Midnight Reshuffle: 36 new additional secretaries appointed; water ministry to have a new mission director’s post

IN A mid-night senior bureaucratic reshuffle, the Centre announced appointment of 36 officers, all ranked additional secretaries to Government of India. Major appointments include 1985 batch Punjab cadre IAS Arun Goel as vice-chairman of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), 1985 batch Telangana cadre IAS Pushpa Subrahmanyam as Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and 1985 batch Karnataka cadre IAS Yogendra Tripathy as CMD of Food Corporation of India (FCI). One Indian Economic Service officer and one Indian Revenue Service (IT) officer are the two non-IAS officers who have managed to get berths as additional secretaries. Here are the 36 appointments:

“Hang corrupt IAS officers in India Gate, but…”- a fascinating talk by 1994 batch IAS Srivatsa Krishna

Srivatsa Krishna, 1994 batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer and one of the most articulate voices of the elite Indian Administrative Service says there are many honest IAS officers undertaking tough jobs away from media limelight, though there are some who are corrupt.  Hang corrupt officers in India Gate, but don't tar everyone with the same brush, says Krishna while addressing a gathering of young entrepreneurs in Bengaluru recently for a TV show titled…

RIP APJ Abdul Kalam: How IAS, IPS, IFS officers remember this former President

Joint Secretary Usha Padhee with Kalam (File photo)

WHEN the news surfaced on Monday evening that India’s Missile Man and former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam died in Shillong aged 83, a number of sitting and former bureaucrats took to social media platform to express their condolences, narrating their earlier associations with the man who dreamed big for the nation. 1996 batch IAS Usha Padhee released her photo with Kalam. Read more to know about the IAS who received his graduation certificate from Dr Kalam, the IFS officer who once organized Kalam’s visit to Sydney and the officer who chose to tweet a Sanskrit verse on Kalam's farewell:

Does “sir culture” hinder openness and innovation in government? Young officers say, yes it does

FOR many a young professional joining as IAS, the first challenge in adapting to the sarkari culture is the very use of the word “sir”. Many wonder, why can’t a two-year senior officer be called by the first name or by his or her surname? So, it’s not surprising that one of the young IAS officers, currently undergoing training in Mussoorie academy, took to a social media site last week to say “too much formalism” in IAS is not good for the fraternity, adding that the "sir culture" is against innovation in governance. Meet this…

States to spend Rs 2.25 lakh for each promoted IAS for Sri Lanka visit, other domestic tours

Destination Sri Lanka (Photo Courtesy: Anton Croos) 

STATE governments of Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will spend Rs 2.25 lakh for each of the promoted IAS officer who is undertaking a six-week-long induction programme that begins on July 27 at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. As many as 36 state administrative officers from those four states will be imparted training under which a foreign visit (this time to…

Nitish Thakur: The Maha babu who owns two dozen properties, a Land Rover, a Mercedes and more

THE Enforcement Directorate’s Mumbai arm on Wednesday attached properties and bank fixed deposits worth Rs 56 crore in a money laundering case against Nitish Thakur, former deputy collector of Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (Mhada). This is in addition to last year’s ED attachment of assets worth Rs 53.57 crore from this state administrative service officer. Read more about this official who owns  two dozen bungalows and flats in Mumbai, and used to drive a Land Rover and a Mercedes.

You need just 50% to crack IAS exam; but don’t think it’s a doddle

WHEN high cut-off marks (even 100%?) for admission in Delhi University was the talk of the town last month, did anyone realize that many of those brilliant students would ultimately aspire to score just 50% or a little more in UPSC-conducted civil services examinations in a few years from now and turn IAS, IFS, IPS etc.? Sounds odd, but yes, you need just 50% marks to become an IAS, clearly showing how difficult the examination is. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the agency which conducts the year-long examination, on Tuesday made public the…

Foreign Companies, Desi Agents and Government Officials: Modus operandi of bribing bureaucrats to procure contracts

BRIBING of Indian government officials by foreign companies has come to the fore once again after the US Justice Department said last week that New Jersey-based construction management company Louis Berger International Inc (LBI) bribed officials in India and a few other countries to secure government contracts that included water projects in Goa and Guwahati. The total bribe paid in August 2010 for securing the Goa project alone amounted to USD 9,76,630 (Rs 6.2 crore according to current exchange rate). But what was the modus operandi deployed in bribing officials? According to the ruling of the United States district court of New Jersey, (USA Vs Louis Berger International Inc Criminal Complaint Mag. No. 15-3624, MF), the company concerned "did create...

