Centre relaxes norm to continue IAS Ishita Roy’s deputation tenure for one more year

THE Central government has relaxed its policy to extend the central deputation tenure of Ishita Roy, a 1991 batch Kerala cadre IAS officer and joint secretary in the department of higher education, for a period till June 30, 2019, “beyond the approved combined tenure of seven years up to 01.09.2018, in relaxation of the policy”. The DoPT on Monday issued the order saying that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) had approved the relaxation. Originally belonging to Bihar, Roy first came into the central deputation in September 2011 when she joined as…

Govt upgrades SPG posts to inspector general’s level to rope in 2 senior IPS — Alok Sharma and S Suresh

TWO IPS officers — Alok Sharma of 1991 batch and S Suresh of 1995 batch — were appointed as Inspector General (IG) in Special Protection Group (SPG), an elite force which is in charge of protecting India’s Prime Minister, former PMs and their families. The SPG commandoes are often called the black cats. In order to rope in these two senior officers, both currently working in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the government had to temporarily…

Haryana IAS Ashok Khemka is transferred again; “Vested interests win”, the officer reacts

SENIOR Haryana cadre IAS Ashok Khemka is transferred again — 51st time in his 26 years long career, according to reports. After the Haryana government on Sunday announced the transfer of this 1991 batch IAS as principal secretary, sports and youth affairs, Khemka likened his transfer to “crash landing”, adding that “vested interests win”. This is exactly what Khemka tweeted on Sunday:

HARYANA IAS RESHUFFLE: Ashok Khemka transferred to dept of social justice; Rajni Sekhri Sibal, others transferred

IN A major administrative reshuffle at senior level in Haryana, the state government transferred 13 IAS officers including nine additional chief secretaries and three principal secretaries, the most notable being Ashok Khemka of 1991 batch who hogged the limelight during the UPA regime for canceling the mutation of the land deal between Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and real estate major DLF. Khemka who is currently the principal secretary in the ministry of science and technology in Haryana government will now be…

“Holding a lower rank post is humiliating”; No Achche Din for Haryana IAS Ashok Khemka

1991 BATCH Haryana cadre IAS Ashok Khemka who hit the headlines in 2012 for canceling the mutation of a multi-crore land deal between Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and realty company DLF, says he is currently holding a low rank post which is “humiliating”. His statement which he had posted in Twitter on Wednesday assumes significance as Vadra figured in BJP’s elections campaign both in the run-up to the Lok Sabha poll and Haryana assembly elections, and Khemka — the bureaucrat who ordered probe in Vadra’s land deal, thereby indirectly (not intentionally) helping the BJP to dislodge the incumbent Congress government, became a big star among the BJP supporters and common people. Now, there is a BJP government in Haryana, but Khemka’s Achche Din is yet to arrive. Khemka said:

Mera Naam Shyam Arjunrao Tagade: Now 1991 batch Maharashtra IAS changes his name

THE name change saga of IAS officers continues. The Central government in a notification dated June 16, 2015, permitted 1991 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS officer Shamrao Arjun Tagade to change his name to Shyam Arjunrao Tagade. “He will accordingly be recognized as Shri Shyam Arjunrao Tagade for all official purposes", said the notification. First, here are the new names of some IAS officers:

Khemka Vs Dhillon, Roshan Lal: Will Haryana IAS war take more twists?

WHISTLE-BLOWER Haryana IAS Ashok Khemka, against whom the state government recently filed two charge-sheets, has accused two of his seniors belonging to 1984 batch, SS Dhillon and Roshan Lal, of “ganging up” against him and “cooking things to suit their own personal interests”. Only recently, Dhillon who is principal secretary to chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, told news channels about the specific charges against Khemka. Many within the corridors fear that…

A Tale of Two IAS Batchmates: LK Atheeq of PMO gets extension, LV Nilesh still missing, "deemed to have resigned"

