Why Leena Nandan is getting stuck with a Commonwealth Games post?

Leena Nandan (File Photo)

Delhi Commonwealth Games was over one and half years ago, but a few officers have failed to come out of it, for one reason or the other. On April 17, the Appointments Committee of Cabinet, which is headed by Prime Minister, has approved the extension of Leena Nandan, a 1987 batch UP cadre IAS “as Project Director of the Host Broadcaster Team (HBT) Commonwealth Games, 2010 in Doordarshan for a period up to May 31, 2012”. The ACC order itself said it was “a special case”, but did not mention why an extension was required for an officer who came on a Central deputation in November, 2004. A number of officers working in Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games, 2010, had to continue with their posts even after the Games were over, and that too for months with no work, but they finally managed escape routes.

Is Ms Nandan getting stuck because...

PM’s action on Shunglu Committee report begins; CBI probe to begin

Director General of Doordarshan and 1982 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Aruna Sharma has lost her Mandi House job. After considering the high level Shunglu Committee Report on broadcasting issues, the Prime Minister decided to revert Doordarshan DG Aruna Sharma to her parent cadre Madhya Pradesh.

According to a release sent out by the PMO, the Prime Minister also directed the ministry of information and broadcasting to seek explanations from the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati and Director General, Doordarshan on the allegations made against them and recommend an appropriate course of action within two weeks.

The ministry will have to review the claims made by M/s SIS LIVE, jointly with Prasar Bharati and in consultation with their financial advisers to ensure that there is no over-payment. “In the event of any over-payment having been made, the ministry of information and broadcasting has been directed to take appropriate action for recovery, after seeking due legal advice and refer matters relating to the relationship between the government and the Prasar Bharati and that between the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Prasar Bharati, as also issues regarding the governance structure and the oversight mechanism put in place by the ministry of information and broadcasting in respect of such events, to the existing Group of Ministers headed by the finance minister, which is being directed to expedite its work so that necessary corrective administrative and legislative measures could be put in place at the earliest,” said the PMO’s press statement.

The last but not the least, it was decided to refer the report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Also Read

Shunglu recommends action against DG, Doordarshan

Who is VK Shunglu?

Action and Appointments

a) Suspended Gujarat cadre IAS officer Pradeep Sharma, arrested in cases of land allotment irregularities, has now alleged that chief minister Narendra Modi is trying to keep him behind bars since he knows about the CM’s personal life. Sharma has made this allegations in a letter to the chief secretary A K Joti and wanted his case to be transferred to the CBI.

b) “Sir was very excited. He told the villagers ‘next time I come, I want to see a colour TV in the village, and all of you plugged into the world’,” said an engineer from Orissa to Time of India. The paper has come out with an article titled, “Why abduct an honest, pro-poor officer?, questions Malkangiri” narrating about work of IAS officer RV Krishna, abducted by the Maoist extremists.

Shunglu committee recommends action against Doordarshan DG Aruna Sharma too

Aruna Sharma, Director General of Doordarshan and 1982 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer, could be in trouble as VK Shunglu committee probing alleged irregularities in the Commonwealth Games, has recommended that criminal cases be registered not just against former Prasar Bharati CEO BS Lalli but against DD Director General too, according to reports.

Whereas Lalli, a retired IAS officer, was under fire for last few months and was suspended as CEO on December 21, Aruna Sharma’s name has been dragged in only now. The Shunglu committee’s recommendation is based on their alleged role in granting CWG broadcasting rights to UK-based SIS Live causing an estimated Rs 135-crore loss to the exchequer. According to reports, Shunglu committee found that granting rights to SIS Live for Rs 246 crore was quite high as the actual cost of coverage could be around Rs 111 crore.

Both Lalli and Ms Sharma had earlier refuted the charges levelled against them.

A doctorate in physiological health management, Aruna Sharma had earlier served as secretary (state cadre) of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department and joint secretary in National Human Rights Commission in addition to handling many key departments in Madhya Pradesh.

It remains to be seen who are other bureaucrats who have been indicted in the Shunglu committee report running into about 1,000 pages with annexures?

