc.

Redefining the word “excellence” for government sports persons

After the government of India’s decision to grant incentive increments on achieving excellence in sports events of national or international importance, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) in an office memo dated May 18, 2010, finally defined what does “excellence” actually mean. It was clarified that sportspersons participating in sporting events (both individual and team events) of national and international importance would be treated as having achieved “excellence” for the purpose of grant of increment(s) if he or she achieves first, second or third positions in the finals of sporting events if more than three individuals or teams have participated in the events. If only three or less individuals or teams have participated in the finals of a sporting event, the sportsperson or team achieving first position will be treated as having achieved excellence.

No wonder, the government always achieves excellence in putting everything black and white!

Kashmiri IAS topper gets security cover; Also says he is not a slumdog millionaire

HEARD of a secretary to Government of India being escorted by two body guards in New Delhi? Not really! But this year’s IAS topper, Dr Shah Faesal from Kashmir Valley, has now been given a security cover, according to media reports.

In fact, both local and national media gave extensive coverage to medical graduate Faesal’s rare feat of topping the civil services examination from the conflict-infested Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, making him an instant celebrity. Now, two security personnel will accompany Dr Faesal all the time. His father incidentally was killed by militants barely a few days before his pre-entrance medical examination eight years ago.

A report by Hindustan Times quoted Dr Faesal saying that he wants “to shuffle back to normalcy” after receiving invitations from various organizations, coaching centers etc. in addition to requests from media.

But is he a typical rags-to riches story? “I am not a slumdog millionaire,” the same national daily quoted Dr Faesal as saying, who in fact studied in Kashmir's premier school Biscoe. (Photo used here is mere symbolic)

Also Read

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IAS Toppers Day: Special dinners and receptions

Secretaries In Action

a) Union home secretary GK Pillai on Wednesday reviewed various security issues concerning airports in the country. Steps relating to biometric access, construction of watch towers, raising of perimeter walls, provision of adequate security staff, installation of CCTV cameras, provision of dog squads and bomb disposal squads, etc. were discussed at the specially-convened meeting.

b) Steel secretary Atul Chaturvedi urged industry lobby group FICCI to commission a study for taking the Joint Plant Committee (JPC) report forward.

Is Dr KP Krishnan joining PM’s Economic Advisory Council?

Dr KP Krishnan, a 1983 batch Karnataka cadre IAS, may join the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (EAC) as secretary. Currently, he is a joint secretary of capital markets in the finance ministry. EAC secretary Jayant Dasgupta, a 1981 batch Bihar cadre IAS, has been chosen as the new Ambassador, Permanent Mission of India, WTO, Geneva, for a period of three years from July 31, 2010.

BoI Extraa

Forget Rumour, Civil Services Prelims on May 23. Check: http://www.jobcorridor.com/

Maharashtra Mirror: Chavan attempts to do a Modi by Chintan with bureaucrats

GUJARAT chief minister Narendra Modi could still be a political pariah in the Congress-ruled states, but Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan’s latest Chintan with bureaucrats was an attempt to do a Modi, though his execution was not as stylish as it was done by Modi.

In fact, Gujarat CM in December last got all senior bureaucrats and politicians together in tented camps in an exotic locale of Rann of Kutch to brainstorm administrative issues in a four-day-long meet. For Chavan, who have now advised his bureaucrats to treat aam aadmi as their role models, it was more a realization that motivating the bureaucrats to perform would be key to his strategy of getting a positive mandate next time.

In Chvan’s 48-hour brain storming session with bureaucrats, the major emphasis was to bring in more discipline and accountability into the system, and adhering project deadlines was almost a dictate.

The Maharashtra government has now constituted a task force under chief secretary JP Dange to fix deadlines for every department. And it would not be a pure bureaucratic exercise as if targets were not met, even cabinet ministers would have to answer.

Maybe, Modi should now take a few tips from Chavan!

Also Read

Gujarat politicians, bureaucrats in Chintan

Two to Tango

The Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) will now be headed not by one but by two IAS officers. A new post of additional chief executive officer (ACEO) was created and Harsahay Meena was appointed for the job. RP Jain will lead the corporation as the CEO. But the question remains whether “more the merrier” formula will actually work in the pink city?