Why Make in India succeeds when some other sarkari campaigns fizzle out; 5 Reasons

Amitabh Kant with Make in India Lion

DURING the last 14 months, NDA government at the Centre has launched a number of high-voltage campaigns -- Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), Pradhan Mantri Jandhan Yojana (accident and life insurance of Rs 2 lakh on a Rs 12 premium), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (save and educate the girl child), Digital India and Skill India. Now, just close your eyes and try to recollect the symbol of each of those campaigns. And then try the same for another campaign of the Modi government -- Make in India. By now, you must have figured out the lion, to be precise a walking lion. You must have also failed to…

Sometime, there can be action against an official facing sexual harassment complaint even without inquiry, says DoPT Step Guide

DISCIPLINARY authority conducting an inquiry in sexual harassment complaints is allowed to dispense with inquiry, and action may be taken against the government official without inquiry when the authority concludes that it is not reasonably practicable to hold such an inquiry because of threats or intimidation, according to provisions laid down by a new guide on “Steps for Conduct of Inquiry in complaints of Sexual Harassment”, prepared by the department of personnel and training (DoPT), Government of India. Action without inquiry could be possible if…

DARPG to engage a private consultant to measure impact, user satisfaction, scalability of good governance initiatives

NOW, a private consultant will help department of administrative reforms and public grievances (DARPG) to measure impact, utility, user satisfaction, sustainability, scalability and replicability of the Central government’s good-governance initiatives so far. The consultant is expected to undertake a critical review of the good governance initiatives and analyse both their tangible and intangible benefits. The private agency to be appointed initially for…

Did you miss Khemka’s “Sicilian mafia” comment? And guess why Shailaja Chandra was so happy on Tuesday

Ashok Khemka

DID you miss how Haryana IAS Ashok Khemka compared Vyapam of Madhya Pradesh with Sicilian mafia? Or what former Kerala IAS K Mohandas witnessed in London last week?  And guess which of the two --IAS or IPS Association -- actually condemned “threats and intimidation” of Amitabh Thakur? Finally, why was former IAS Shailaja Chandra so happy on Tuesday? Read on:

What activist cop Amitabh Thakur had to tell Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal; excerpts from a 2013 letter

TWO days after 1992 batch UP cadre IPS officer Amitabh Thakur lodged a police complaint against ruling Samajwadi Party chief and UP chief minister’s father Mulayam Singh Yadav, the state government on Monday night suspended him on the charge of indiscipline and anti-establishment approach. Thakur on Monday also met senior officials of union home ministry to demand a CBI enquiry into a rape charge against him and also to ask for more protection for him and his family. Those who know Thakur say he does not really hide behind conduct rules while expressing his views. BoI here reproduces a December 29, 2013 letter written by Thakur to Arvind Kejriwal who had then just taken over as the Delhi CM (Thakur himself made the letter public in a blog post). After all, it’s unusual for an IPS officer of one state writing an open letter to a chief minister of another state. Here below is the full text of the letter:

Amitabh Thakur, the IPS who lodged police compliant against Mulayam Singh Yadav; 10 Facts

A DAY after 1992 batch UP cadre IPS officer Amitabh Thakur filed a police complaint against Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening him over the phone, an FIR was lodged against him on a rape charge. The police officer on Sunday reacted to it by saying that the rape case lodged against him was the ‘return gift’ from the Samajwadi Party chief. BoI here presents 10 facts about this activist cop who moved court against existence of a separate IPS Association, approached CAT against Rule 7 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules 1968, made allegation about a “cane scam” in UP Police, planned to write a book on Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and wanted a regulatory body to monitor the God Men:

Food Funda: Sarkari canteen managers, halwai, cooks etc. to get special hotel management skills

North Block canteen before Union Budget in July 2014

IN A new initiative of the Government of India, the staff and officials working in various sarkari canteens including those in the rank of general managers, deputy general managers, managers, manager-cum-accountants, halwai-cum-cooks etc. will be imparted special training by the Institute of Hotel Management, in an apparent attempt to improve the quality of the canteens spreading across Central government ministries. The DoPT in an office memorandum dated July 10 asked...