LK Atheeq: A Critical PMO official

IT’S a classic tale of two IAS batch-mates of 1991 batch. One, LK Atheeq, who has been in Prime Minister’s Office from August 2007, is increasingly becoming a critical officer in Manmohan Singh’s PMO. Atheeq, a Karnataka cadre IAS and joint secretary in PMO has recently been given a two years extension till August 12, 2014. The other…

Know Your Babu: IAS Sumita Dawra taking up economic role in Beijing

AS Sumita Dawra, a 1991 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, is taking up the newly created post of counsellor (economic) for the economic wing in Indian embassy in Beijing, here is a snapshot of Ms Dawra’s career graph as an IAS. A masters in economics, Sumita Dawra is armed with two MBA degrees one of which is from UK’s IDD School of Public Policy.

Currently a director in financial services division in the ministry of finance, Dawra’s new assignment won’t be a cakewalk. She will have to live up to the expectation of the Indian government in pushing India’s economic interests in China. In May, 2010, the cabinet approved a proposal for creating an economic wing originally to be headed by a minister (economic) in its embassy in Beijing. According to the government release issued then, the economic wing will deal with matters relating to macro-economic coordination and G-20, foreign investment, multilateral and bilateral borrowing and lending and financial sector developments in China and the Asia Pacific region.

Originally hailing from Punjab, she took up many an important assignment in Andhra Pradesh including Managing Director of Urban Finance Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Some of her publications have dealt with a variety of issues including IRDP, utility engineering, participatory rural appraisal, child labour, urban governance and JNNURM and MFIs at grassroots just to name a few.

Action and Appointments

a) Former IAS Subhash Lalla who was a close aide of former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, resigned as a member of Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission. He is the first bureaucrat to lose his job in connection to Adarsh housing scam. Lulla has claimed that he has no connection to the scam.

b) Information and Broadcasting ministry additional secretary Rajiv Takru, a 1979 batch Gujarat cadre IAS, has taken charge as an officiating CEO of Prasar Bharati. Earlier, CEO, BS Lalli was suspended for his alleged involvement in awarding some Commonwealth Games related contracts.

Action & Appointments: Missile scientist Dr VK Saraswat is new DRDO chief; to act as scientific adviser to A K Antony

Who is Vijay Kumar Saraswat? Current position: Distinguished scientist and chief controller research and development (missiles and strategic systems) in DRDO. New Role: Secretary, department of defence research & development, scientific adviser to the defence minister and director-general, DRDO. Educational Qualifications: PhD in Combustion Engineering Achievements: a) Padmashri Dr Saraswat spearheaded the development of country’s strategic and tactical missile systems including the ‘Agni’ series of strategic missiles covering a range up to 3,000 km. b) As project director ‘Prithvi’, he steered the design, development, production and induction of the first indigenous Surface-to-Surface missile system into the armed forces. c) The successful testing of ‘Dhanush’ missile on board a moving ship with high terminal accuracy brought a new dimension in the national defence capability. d) Pioneered the concept of theatre defence system and integration of national Air Defence elements. Awards & Recognition: Received several awards including Prof Jai Krishna Memorial Award of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and National Systems Gold Medal by the Systems Society of India. International Academy of Engineering, Russia elected Dr Saraswat as a member of the Academy and honoured him. Other appointments a) Vivek K Tankha has been appointed as Additional Solicitors General of India (direct taxes) in the Supreme Court of India. b) Manoj Chandran, ITS (1991 batch) has been appointed as Chief Vigilance Officer in the Cochin Port Trust. Babus In Demand The government has been looking for a suitable candidate to fill up the post of secretary-cum-controller of examinations, Staff Selection Commission with headquarters at New Delhi in the pay scale of Rs 37,400-67,000 (price band-4) with a grade pay of Rs 8700 at the level of a director. For any more detail, please contact Suneel K Arora, under secretary to the government of India, ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions (department of personnel and training), Room No 215-A-II, North Block, New Delhi-l10001. The last date of receiving applications is October 16, 2009.