DoPT’s clarification saves jobs of minister’s personal staff; 10 year rule applicable for private sector recruits too

FOR those Indian officers who have spent a number of years in personal staff of ministers, here’s a big relief. The DoPT has clarified that its earlier order dated March 4, 2010 saying that an officer can work in personal staff of ministers only up to 10 years, will not have any retrospective effect, implying that those officials who have already worked over 10 years under one or more ministers may not necessarily pack up and go back to their parent cadres. In fact, only the new appointments made after March 4 this year will be impacted by the order.

“It would not be practical to open cases of all appointments with ministers at all levels and recalculate their tenure or cancel their appointments as the case may be”, a new DoPT circular dated May 13, 2010 said.

The circular has, however, made it clear that the 10 years limit would be applicable to all appointments in the personal staff of ministers even for retired or private persons.

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Pulok Chaterji may prefer to complete a 3 year stint in World Bank. Why?

The speculations that India’s one of the most influential bureaucrats Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS, may come back from the World Bank to join newly-constituted National Advisory Council (NAC) which is being reconstituted under UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are ill placed, sources close to him said. Mr Chaterji may rather complete three years as Executive Director in the Bank to get himself eligible for World Bank’s pensions rather than venturing into an early homecoming. Mr Chaterji, who has always remained close to 10 Janpath thanks to his earlier stints as district magistrate of Rae Bareli in early 1980s, a director in the PMO during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, a secretary (joint secretary equivalent) in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in early 1990s, and then a private secretary to Sonia Gandhi when she was the leader of the Opposition.

Indian diplomat and trade negotiator cum poet selected for prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana award

Amarendra Khatua, a 1981 batch IFS officer who represents a rare combo of poetry, diplomacy and trade negotiation expertise, has been selected for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana award to be presented in Bhubneswar on May 21, the death anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister in whose name the award was instituted.

A joint secretary in the ministry of commerce, Mr Khatua, has played a key role in India’s negotiations in WTO and also in bilateral trade agreements, but the award will be conferred to him for his immense contribution to the Oriya literature. As BoI had reported earlier, the Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) only a few days ago approved the proposal for premature repatriation of the IFS officer in the ministry of commerce to his parent cadre. Before joining the ministry of commerce, Mr Khatua was a minister in the Indian Embassy in New York, and then India’s ambassador to oil rich Ivory Coast in which India has major strategic interests.

A product of Delhi University, Mr Khatua became a diplomat but the poet in him always remained prominent as he penned a number of poems and attended various Oriya poetry meetings. His Ek Kavi Ka Khamosh Ho Jana, published by Prabhat Prakashan has been highly appreciated in the poetry circle.

Here is an excerpt of one of his poems titled Reaching Out Into Nothingness

One’s own silence pesters wayward motives

to branch out and emote in a

stabilised world of unfamiliar shadows.

Say it again, the familiar human touch

can be so monotonous that one will

prefer to stay back, at least knowing that

shadows are after all shadows, if

once can get hurt by absent images,

then knowledge have not reached yet

regarding what harms these harmless

shadows can bring upon.

Have failed to read the poet's mind? Don’t worry, so long as diplomats and bureaucrats who remain shadows of their political masters get rare distinctions outside the corridors of power! Congrats poet diplomat.

Don’t race for taking credits, Khurshid tells state secretaries; employment of minorities in govt up by 9%

AS STATES have made attempts to take credit for various schemes meant for the welfare of minorities, minister of minority affairs Salman Khurshid has urged the secretaries and principal secretaries of various states and Union territories to work in unison with Centre while implementing various schemes without indulging in one-upmanship for getting the credit.

Inaugurating the annual conference of state or UT secretaries and principal secretaries for the welfare of minorities, the minister further said how the percentage of priority sector lending to the persons belonging to minorities has increased to around 13% and the employment of minorities in the government/PSUs has also increased to over 9%.

Vivek Mehrotra, secretary, ministry of minority affairs, emphasized the need to have a dedicated department in all the states/UTs to deal with the issues of the welfare of minorities as in the absence of such an arrangement in some states, there occurs a problem of coordination.

CVC recommends major penalty proceedings against 132 officers

The Central Vigilance Commission disposed of 864 cases during March 2010 referred to it for advice. The Commission recommended the imposition of major penalty against 132 officers including 37 from Central Board of Excise and Customs, 13 from Syndicate Bank, 12 from ministry of railways, 9 from Canara Bank, 8 from MCD, 6 from Corporation Bank, 5 each from Bank of India and Vijaya Bank, 4 from the development commissioner (SSI), 3 each from Oriental Bank of Commerce, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Chandgarh Admn., Delhi Development Authority and Delhi Jal Board.

