Nothing Unofficial About It: Indian government hunts for a Muslim officer to fill up a Consul General’s post

ARE you a Muslim officer by any chance? It may not be a politically correct question to be posed in secular India, but government of India has officially been on a manhunt to spot a Muslim officer at the rank of a director to fill up the post of Consul General, Jeddah under the ministry of external affairs (MEA).

In fact, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) in a letter to dated April 9, 2010 to all government of India secretaries and state chief secretaries, said, “Officers of Islamic faith of the rank of Director in the Government of India or equivalent level, eligible for appointment under the Central Staffing Scheme are eligible for the post.” The period of deputation is of two years.

“Names of willing and eligible officers of Islamic faith who can be spared by the state

governments/ministries/departments may be forwarded to this department along with cadre clearance, vigilance clearance, detailed bio-data in the enclosed proforma and

CR Dossier” it said.

DoPT CIRCULAR, dated April 9, 2010

PM’s award for excellence announced

The Prime Minister’s Awards for excellence in governance for 2008-09 have finally been announced. Those who won it at the individual category are Sanjay Dubey, IAS, Gulshan Bamra,IAS, (both from Madhya Pradesh), Dr. Samit Sharma, IAS (Rajasthan), Kolhapur’s (Maharashtra) municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal, IAS and Rajesh Lakhani, IAS (Tamil Nadu).

The only non-IAS who won this award in the group category is SS Khan, Member (IT) CBDT for Integrated Tax Payer Data Management System (ITDMS).

Action and Appointments

a) Ms Bhupinder Prasad, a 1976 batch UT cadre IAS, presently secretary, department of justice has been appointed as chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India in the rank and pay of secretary.

b) Neela Gangadharan, (In Picture) a 1975 batch Kerala cadre IAS, presently in the cadre, has been appointed as secretary in the department of justice, ministry of law and justice.

c) V Venkatachalam, a 1977 batch UP cadre IAS has been appointed as additional secretary in the department of agriculture and cooperation, ministry of agriculture.

d) KN Desiraju, a 1978 batch Uttarakhand cadre IAS has been appointed as additional secretary in the department of health and family welfare.

Fake finance ministry circular gives more money to Central government employees; DoPT's clarification disappoints a lot

FOR many a Central government employee, it was the Diwali coming too soon. After the recent DA hike, the Central government employees’ joy knew no bounds when the finance ministry in an office memo dated March 27, and duly signed by under secretary S Rajan Chandranaydu, announced a revised rate of Overtime Allowance.

But as it turned out to be three days later, it was a fake Office Memo, and the government has no clues who played the prangs. In an Office Memo, this time the real, signed by DoPT director Simmi R Nakra, it was clarified that the office memo purportedly issued by finance ministry, (OM No 1(4)/2010 E-II dt. 27/03/2010) giving a revised rate of Overtime Allowance, was in fact a fake order.

“It is clarified that no such instruction has been issued by this Department or Ministry of Finance. Ministries/Departments are advised not to take cognizance of the fake instructions being circulated in Central Govt. Offices”, the DoPT’s clarification says.

You can click for the REAL CIRCULAR, dated March 30, 2010.

Here is yet another real peice of news that may make Central government employees happy. The government has decided to declare Wednesday, the 14th April 2010, as a Closed Holiday on account of the birthday of Dr BR Ambedkar, for all Central government Offices including industrial establishments throughout India.

Action and Appointments

Air Chief Marshal PV Naik takes over as chairman, COSC

Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik took over as the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) on Tuesday. He received the baton of chairman, COSC from outgoing Chief of Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor at a brief ceremony in the South Block. Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma was also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Marshal Naik said the Indian Armed Forces are in the process of moulding existing and emerging concepts together, to develop capabilities and solutions that will directly benefit the Armed Forces and the joint war-fighter of tomorrow, a government release said. Commissioned into the IAF in June 1969 as a fighter pilot, Air Marshal Naik has flown a variety of combat aircraft and is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader. A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and an alumnus of the National Defence College, Air Marshal Naik is a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.