2003 batch Chhattisgarh IAS Ritu Sain appointed as director in HUA ministry

Ms. Ritu Sain, 2003 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS, has been appointed as director in the ministry of housing and urban affairs (HUA). The DoPT order issued on March 14 also asked the state government to relieve from her duties immediately. Also, the appointment order referred an August 2005 circular which said…

Know Your Babu: Chhattisgarh’s new chief secretary Sunil Kujur

IN A sudden decision, the newly-installed government of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday night appointed 1986 batch IAS, Sunil Kumar Kujur, as the state’s new chief secretary. Kujur will be the first tribal chief secretary in the state which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. About 30% of the state's population is tribal. 

Kujur replaced Ajay Singh, a 1983 batch IAS, who in turn was made the new chairman of Revenue Board, Bilaspur. Here are 10 things you may like to know about new chief secretary Kujur:

Doctor-turned IPS Abhishek Pallava breaks down while narrating Aranpur Naxal attack; video goes viral

Abhishek Pallava, superintendent of police of Dantewada district, on Tuesday, broke down during a television interview as he was narrating the incident of two of his fellow policemen getting killed while trying to save media persons near Aranpur, located in south of Chhattisgarh. One Doordarshan cameraperson, Achyutanand Sahu, and two cops — sub inspector Rudra Pratap Singh and assistant constable Mangalu— were killed in that Naxal attack. Pallava broke down as he was telling…

What next for 2005 batch IAS OP Choudhary? Is he contesting assembly poll on a BJP ticket?

Choudhary while receiving the PM's award (File Photo) 

IN A major development in Chhattisgarh last week, 2005 batch IAS officer OP Choudhary resigned from the elite service, making his peers surprised and also raising speculations about his next move. If the media reports are to be believed, Choudhary who was the Raipur district collector till recently, may join the ruling party, BJP, and contest from the assembly constituency of…

Know Your IAS: Dr Rohit Yadav of Chhattisgarh cadre is PS to civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu

Dr Rohit Yadav, 2002 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as private secretary to civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu. Yadav will get the rank of a Government of India director. An MBBS in clinical pathology before getting into IAS, Yadav originally belongs to…

5 Civil Servants to Watch Out For, 2018: At No 4 is Chhattisgarh’s Strategist-in-Chief Aman Singh

WHETHER you are a staunch supporter of the BJP-run Chhattisgarh government or a fierce opponent to it, one thing you will agree in common: Aman Singh, a former Indian Revenue Service official and the principal secretary to chief minister Raman Singh is also the principal strategist of the state government. As the state will go for the crucial assembly poll later this year with the ruling party fighting 15 years of anti-incumbency, here’s the bureaucrat to watch out for. In BoI’s new list of “5 Civil Servants to Watch Out For, 2018”, Aman Singh is No 4, above new…

Chhattisgarh, West Bengal have spared the least number of IAS for Central deputation; more than the prescribed number of Kerala IAS in Delhi now

Chhattisgarh and West Bengal are the two states that have spared the least number of IAS officers for Central deputation, if the proportion of the IAS on Central deputation to the central deputation reserve (CDR) is factored in, according to a DoPT letter where the Centre requested the states to spare more officers for the Centre. According to the data as on October 31, 2017, as cited in the letter dated December 11, 2017, there are only…

IAS reshuffle in Chhattisgarh: 3 Bastar districts to get new collectors; 2005 batch IAS Mukesh Kumar brought into CM’s Office

Niharika Barik: Now posted as secretary, Gramodyog

IN A major reshuffle of bureaucrats in Chhattisgarh, Naxal-hit Bastar districts — Bastar, Narayanpur and Sukma— will get new district collectors. 2010 batch IAS Jai Prakash Maurya is appointed as the new Sukma collector whereas Topeshwar Verma will be new collector of Narayanpur district. Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar, 2005 batch IAS and current collector of Rajnandgaon district, has been appointed as joint secretary to the Chief Minister's Office. Here are some of the major bureaucratic reshuffle in Chhattisgarh:

Know Your Babu: Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO of MyGov and the man behind PM's first Townhall

PM Modi's first Townhall

ON SATURDAY, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his first Obama-style Townhall when he answered questions ranging from tourism, smart cities and foreign policy to self-styled cow protectionism. The event, organized by MyGov— a platform created to build partnership between citizens and the government —was televised live, and was highly appreciated across the board. But who was the man behind such a big show? IAS Association appreciates 1995 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS Gaurav Dwivedi saying…

IAS Jagdish Sonkar apologizes to civil servant fraternity, others for his “unintentional” act; Full text of his apology

Jagdish Sonkar (photo courtesy: Twitter)

BY NOW, you must have seen this photo in social media sites. The photo of 2013 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS Jagdish Sonkar while speaking to a patient in a government hospital and resting one foot on the bedrail, went viral last week, forcing the IAS Association terming the act as “shocking and unacceptable” and state chief minister Raman Singh instructing the general administration department of the state to train new officers in social behaviour and public dealing. Sonkar, who is an MBBS-turned IAS, on his part called his act as unjustifiable adding that it was “unintentional and thoroughly avoidable”. Here is the full text of his apology letter, as posted in a social media site:

Chhattisgarh Police celebrates Diwali with members of policemen martyred in anti-Naxal fights

AS THIS report is being written on Friday noon, there has been a gun-battle between police and Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. According to TV reports, four Naxals were killed, and casualty on the police side is not known as yet. In a state where over 1,000 cops died fighting the Maoists in the last 15 years, the state police’s initiative of celebrating Diwali with the families of policemen killed fighting Maoists, is a unique and praiseworthy initiative. Chhattisgarh’s additional DG in-charge of…

Why IAS officers of Delhi, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh are “concerned” and “frustrated”. Read IAS Association’s resolutions

IF THE resolutions of a meeting of the executive committee of IAS Association (Indian Civil and Administrative (Central) Association) held on May 25, 2015 in New Delhi are anything to go by, the IAS officers belonging to three states in particular -- NCT Delhi, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh – are getting more concerned and frustrated because of the recent trend of posting non-cadre officers to cadre posts, something what the association terms as a “blatant violation” of the IAS (cadre) Rules, 1954 and that it reduces efficiency of the administration. “IAS officers are specifically trained over their career-span to deal with jobs requiring specific background, experience and understanding. Posting of officers from indifferent backgrounds against…

Shakuntala Gamlin Saga: Who will defend an officer if she is publicly shamed?

THE controversy around two IAS officers, Shakuntala Gamlin of Delhi and Amit Kataria of Chhattisgarh, during the last one week, has raised one pertinent question: How should an officer react to or defend herself if she is shamed publicly? If the officer speaks directly to the media to defend her, there is a possibility that she could be charged of violating the conduct rules. And if she does not, it will be assumed that the officer concerned has conceded to be guilty! Let’s first see how 2004 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS…

Dance Babu Dance: Circular wants bureaucrats taking part in dance competitions to be cautious

COME January 27, civil servants working in Central government offices will gather at CSOI auditorium in New Delhi’s Vinay Marg to sing, dance and act. In fact, they will participate in inter-ministry music, dance and short play competition. But a government circular dated December 8 reminded the would-be participants that they “being government employees are subjected to the provisions of conduct rules”, and “any violations of…

How “happy” employees are turning Chhattisgarh Housing Board into a national success

Borah speaking at a function at Naples, Italy

EARLY this year, a group of students from Delhi-based premier institute, School of Planning and Architecture, were amazed to spot some quality architecture at Naya Raipur, the new capital city of one of the youngest Indian states, Chhattisgarh. As the students interacted with Sonmoni Borah, a 1999 batch IAS and commissioner of Chhattisgarh Housing Board that built those houses, they realised…

BoI Power List 2013: Ex-IRS, Chhattisgarh secretary Aman Kumar Singh is India's 5th Most Powerful Bureaucrat