Recoveries to the tune of Rs 45.45 crore were affected after the Commission conducted technical examination of some departments.

Action and Appointments

a) Justice Arvind Mohanlal Kapadia, Judge of the Rajasthan High Court has been transferred as a Judge of the Gujarat High Court.

b) Justice Dipak Misra, Chief Justice of the Patna High Court has been transferred as the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.

Ashok Chavan takes the Maha move to rank his departments' performance

THE Central government’s performance management division under the Cabinet Secretariat may not yet formally declare which departments or ministries met with 100 percent target in the first ever holistic evaluation system undertaken for three months beginning January 1, 2010, it’s now the turn of Ashok Chavan-led Maharashtra government to monitor the performance of each department in the state. In fact, Maharashtra is considered to be one of the better performing states, and many other state governments look forward to it for improving administration.

Chief minister Ashok Chavan on Thursday launched the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System (PMS) to track performance of each department and make it more efficient. In fact, model is similar to what has been introduced by Dr Prajapati Trivedi’s team in the cabinet secretariat of the Centre as here too, each department would first set target and then try to achieve those. A special Delivery Monitoring Unit has been set up under the chief minister’s office for this purpose.

Hota committee on vigilance proceedings

A committee of experts under the chairmanship of former UPSC chairman PC Hota has been constituted to examine and suggest measures to expedite the process involved in disciplinary and vigilance proceedings. Former personnel secretary Arvind Verma and former Central Vigilance Commissioner P Shankar would serve as members of the committee.

Action and Appointments

a) The ACC has approved the appointment of Anil Kumar, a 1976 batch Nagaland cadre IAS and presently special secretary in the ministry of power as principal adviser in Planning Commission in the rank and pay of a secretary.

b) The ACC has approved extension of inter-cadre deputation of Sukhbir Singh, a 1988 batch Uttarakhand cadre IAS from Uttarakhand cadre to Punjab cadre by two months beyond July 2010.

c) The ACC has approved the proposal for premature repatriation of Amarendra Khatua, a 1981 batch IFS and joint secretary in the ministry of commerce, to his parent cadre.

d) Ms Gauri Kumar, a 1979 batch Gujarat cadre IAS, presently in the cadre has been appointed as additional secretary and financial adviser in the ministry of environment and forests against the newly created post.

e) The competent authority has approved that Ms Rita Sinha, a 1973 batch UP cadre IAS and secretary in the department of land resources will hold the additional charge of the post of secretary of department of drinking water supply under the ministry of rural development during the absence of leave of Ms Rajwant Sandhu, a 1975 batch HP cadre IAS from May 8, 2010 to May 23, 2010.

f) TV Somanathan, a 1987 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of corporate affairs.

Defence minister admits he receives complaints on pension for ex-servicemen; urges his officers to expedite process

IN A serious bid to ensure timely disbursal of the revised pensions and arrears for retired Armed Forces personnel, India’s defence minister AK Antony has asked the defence finance officials to expedite and streamline the pension system. While inaugurating the controllers’ conference of the defence accounts department in New Delhi on Wednesday, he further said, “Even now, I am getting a lot of complaints from people that they are not getting pensions... Considering the past, things have improved, but even then complaints are there still... So you must take all steps possible so that they get their dues at the earliest,”. He also said that how the government had made an attempt to infuse more transparency in the huge defence outlay, which is over Rs1.52 lakh crore for the current financial year itself.

Secretary of defence finance Ms Indu Liberhan (In Picture with AK Antony) stressed the need for continuing institutionalized interaction between the defence finance and the three Services. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai, a 1972 batch IAS, also addressed on the occasion.

Anil Ambani meets TKA Nair

ADAG chairman and younger of the Ambani brothers, Anil Ambani, on Wednesday held a separate meeting with Principal Secretary to the PM, TKA Nair for about 10 meetings before he met with the PM. Mr Ambani lost the recent case Supreme Court case on gas disputes to his elder brother and RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani. The government was also a party to the case. What transpired in the meeting is not known.

Action and Appointments

a) Mr Rajiv, an UP cadre IPS officer of 1975 batch, has been appointed as Director General of National Disaster Response Force and Civil Defence (NDRFCD).

b) Chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Brijeshwar Singh said that achieving the target of building 20 km road every day would be possible with speedier acquisition of land for which chief secretaries of the states have been taking monthly meetings.

c) Anti-corruption wing of the Orissa government registered a criminal case against a 1995 batch IAS officer B P Sethi among others. He was allegedly involved in financial irregularities when he was a director of animal husbandry and veterinary service two years ago.

d) Secretary (Border Management), ministry of home affairs (MHA), AE Ahmed (In Picture) spoke at the annual conference of relief commissioners and secretaries of the department of disaster management of states and UTs, 2010, in New Delhi on May 12, 2010.