Why 2014 batch IAS Ms Kinny Singh can’t get a transfer to Haryana on grounds of marriage; secretary-headed panel shows her the rule book

GETTING married to an officer from another state does not guarantee an inter-cadre transfer. Sample this. The Centre has recently rejected the proposal of Ms Kinny Singh, a 2014 batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer for an inter-cadre transfer from AGMUT cadre to Haryana cadre on the grounds of marriage. The panel under the chairmanship DoPT secretary Sanjay Kothari decided not to recommend the Ms Singh’s case of inter-cadre transfer because her spouse is...

Govt looks for suitable candidates for the post of PESB chairperson; private company CEOs can also apply

THE Central government issued an advertisement to scout for suitable candidates for two key posts -- chairperson and member in Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), a government agency that interviews and selects the chairman and managing director (CMD) and directors of Central public sector enterprises or PSUs. A union secretary (serving or retired) with at least one year of experience in that position or a CMD or MD of a PSU or private company with at least…

Mamata Banerjee’s trusted bureaucrat Gautam Sanyal’s promotion as principal secretary; story behind

WEST BENGAL chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted bureaucrat Gautam Sanyal was last month elevated as the principal secretary to chief minister after the state chief secretary finally issued the necessary order. It is not an ordinary promotion, at least for two reasons. First, Sanyal has become the first central secretariat service (CSS) officer (though retired) to get this coveted position. Secondly, this move is bound to create unease among IAS officers serving in West Bengal and outside. After all, principal secretary is a “cadre” post meant only for…

CAT CASE: How IAS topper Ira Singhal took up the challenge of lifting 10 kg of weight in one hand

IRA Singhal who made history on Saturday by becoming the first differently abled person to top civil services examinations, was earlier denied by the government to join as IRS (Customs and Central Excise), as the service (IRS-C and CE) is not identified “for both the arms affected persons”. Read more about Ms Singhal’s fight for justice in Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and how she took up the challenge of lifting 10 kg of weight in one hand in a medical re-examination in New Delhi’s Safdarjang hospital and got her appointment letter. The story goes back to her selection in…

How senior bureaucrats reacted to Saturday’s civil services results; their reminiscences of UPSC days

Ex-foreign secretary Nirupama Rao in 1973

AS UPSC announced the civil services examinations results on Saturday, many a senior bureaucrat including those serving as union secretaries, joint secretaries, ambassadors, former bureaucrats—all took to the social media sites to talk about the results, congratulate the toppers and narrate their reminiscences of their UPSC exams days. Revenue secretary and 1980 batch IAS Shaktikanta Das wrote in Twitter that he felt very happy for the customs and excise IRS officer Ira Singhal who topped the exam this year. “Her performance in Customs and Excise training academy was impressive. Great determination”, Das added. As many as…

Government promotes 27 director ranked CSS officers as GoI joint secretaries; Full List

THE Central government has elevated as many as 27 director level officers of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) to the rank of joint secretary, Government of India. In an order dated July 1, 2015, all the CSS officers (the list below) recently empanelled as GoI joint secretary and are currently working in various Central government departments or ministries, were promoted as JS on in-situ basis. Here is the list of the officers and their departments:

Know Your Babu: IAS Smita Sabharwal’s schooling, love for Hindustani classical and her rank in UPSC

Story of  Smita Das: A 14-year-old newspaper cutting

“Smita Sabharwal: Indian 'eye candy' official sues Outlook”— was the headline of a story in BBC dot com’s Asia section after 2001 batch IAS and additional secretary to Telangana CM announced that her lawyers sent a legal notice to the news magazine which carried an illustration showing the officer walking the ramp at a fashion show with her political bosses leering at her. Senior IAS Amitabh Kant tweeted: “Well done, Smita Sabharwal! Outlook piece is in extremely cheap and poor taste. Highly derogatory.” In the past two days, there have been a lot of writings on this IAS officer including in national media. But BoI here presents 10 facts about Smita Das (she became Sabharwal after her marriage to her IPS batch-mate Akun Sabharwal), her schooling, her love for Hindustani classical and how she had cracked the UPSC exam:

Want be a consultant in MEA? Suitable candidates wanted as international relations experts

DO YOU want to work in the ministry of external affairs (MEA) along with the career diplomats? The MEA has issued advertisements to hire consultants to be employed on contract basis. The salary will be negotiable, but the travel allowances will be on par with the Group-A officers. The selected consultants will be required to work as international relations expert in the…