10 districts receive PM’s Award; Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, Punjab, Karnataka etc. draw a blank

Cab Sec PK Sinha, Addl Principal Secy to PM PK Mishra at the release

BIG Indian states, many of which are often considered progressive, have failed to make a mark in Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Implementation of Priority Programmes, presented by Prime Minister as a part of 10th Civil Services Day on Thursday. None of the districts from states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab or Karnataka could figure in the award list. In fact, out of the 10 districts which were presented this coveted PM’s Awards, two are from…

Maharashtra officer Vijaykumar Phad sings Bhajans to dissuade farmers from committing suicide

THERE’S nothing unusual if a senior bureaucrat changes his formal dress to dhoti and kurta after office hours. But how would you react if he takes a Veena in hand and starts singing kirtans and bhajans in villages? For Vijaykumar Phad, the deputy divisional commissioner, general administration in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district, there is a purpose to his act. He feels his singing of devotional songs will dissuade farmers from committing suicide. In fact, Phad’s photo while singing in a village in Aurangabad, as published in…

Will Maharashtra bureaucrats clearing the Lavasa project face criminal proceedings?

THERE have been fears and tensions among Maharashtra bureaucrats as there were unconfirmed reports that criminal proceedings would be initiated against those officers who were part of the clearance of the mega township project --- Lavasa Hill City.

The work of the project located between Mumbai and Pune, was suspended exactly two years ago after the Union environment ministry found environmental norms were flouted. The dispute was then taken up by judiciary.

It’s not yet known whether politicians connected with the clearance of the project would be investigated.

What has worried some bureaucrats is the fact that the punishment under Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act 1986 could be as severe as five years of imprisonment and a fine.

There are also fears that tough actions may stall future such mega township projects.

Action and Appointments

a) VN Rai, a 1977 batch Haryana cadre IPS and special DG BSF, has been appointed as director, SVP National Police Academy (NPA), Hyderabad. Rai will retire on December 31, 2012.

b) Ajay Bhattacharya, a 1977 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, took over as the secretary, department of fertilizers on Thursday. Bhattacharya was earlier working as administrator, Universal Services Obligation Fund under the department of telecommunications (DoT).

c) A number of bureaucrats and diplomats including defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and Indian Ambassador to Japan Aloke Prasad were a part of defence minister AK Antony’s delegation to Japan. The Indian team took up issues such as maritime security, anti-piracy measures, freedom of navigation and maintaining the security of sea lanes of communication etc. in the India-Japan defence ministers’ meeting held in Tokyo on Wednesday night.

Maharashtra government for stringent laws to tackle retired bureaucrats

THE government of Maharashtra may amend existing laws so as to make retired bureaucrats responsible for mistakes they had committed while in service. According to reports quoting Maharashtra’s urban development minister, the new laws are being planned because several retired bureaucrats manage to skip punishments thanks to the loopholes of existing laws.

According to the existing laws, retired bureaucrats at best lose their pensions. They are not compelled to surrender assets for any loss to the exchequer because of their omissions and commissions while in service. The new laws may also ensure that retired bureaucrats must take government’s permissions before joining any private sector company.

The issue cropped in Maharashtra assembly during the debates on the issue of irregularities allegedly committed by former CIDCO vice president and Managing Director GS Gill. In fact, the state government set up two secretary level committees last year to investigate decisions taken by Gill in the last six months before his retirement.

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Action and Appointments

a) Shiv Prasad Sharma, a 1991 batch MP cadre Indian Forest Service officer has been appointed as director in the department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries under the ministry of agriculture.

b) Rajesh Singh, a 1998 batch Indian Postal Service officer has been appointed as deputy secretary in the department of higher education under the ministry of human resources development.

c) Rashmi Chowdhary, a 1989 batch Indian Railways Personnel Service (IRPS) officer has been appointed as director in the department of higher education under HRD.