UPSC complains to DoPT of late receipt of disciplinary cases of officers

THE Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has complained that references of disciplinary matters of government officers from various ministries or departments are being sent to the UPSC only a few days before the retirement of the concerned official thereby making a mockery of the entire system of the Commission giving advice in such cases.

“The Commission has again brought to the notice of this Department (DoPT) that the references on disciplinary matters from various ministries/departments are being received in the UPSC only a few days before the officer is due to retire or where a deadline set by a judicial order is to expire shortly, thereby leaving little time for the Commission to tender its advice”, a DoPT Office Memo dated May 10,2010, said.

In fact, the disciplinary proceeding are quasi-judicial in nature, the UPSC tenders its advice after a thorough judicious and independent consideration of all relevant facts, which generally takes three to four months.

Babus expected to spill the bins?

The UP cadre IAS officers who were slapped by Enforcement Directorate (ED) with money laundering cases in connection with Rs 4,721 crore Noida land scam, are expected to spill the bins and name top brass of Samajwadi Party who were in power when the scam allegedly took place in 2006-2007. Apart from four IAS, three serving and one retired, a number of state civil servants are being charged with money laundering cases, according to media reports.

My Take: Merit over Jugad must remain the guiding force of UPSC

TWO months ago, babu blogger met with one of the senior most UPSC officials to argue how the government should attract talents through lateral entry for achieving better administration. The argument was straight and simple --- why can’t we flood the administrative machinery with mid-career specialists who won’t mind joining the government mid-way and make a difference to the system thanks to their customized domain knowledge which generalist IAS lack. It’s not even hard to find a few classic examples in various ministries including that of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as finance secretary earlier when a specialist changes the work environment and becomes a game-changer.

Though babu blogger’s argument was well in sync with the recommendations of the administrative reforms commission, senior men in UPSC vehemently objected to the proposition saying that it would lead to malpractices in the recruitment process and “jugad” would replace “merit” while getting premium berths in India’s elite administrative services. As babu blogger was having a cup of tea in Dholpur House of Delhi, one of the top officials manning the UPSC agreed that many IAS, IPS or IFS officers lose their sheen mid-way and take a no-changer attitude and refuse to modernize the administrative system. Yet, he would still argue in favour of the sanctity of UPSC’s recruitment process which in turn ensures the best lot joins the services. “Even the Prime Minister’s Office can’t influence us saying we should recruit X, and reject Y,” the official said with a sense of pride.

As Sandeep Kaur, a peon’s daughter who cracked the civil services exam, 2009, recently has inspired many a have-not across the country, the UPSC official’s conceited argument can’t be negated. Thanks to the fairness and sanctity of the Commission and its ability to resist requests from who’s and who of India’s corridors of power for facilitating a candidate getting into the elite services, the UPSC-route of recruitment is still the best for ensuring fair play. Yes, UPSC should be given the discretionary power to judge the best among those private sector guys who wish to join the government. After all, jugad should not get precedence over merit. At least for the sake of the country's Sandeep Kaurs!

Written exams of IES and ISS results announced
Follow THIS LINK in http://www.jobcorridor.com/ to get the results of Indian Economic Service, Indian Statistical Service and Combined Medical Services exams. 

Meet this non-IAS secretary who wants to make senior performing IAS a lakhpati

SOUNDS odd, but a non-IAS officer Dr Prajapati Trivedi who has spent most part of his life in the World Bank working in no less than 25 countries around the world, is now on a mission to bring in efficiency of government administration, and introduce a performance bonus for employees working in various central government ministries and departments. Dr Trivedi, secretary of the performance management division under cabinet secretariat, has reportedly worked out a proposal under which senior administrators like secretary or additional secretary would get a bonus of no less than 20% of their salary provided his ministry meets 100% target and saves money from non-plan expenditure. That means, a secretary to a highly efficient ministry of the Government of India, who gets Rs 80,000 per month as salary may receive Rs 20,000 more, making him an instant lakhpati. The joint secretaries and other employees in Central government would also be major beneficiaries of this new proposal which has the blessings of cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar and understandably of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. But if the performance of a department/ministry is 70% or less, the concerned officials won’t get a penny as bonus.

