Park and Ride could be the new buzzword for government employees working in Lutyens' Delhi. For thousands of office goers of various ministries like PMO, home, defence, railways, commerce and industry and urban development to name a few, an introduction of a free AC bus service could end their parking woos.
In fact, union minister for urban development Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday flagged off a free “Park and Ride” bus service for Central government office complex to ease out parking problem and reduce inconvenience to visiting public and officials. On the occasion, chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit and minister of state for urban development Saugata Roy, urban development secretary M Ramachandran were also present. (See Picture)
The service starts from C-Haxagon (India Gate) and runs to and fro various Central government offices located on either side of Rajpath. It will cover Jamnagar House, Vigyan Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, Red Cross, Transport Bhawan, North Block, Andhra Bhawan, IGNCA, Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, ‘G’ Block, Sena Bhawan and South Block.
A new topper in amended IFS list
The UPSC has added one more name, Dipika Goyal, in the list of successful candidates of Indian Forest Service Examination, 2009, for which it had earlier announced 84 names of successful candidates. But interestingly, Ms Goyal whose name did not figure in the original list, turned out to be the second topper among 85 selected candidates. Sangram Keshari Behera remains the first topper in the new list too.
Action and Appointments
a) The government has clarified that file notings, except file notings containing information exempt from disclosure under section 8 of the RTI Act, can be disclosed. No decision has been taken to amend the Act to exclude file notings from disclosure. This information was given by the minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions Prithviraj Chavan.
b) SRV Prabhat, a 1979 batch Chandigarh cadre IAS has been appointed as chairman, NCRI, Department of Higher Education in the rank of additional secretary.
c) Jitech Khosla, a 1979 batch Assam cadre IAS, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, IICA, ministry of corporate affairs in the rank of additional secretary.
d) The ACC has approved the following appointments:
i) EK Bharat Bhushan, a 1979 batch Kerala cadre IAS as additional secretary and financial adviser in the ministry of civil aviation.
ii) Ms B Bhamathi, a 1979 batch Bihar cadre IAS as additional secretary in the ministry of home affairs (MHA).
iii) V Somasundaran, a 1979 batch Kerala cadre IAS as additional secretary in the Department of Defence Production.
iv) R Gopalakrishnan, a 1979 batch MP cadre IAS, as additional secretary in the PMO.
v) Ms Anita Kaul, a 1979 batch Karnataka cadre IAS as additional secretary in the department of school education and literacy.
vi) Sneh Lata Kumar, a 1979 batch MP cadre IAS, as Managing Director, TRIFED, minsitry of tribal affairs, in the rank additional secretary.
SENIOR home ministry officials have already been jittery over home minister P Chidambaram's habit of writing long comments on annual performance appraisal reports (PAR) of senior officials. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials have learnt from their colleagues in finance ministry, where Mr Chidambaram spent most of the time during the last government’s tenure, that he won’t hesitate to write even negative comments overruling the marks given by an officer’s immediate senior, BoI (Babus of India) has learnt.
Most other ministers normally don’t add any extra line, but just write the customary word “accepted”. Mr Chidamabaram’s habit of writing long observations on appraisal forms of senior officials above the joint secretary level, may however increase productivity among top bureaucrats.
In fact, Performance Appraisal Report (PAR) is the new format of apprising an official’s character, capability and other attributes in place of Annual Confidential Report (ACR). Whereas PAR, which is based on marks system replacing the earlier grading method of ACR, is at present mandatory for IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials. The PAR method, which is indispensable for an official’s promotions in future, is likely to be introduced for other Group A civil servants as well.
If sources in finance ministry are to be believed, Mr Chidamabarm at times even added an extra page to write his “endless” comments. In fact, annual performance appraisal report is finally disclosed to the concerned officials under The All India Services (Performance Appraisal Report) Rules, 2007.
Despite his unpopularity among officials and journalists, Mr Chidambaram is considered to be a tough administrator and one of the most performing ministers in Dr Manmohan Singh’s cabinet.