Action and Appointments

a) R Gopalan, a 1976 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, presently secretary in the department of financial services has been appointed as secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, under the ministry of finance in place of Ashok Chawla, a 1973 batch Gujarat cadre IAS who retired on January 31.

b) DK Mittal, a 1977 batch UP cadre IAS, presently additional secretary in department of commerce has been appointed as secretary in the ministry of corporate affairs in place of R Bandyopadhyay, a 1974 batch West Bengal cadre IAS who retired on January 31.

c) SR Rao, a 1978 batch Gujarat cadre IAS, presently additional secretary in the department of information technology has been appointed as additional secretary in department of telecommunications.

d) Desh Deepak Verma, a 1978 batch UP cadre IAS and additional secretary in department of food and public distribution has been repatriated to his cadre.

e) Madhav Lal, a 1977 batch IAS officer of J&K cadre has been appointed as chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir. Prior to his appointment, he was in the Centre as additional secretary in the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises.

Ex-Servicemen to make maiden appearance in Doordarshan

SOME ex-servicemen of Indian defence force may soon get an appearance in Doordarshan – India’s national television channel. The ministry of defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on Monday with Doordarshan to produce programmes of various facets of Ex-Servicemen’s (ESM) lives, allowing television viewers across the country to experience real life stories of the ESM.

The programmes will also include the role played by the ESM in nation-building and the efforts being made by the government for their welfare and resettlement over the years.

The MoU was signed by two important women officers, Neelam Nath (Left in Picture), secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) in ministry of defence and Aruna Sharma (Right in Picture), a 1982 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS and Director General, Doordarshan.

There are nearly 27 lakhs Ex-Servicemen including over five lakh widows. This figure swells by an average of about 50,000 ESM who are released from the Armed Forces every year. Over 50 thousand ESM were gainfully re-employed by the DGR last year alone.

A tribute to an IAS and horse-rider

A special meeting of IAS officers of the Meghalaya Wing of the Assam-Meghalaya Cadre was held on Monday to condole the demise of JM Jala a 1959 batch retired IAS officer who was an accomplished horse rider getting a mention in the Equestrian Roll of Honour in the IAS Academy at Mussoorie.

En-block promotions compromise quality: IRS officer

Here is an excerpt of a long letter written by an IRS officer to what he termed backdoor entry into IRS.

“Dear Editor, very recently there was a much talked about proposal of induction into IPS from CPOs and state services etc. This is with reference to the same. From the experience of IRS it can be told that en-block promotions from the rank and file diminish overall quality as well as brand value of the service. It is not meant to oppose promotions. My opinion is that promotions should be granted to the best of the subordinate services staff and that too after a minimum retention period for which particular person has been recruited.

The UPSC recruits brightest of young men and women through a fiercely competitive exam of India today. Once an officer is selected for IRS future promotions are planned in such a way that there is a certain minimum period of retention on every post i.e. ACIT,DCIT, JCIT etc. and onwards; but for the staff-cadre in the Income tax Department no such rules are followed by the Department.

There are instances when Inspectors have been promoted to ITO (i.e. Gazetted rank officer of Govt. of India) within two and half years or three years of service, another three- four years and the person is promoted to ACIT and inducted into IRS. There cannot be a better example of back-door entry into one of the important services of India!

There should be limit to being selfish. The system is being made to work for individuals and not the other way round. Every demand is preceded by ‘Hartals’, Gheraos , sloganeering in the office premises etc. various time tested pressure tactics. Sloganeering within office premises has been banned by the Supreme Court but such is clout of the unions that no person can afford to invite their ire. The Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association (ITGOA) union has its website and co-ordinates such illegal activities day in and day out. The kind of efforts, energy and resources which are put into running the whole business is almost incomprehensible to outsiders. The loyalty is commanded to the union and not to the Department.

…There remains no incentive among the employees for performance and professional excellence as the system does not discriminate between the two. The phenomena ultimately drives even performing staff to become indifferent and dispassionate. In such pathetic scenario God only can help the taxpayers and the system as whole. An IRS officer.”