Significantly, the government has been toying with the idea of introducing a performance-linked payout to efficient government employees for the last 20 years, but has failed to deliver it so far. Even 6^th Pay Commission recommended a small portion of the government employees’ salary to be linked to performance, but that has not been implemented so far.

In fact, very few people in corridors of power now remember that Dr Trivedi as the economic adviser to government of India during 1992-94, worked closely with Dr Manmohan Singh, then finance minister, and Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, then finance secretary. A product of St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, Dr Trivedi is an MSc in economics from London School of Economics and a PhD from Boston University.

IAS Toppers Day: Special dinner and receptions to welcome India’s new icons

THOSE who made into IAS and other elite Indian civil services across the country spent a busy Friday as they were flooded with congratulatory messages and requests for media interactions apart from their attending of special dinners and receptions.

For Shah Faesal, who turned out to be the first Kashmiri ever to top the civil services examination, it was a big day as village drummers from his native Sogam in Kupwara sang traditional songs and threw rose petals to welcome him. According to media reports, Governor NN Vohra invited the Valley’s new celebrity and his mother to the Raj Bhawan.

In Delhi, DoPT issued a congratulatory message from minister Prithviraj Chavan, “We in DoPT greet all of you on choosing a career in the prestigious civil services and hope that you will live up to the expectations and aspirations of the citizens of India”.

In Orissa, Rashmita Panda (13^th rank), a bank officer’s daughter, who did not accept a placement in an IT major to become an IAS officer, became the talk of the town. Also, the state celebrated the success of Sudhanshu Mohan Samal, a boy from an Oriya-medium school in Kendrapada’s Indupur village who secured the 18th position in over-all ranking.

Action and Appointments

a) Sudha Pillai, 1972 batch IAS who retired on April 30, took over as member secretary of the Planning Commission in the rank of minister of state (MoS). A gold medalist from Punjab university, she secured the second rank in the civil services exams.

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1972 batch bureaucrats continue to take the centre-stage

b) PJ Thomas, a 1973 batch Kerala cadre IAS and secretary in the department of telecommunications, will hold the additional charge of the post of secretary, department of information technology during the period of absence of leave of R Chandrasekhar, a 1975 batch AP cadre IAS from May 10 to May 25, 2010.

A Kashmiri doctor tops the list of civil services exams, 2009

Dr Shah Faesal, a Kashmiri doctor who lost his father to militants eight years ago, has topped the Civil Services Examination, 2009. A school teacher’s son from the troubled valley, Dr Faesal made into the elite service in his first attempt itself. His father was killed by unidentified militants in 2002, just three days before he took the pre-medical exams. Prakash Rajpurohit, a BTech from IIT Delhi, stood second. This is his second attempt. Ms Iva Sahay, an MA in geography and the topper among female candidates, secured the overall third rank. This is her first attempt.

What It Means

Out of the first three toppers, two got into the services in their first attempt. What’s more, of the Top 25, six made into the merit list in their first attempt, four in second attempt, 11 in third attempt, three in fourth attempt and one in seventh attempt. Also, that 15 out of Top 25 appeared from Delhi indicates how cult Delhi has still remained vibrant for UPSC preparations.

Number Does Matter

As high as 875 candidates were recommended for appointment including 399 General (including 21 physically challenged candidates), 273 Other Backward Classes (including 9 physically challenged), 127 Scheduled Castes and 76 Scheduled Tribes candidates.

What It Means

The intake is almost double thanks to the special recruitment of IPS officers. Will help revamping our police system.

Sex Ratio

Out of 875 selected candidates, 680 are male and 195 female.

What It Means

It symbolizes a status quo. A mere 22% of female recruits means Indian women who perform well in Class 12 exams and beyond, have not yet taken UPSC seriously.

Educational Qualification

The Top 25 candidates comprise 13 engineers; 9 commerce, management, humanities, science and social sciences, three doctors. Of these, 21 took the examination in English medium and four in Hindi medium.

What It Means

Four Hindi medium students’ entry into in the list of Top 25 is an interesting trend.

Action and Appointments

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which conducted a study to assess the key issues and constraints in implementation of the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005, has pointed out that there is inadequate planning by the public authorities in regard to supply of information. The study further talks about low awareness about the Act in rural areas and among women, lack of clear accountability in respect of various functions, etc. The study was commissioned by the government.

