“Friends, I have relinquished charge…”: How Goa’s new DGP Muktesh Chander says bye to Delhiites

“Friends, I have relinquished charge of Special Commissioner of Police Traffic Delhi after a satisfying 2 years tenure. Moving on 2 Goa as DGP”.

In this age of social media where police officers among other bureaucrats use Twitter and Facebook for a better public interface, it’s not surprising that 1988 batch UT cadre Indian Police Service officer Muktesh Chander announced his new appointment in a Twitter post. The moment he posted this message, many of his…

Foreign Companies, Desi Agents and Government Officials: Modus operandi of bribing bureaucrats to procure contracts

BRIBING of Indian government officials by foreign companies has come to the fore once again after the US Justice Department said last week that New Jersey-based construction management company Louis Berger International Inc (LBI) bribed officials in India and a few other countries to secure government contracts that included water projects in Goa and Guwahati. The total bribe paid in August 2010 for securing the Goa project alone amounted to USD 9,76,630 (Rs 6.2 crore according to current exchange rate). But what was the modus operandi deployed in bribing officials? According to the ruling of the United States district court of New Jersey, (USA Vs Louis Berger International Inc Criminal Complaint Mag. No. 15-3624, MF), the company concerned "did create...

Patnaik repatriated; Goa chief secretary SK Srivastava is new DDA vice chairman

SK Srivastava, a 1980 batch UT cadre IAS and chief secretary of Goa, has been named as vice chairman, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the rank and pay of additional secretary. Srivastava has replaced his own batch-mate GS Patnaik who is incidentally repatriated to the parent cadre. Patnaik, a straightforward officer, was ousted because…

Is GK Pillai heading for Goa as Governor?

GK Pillai, a 1972 batch IAS who has just retired as Union home secretary, could be appointed as Governor of Goa. Pillai, who withdrew his candidature for the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner at the last moment, is told that he would be made the Governor either of Goa or of a North-East state, sources said.

If he is appointed as Goa governor, he would replace 82-year-old Shivinder Singh Sidhu who became Governor of Manipur in August 2004, and then Governor of Goa from July 8, 2008. Sidhu is a 1952 batch retired IAS.

Though Pillai made a section of the establishment unhappy because of his outspoken nature, he is widely seen as an honest and outstanding officer. If sources in the corridors of power are to be believed, Pillai is bound to get a post-retirement government assignment. Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, will head for Washington as India’s ambassador to US after her retirement, and defence secretary Pradeep Kumar will go straight to the CVC’s office after he retires at the end of the month. Even Pillai’s wife Sudha Pillai who was a cabinet secretary contender two years ago, was made Member Secretary of Planning Commission at the rank of a minister of state after her retirement.

Action and Appointments

a) The tenure of Cabinet secretariat’s joint secretary Govind Mohan, a 1989 batch Sikkim cadre IAS, has been extended for a period of one year beyond July 8, 2011. Before joining the cabinet secretariat, Mohan was joint secretary in department of economic affairs under finance ministry handling Public Private Partnership among others.

b) VN Rai, a 1977 batch Haryana cadre IPS, presently serving as additional director general, BSF has been appointed as special director general, BSF.

c) The Central deputation tenure of Vineet Garg, a 1991 batch Haryana cadre IAS, has been extended for three months beyond May 28, 2011. He is currently a director in the ministry of shipping.

Action on inter-state movement of IAS officers continues

DESTINATION GOA!

UNION home ministry has viewed seriously of Arunachal Pradesh government’s reluctance to relieve two IAS officers from the state even as their order of posing in Goa came five months ago. According to reports, 1987 batch IAS VK Dev and 2005 batch IAS Pawan K Sain were to be posted in Goa according to orders of Union home ministry, but no officer can take up his or her new assignment unless he is relieved by the state. 

The MHA (ministry of home affairs) issued a reminder, and finally sent a note saying that the Centre viewed Arunachal Pradesh government’s reluctance “seriously”. According to rules, the transfers need to be honoured in a time-bound manner. The movement from Arunachal Pradesh to Goa is a routine affair as both states depend on the same AGMUT cadre IAS officers.

But there is good news on inter-cadre transfers. Temjenwapang Ao, a 2000 batch Orissa cadre IAS has been transferred from Orissa cadre to Nagaland cadre for a period of five years from date of assumption of charge or until further orders. Also, the government has transferred Shashank Misra, a 2007 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS from Manipur-Tripura cadre to Madhya  Pradesh cadre on the ground of marriage with Ms Ruchi Shrivastava, a 2006 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IPS officer.

Action and Appointments

a) S Chandrasekharan, a 1975 batch IRAS officer, presently additional Member (finance), in Railway Board has been appointed as secretary in ministry of parliamentary affairs in place of Ms Usha Mathur, a 1974 batch IRAS who has retired.

b) Atul Chaturvedi, a 1974 batch UP cadre retired IAS, has been appointed as Member, Public Enterprises Selection Board for three years or until the age of 65 years.

Lokayukta Hedge bats for separate Goa cadre for IAS

KARNATAKA Lokayukta and member of Jan Lokpal Bill Joint Drafting Committee N Santosh Hedge has batted for a separate IAS cadre only for Goa. In a public meeting at Panaji, Hedge who is back in news after Anna Hazare’s agitation against corruption, expressed surprise how Goa had failed to get a separate IAS cadre even after so many years of attaining the statehood.

IAS officers from Goa like those in Delhi, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh fall under AGMU cadre.

Meanwhile, Hedge on Monday described the nexus between politicians and bureaucrats as the root cause of high-level corruption. According to local media reports in Goa, Hedge made a strong plea for bringing politicians and bureaucrats under the jurisdiction of the proposed Lokpal. He was delivering a lecture on good governance.

Telephone Tapping: Cabinet Secretary issues clarifications

Cabinet secretary has issued a clarification saying that proposed stricter norm for telephone tapping reiterates the established legal position and this “should not be seen in terms of conflicts between individuals or interest groups.” The clarification was issued in the backdrop of adverse media reports on the issue. The cabinet secretary-led group recently recommended either to remove the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) from the list of authorized agencies of telephone interception or to specify stipulations regarding the extent of surveillance allowed to CBDT.

Action and Appointments

Former Mumbai municipal commissioner and 1978 batch IAS Jairaj Phatak has been appointed as member secretary of the Rest of Maharashtra Statutory Development Board (ROMSDB), considered to be an insignificant post. Phatak, named an accused by the CBI in the Adarsh case, was till recently the chairman and managing director of Rural Electrification Corporation Limited.