SOUNDS odd, but you do spot highly powerful bureaucrats, that too non-IAS, a thousand miles away from the usual power corridors of Delhi’s North and South Blocks. This Indian Revenue Service officer of 1995 batch went to Raipur on a deputation when Raman Singh took over as the chief minister 10 years ago. He left the Central service mid-way and decided to serve one of India’s youngest states, Chhattisgarh on a full-time basis. Here is why Aman Kumar Singh is India’s 5th most powerful bureaucrat, according to…

Alex Paul Menon narrates his “brutal” kidnapping; says about passion for Sukma

Alex (File Photo)

EVEN nine days after 2006 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS Alex Paul Menon was released by the Naxals, people are still talking about the kidnapping saga. In social media, readers are leaving their views and are trying to connect directly with the officer. BoI here presents what Alex Paul Menon himself wrote in a social media site two days after he was released by the Maoists. First, there was no Stockholm syndrome as the IAS officer narrated how the kidnapping took place in “brutal fashion”. Second, he was deeply concerned about the killing of his two bodyguards. And finally, he was determined to carry forward his work at Sukma with the same “enthusiasm and passion”. Here is the full text of Alex’s narration:

Commerce ministry’s Amitabh Jain to head for Indian High Commission in London

Amitabh Jain, a 1989 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS, has been appointed as Minister (Economics) in the High Commission of India, London. Jain replaces his batch-mate from West Bengal cadre Anil Verma who had to return to India halfway after he allegedly assaulted his wife. The entire episode got huge British media attention. Verma, who had worked closely with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee was the third most senior Indian officer in London High Commission then.

Now, the appointments committee of cabinet has approved the appointment of Amitabh Jain, presently working as Additional Director General of Foreign Trade at the level of a joint secretary in the department of commerce. Jain will have a tenure of three years, from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever event takes place earlier, with the condition that the appointment of the officer at the first instance will be restricted up to August 27, 2013 and appointment for the remaining period out of three years, will be notified only after the receipt of cadre clearance of the state government of Chhattisgarh.

A mechanical engineer with specialization in systems analysis, Jain was in the cadre till he joined DGFT in 2006.

Action and Appintments

a) Rajiv Gupta, a 1979 batch UK cadre IAS, presently in the cadre, has been appointed as Managing Director, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), New Delhi at the level of a joint secretary.

b) Chandra Prakash, a 1982 batch UP cadre IAS, has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of labour and employment in place of SK Dev Barman, a 1987 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS on his appointment as Advisor in UNDP.

c) A number of senior finance ministry officials including DEA secretary RGopalan and chief economic adviser Dr Kaushik Basu are accompanying Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on a three day visit to USA beginning June 27, 2011. FM will deliver a keynote address at the conference on “US-India Economic and Financial Partnership”.

Denied At Home, Won Abroad: Chhattisgarh IAS wins award in South Korea

CALL it a story of an IAS officer who lost his battle, but won a war. Nine months ago, Sonmoni Borah, a 1999 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS, reached an award function in Raipur only to realize that his name was deleted at the last moment from the list of winners of Shahid Veer Narayan Singh Award. But Borah, who has won the prestigious award of excellence in MGNREGA administration twice in a row, has recently received yet another award in South Korea.

The award was given by Korean Development Institute (KDI), the leading think-tank of Korean government which conducted a programme for 94 IAS officers in collaboration with DoPT and the LBSNAA, Mussoorie. KDI’s president Oh-Seok Hyun presented Borah the award in recognition of his progressive participation during the programme activities and commitment in promoting the atmosphere of prosperity during the Korea exposure visit.

The recognition of bureaucrats by credible organizations and government institutions now help in career growth after Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) decided last year to include awards, citations, articles, books etc. in the Executive Record Sheets, or ER sheets of IAS.

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Global Window: Russia may reduce its bureaucracy by 20%

Russia may reduce the number of state employees by the next financial and may cut the country’s bureaucracy by whopping 20% in the next three years, a report in Wall Street Journal said. The country’s number of bureaucrats has swelled by 80% since the beginning of the decade. Under the plan, the number of state employees would be reduced by 5% in 2011, another 10% in 2012 and by the proposed 20% by 2013, according to the report.