Park or perks? Bureaucrats of Lutyens' Delhi given a free ride

Park and Ride could be the new buzzword for government employees working in Lutyens' Delhi. For thousands of office goers of various ministries like PMO, home, defence, railways, commerce and industry and urban development to name a few, an introduction of a free AC bus service could end their parking woos.

In fact, union minister for urban development Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday flagged off a free “Park and Ride” bus service for Central government office complex to ease out parking problem and reduce inconvenience to visiting public and officials. On the occasion, chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit and minister of state for urban development Saugata Roy, urban development secretary M Ramachandran were also present. (See Picture)

The service starts from C-Haxagon (India Gate) and runs to and fro various Central government offices located on either side of Rajpath. It will cover Jamnagar House, Vigyan Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, Red Cross, Transport Bhawan, North Block, Andhra Bhawan, IGNCA, Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, ‘G’ Block, Sena Bhawan and South Block.

A new topper in amended IFS list

The UPSC has added one more name, Dipika Goyal, in the list of successful candidates of Indian Forest Service Examination, 2009, for which it had earlier announced 84 names of successful candidates. But interestingly, Ms Goyal whose name did not figure in the original list, turned out to be the second topper among 85 selected candidates. Sangram Keshari Behera remains the first topper in the new list too.

Action and Appointments

a) The government has clarified that file notings, except file notings containing information exempt from disclosure under section 8 of the RTI Act, can be disclosed. No decision has been taken to amend the Act to exclude file notings from disclosure. This information was given by the minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions Prithviraj Chavan.

b) SRV Prabhat, a 1979 batch Chandigarh cadre IAS has been appointed as chairman, NCRI, Department of Higher Education in the rank of additional secretary.

c) Jitech Khosla, a 1979 batch Assam cadre IAS, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, IICA, ministry of corporate affairs in the rank of additional secretary.

d) The ACC has approved the following appointments:

i) EK Bharat Bhushan, a 1979 batch Kerala cadre IAS as additional secretary and financial adviser in the ministry of civil aviation.

ii) Ms B Bhamathi, a 1979 batch Bihar cadre IAS as additional secretary in the ministry of home affairs (MHA).

iii) V Somasundaran, a 1979 batch Kerala cadre IAS as additional secretary in the Department of Defence Production.

iv) R Gopalakrishnan, a 1979 batch MP cadre IAS, as additional secretary in the PMO.

v) Ms Anita Kaul, a 1979 batch Karnataka cadre IAS as additional secretary in the department of school education and literacy.

vi) Sneh Lata Kumar, a 1979 batch MP cadre IAS, as Managing Director, TRIFED, minsitry of tribal affairs, in the rank additional secretary.

Richie Rich Andhra IAS arrested

YET another IAS officer has been caged by investigative authorities for amassing income disproportionate to his known sources of income. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Andhra Pradesh arrested a 1999 batch IAS, M Jagan Mohan, after alleged unearthing of assets worth Rs 20 crore. The 52-year old Mohan, who was promoted to IAS 11 years ago, is currently posted as joint collector of Ranga Reddy district.

According to media reports, the ACB raided his residence on Tuesday and claimed to have recovered huge assets including Rs 1.5 lakh in cash, three kg of gold and documents of properties worth in crores.

Reports quoting an ACB joint director further said that bank balance amounting to Rs 12 lakh and investments in life insurance policies, national savings and Kisan Vikas Patras amounting to Rs 15 lakh were also seized during the raid. Among other articles seized during the raid included a car valued about Rs 7 lakh.

About three months ago, the residences of a number of IAS officers were raided in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh by Income-Tax department. In the house of Arvind Kumar Joshi and Tinoo Joshi, both 1979 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS, a whopping Rs 3.1 crore in cash, jewellery and documents of properties were seized.

(In Picture: Richie Rich, the richest kid in the world, is a fictional character in comics.)

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The IAS with 220 bank accounts attended 6 foreign courses in 4 years

Painting the life of an Air Force Marshal

A life-like portrait of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh DFC was unveiled by Air Chief Marshal PV Naik at IAF’s Akash Officers’ Mess in New Delhi recently. The portrait of the icon was painted by noted painter Sanjay Bhattacharyya whose other portraits of former Presidents also adorn the precincts of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Parliament House and other distinguished institutions. The Marshal who celebrated his 92nd birthday on April 15, last month was commissioned as a fighter pilot in Dec 1939. He was conferred the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force on Jan 26, 2002 making him the only ‘five-star’ rank officer of the IAF till date.