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.

DoPT reminds government officers and staff of guidelines on “sexual harassment”

THE government has reminded officials and other staff of existing guidelines regarding prevention of sexual harassment of working women and said in a recent office memo that it is necessary to have in place at all times an effective Complaint Mechanism for dealing with cases of sexual harassment of working women and to create awareness in this regard. Rule 3 C of the CGS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 provides that no government servant shall indulge in any act of sexual harassment of any women at her work place, the office memo issued by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) said. There is no available data of such incidents taking place in power corridors, or whether cases of sexual harassment in government offices have actually risen in the recent past. But the timing of the Memo is significant as defence minister A K Antony said in Parliament just three days ago that sexual harassment cases of women officers in armed forces would be viewed seriously and investigated. (Read babu blogger’s post on July 23) In fact, the DoPT mentioned what constitutes “sexual harassment”. According to the Memo, “Sexual harassment” includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour, whether directly or otherwise, as -- a) Physical contacts and advances; b) Demand or request for sexual favours c) Sexually coloured remarks d) Showing any pornography, or (e) Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature The Memo has also included the salient features of the compliant mechanism and the inquiry procedure. It also said that the complaints committee should be headed by a woman and not less than half of its members should be women. Further to prevent the possibility of any undue pressure or influence from senior levels, such complaints committee should involve a third party, either NGO or other body who is familiar with the issue of sexual harassment. The Memo has further said that the Complaints Committee in terms of Cabinet Secretariat’s Order No 1 dated September 26, 2008 will inquire into complaints made against officers of the level of secretary and additional secretary and equivalent level in the government of India in the ministries/departments and organisations directly under the control of the Central government, but other than the Central PSUs.

Sexual harassment cases of women officers in armed forces are viewed seriously and investigated, says Antony

AN officer in the rank of a Major General has been sentenced to be dismissed from service after trial by a General Court Martial on the charges of sexual harassment of a woman officer. This is one of the 11 cases relating to allegations of sexual harassment in the armed forces during the last five years. However, the exact sentence has not been confirmed due to the directions of the High Court of Rajasthan. Defence minister A K Antony said in a written reply in Parliament that any complaint of sexual harassment of women officers is viewed seriously and is investigated and dealt with in accordance with relevant provisions of respective Services Acts. For the other cases as well, necessary investigations or Court of Inquiry or General Court Martial (GCM) have been instituted.

From steel pen to pen drive: thoughts of a bureaucrat T C James, who had recently retired as a DIPP director under the ministry of commerce and industry after four decades of the Central secretariat services, sent babu blogger a message. Here are some excerpts: “I started my career in the secretariat when steel pens were the rule and departing when a PC adorns the table of every officer, who now carries his correspondence in a pen drive. This is material progress, indeed and some thing on which India has kept pace with the advanced world. One can be proud of it.” Mr James, who was with the government for 13,578 days, according to a calculation of his friend, further wrote, “We inherited a system designed by an external imperial power who never trusted the subjects. The whole administrative apparatus and financial management systems were built on the foundation of ‘trust not the Indians to do the right thing.” We further added to this, more hierarchical steps which every paper and proposal have to climb up and down myriad times to reach a decision which, in more cases than less, would be a decision to defer the decision by referring the matter to a committee or a meeting. It is time we think of alternatives to this process.”

Action & Appointments a) P K Pradhan, a 1977 batch IAS of West Bengal cadre has been appointed as additional secretary in the department of health and family welfare in the vacancy of G C Chaturvedi, a 1977 batch UP cadre IAS who joined financial services division of the Finmin sometime ago. b) Rakesh Singh, a 1978 batch IAS has been appointed as additional secretary in the department of Information Technology under the ministry of communications and Information Technology. c) Anil Bhushan Prasad, a 1976 batch IAS of Bihar cadre has been appointed as additional secretary in the National Disaster Management Authority under the ministry of home affairs in the vacancy of Harishankar Brahma, a 1975 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, who had recently moved to power ministry as the secretary. d) Jitendra Shankar Mathur, a 1982 batch IAS of Madhya Pradesh cadre has been appointed as joint secretary in the department of drinking water supply, in the pay band of Rs 37400-67000/- (PB-4) plus grade pay of Rs 10000, for a period of five years or until further orders.

Bengal officers look for greener pastures outside Left bastion

THE sixth Pay Commission and the current economic uncertainty might have stopped civil servants including senior IAS officers abandoning power corridors and joining the private sector, but the flee of officers particularly from the Left bastion of West Bengal has still been continuing. The difference, however, is that they don’t want to leave the government altogether, but want greener pasture somewhere outside the state. The latest case, as has been reported in a section of media, is the 1988 batch IAS and secretary of animal resources M V Rao, who has joined as the deputy director, National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh happens to be Mr Rao’s home state. He had earlier served as managing director of West Bengal Industrial Development Council (WBIDC). According to media reports, P R Baviskar too had requested the government to send him on deputation to his home state, Maharashtra. In fact, political upheavals at Singur and Nandigram and the subsequent events there made many IAS officers looking for opportunities outside the state. According to reports, industries secretary Sabyasachi Sen and municipal affairs secretary P K Pradhan have also expressed their desire to get out of the state. In fact, personal secretaries to Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy and minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi are all IAS officers of West Bengal cadre. Families of armed forces sensitized on menace of spying Regular awareness programmes are being conducted to sensitize members of Armed Forces and their families regarding the threat perception and modus operandi being adopted by the adversaries, as a number of spying cases carried out by Pakistan-based intelligence agencies were detected. During 2006 to 2009 (till now), eight such cases were registered and seven serving personnel were arrested. And nine serving personnel of the defence forces were either convicted or dismissed, defence minister A K Antony said in Lok Sabha on Monday.

Back to North Block: GK Pillai to take over as new home secretary

INDIA'S two most important bureaucrats, cabinet secretary and home secretary, may now be able to discuss security related matters in Malayalam. There is no prize for guessing who is India’s next home secretary! Present commerce secretary G K Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS, will move to North Block as an OSD (Home) now, and will finally take over as home secretary on June 30, 2009 when current incumbent Madhukar Gupta, a 1970 batch IAS, retires. Mr Pillai, who was also a contender for the post of cabinet secretary along with his wife labour secretary Sudha Pillai, will have a now have a two-year-term in North Block. The government had earlier given one year extension to K M Chandrasekhar, Mr Pillai’s senior from Kerala cadre. Mr Pillai is quite familiar with the home ministry where he was the joint secretary in charge of North East from 1996-2001 before becoming the principal secretary to Kerala CM A K Antony, now defence minister in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. This has led people in power corridors speculate that Mr Pillai could be selected for defence secretary after the incumbent Vijay Singh retires next month. Now, there have already been speculations over who would become the next defence secretary. Keep reading Babu Blogger’s posts. Delhiite Khullar appointed as commerce secretary THE government has also appointed disinvestment secretary Rahul Khullar of 1975 batch as the next commerce secretary. The man who is one of the few senior officers belonging to the capital city of Delhi, had earlier worked in commerce ministry in various capacities including as joint secretary, additional secretary and special secretary. A doctorate in economics, Mr Khullar also completed a course in economics from Boston University, US. Babus In Demand THE government has asked for nominations for newly instituted “Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” to acknowledge, recognize and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by officers of Central and state governments. All officers of Central and state governments individually or as group or as organizations are eligible for consideration. The last date of receipt of nominations is August 17, 2009. For details, log onto http://darpg.nic.in/ or http://www.asci.org.in/ You can also pick up the phone to contact director (administrative reforms) in the department of administrative reforms and public grievances at 011-23362369