Ex-industry secretary Ajay Shankar appointed as member secretary in NMCC

The Power Couple Shankars with Hillary Clinton

Ajay Shankar, a 1973 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre retired IAS, has been appointed as Member Secretary in National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) on a contract basis for three years. Mr Shankar, who is the husband of former Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar, was in Washington DC for over one and half years after he had retired as industry secretary in December 31, 2009. He has been a non-executive independent director of Tata Global Beverages Limited since April 30, 2010. According to the company’s disclosure, Mr Shankar’s total calculated compensation in Tata Global Beverages is $90,000, or roughly Rs 45 lakh.

While appointing Mr Shankar for the post of NMCC’s Member Secretary, the Prime Minister-headed Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) decided to terminate the appointment of 1967 batch retired IAS V Govindarajan as Member Secretary of the Council.

Significantly, a former industry secretary V Krishnamurthy who is still known for his stint as chairman and CEO of Maruti Udyog between 1981 and 1990, is the chairman of the Council.

An MA in political science from Allahabad University and MA in economics from Georgetown University, Washington DC, Shankar had earlier served as principal adviser in the Planning Commission, additional secretary in the ministry of power, CEO of Greater NOIDA Industrial Development Authority and secretary to the Lt Governor of Delhi.

Also Read

Ajay Shankar's famous handshake with Prime Minister

Action and Appointments  

a) Home secretary RK Singh will meet his Bangladesh counterpart Monzur Hussain on Friday to sort out security and border management-related issues between the two countries. The agenda of the meeting also include police to police co-operation in capacity building and training.

US struggles to find its ambassador to India; Indian bureaucrats race for an US posting

Ambassador Rao with Obama in White House

FOR an Indian diplomat or bureaucrat, a posting in Washington DC could be a dream come true, but US is struggling to get its ambassador to India after at least three candidates turned down the offer, reports originating from Washington suggested. The US is yet to find a suitable replacement after its ambassador Tim Roehmer left India in June this year.

Among those who refused to come to New Delhi as US ambassador include Strobe Talbott who had worked in State Department earlier, and John Hamre, president of US think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Talbott who is head of US think tank, the Brookings Institute, reportedly has some health problems. The Obama administration has now begun the process all over again as not having the right person to head US embassy in New Delhi could be detrimental to US interests.

Meera Shankar with Hillary Clinton

Contrast this. Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers weigh an US posting crucial for their career growth. Even after retirement, Indian diplomats and bureaucrats consider a posting in America highly rewarding. Nirupama Rao who had served as India’s foreign secretary chose to become India’s ambassador to US post retirement in place of her batch-mate Meera Shankar. No one doubts the calibre of Rao as a diplomat, but many in South Block feel a highly talented serving IFS officer could have been given the chance. In another posting, secretary to Prime Minister and 1972 batch retired IAS officer MN Prasad has joined as India’s new executive director in World Bank. He has replaced Pulok Chatterji who was called back even before his term got over. Chatterji has recently joined as principal secretary to PM in place of TKA Nair.

For the PMO, sending their trusted men and women to US is also a strategic move as much as they are rewards for being useful. Both Rao and Prasad worked very closely with Prime Minister.

Meera Shankar ends her US innings with a few parties and power moments

Power Moment: Shankar (R) with Clinton

A FEW years ago, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy told a leading financial daily that he won’t mind taking up the job of Indian ambassador to US. It’s another matter that Dr Manmohan Singh regime did not offer him the job. But what has remained undisputed is the massive power that India’s ambassador to US wields.

The week before Ambassador Meera Shankar completed her assignment saw a series of memorable farewell parties and emotional exchange of notes on Indo-US relations. The US Department of State hosted a reception to bid her farewell on July 26, 2011, which was attended by senior members of the US administration and other key Ambassadors. Meera Shankar, a 1973 batch IFS officer, called on the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her office.

Also, the Indian community of the Greater Washington Area hosted a reception for the Ambassador on July 24, at which Ambassador Robert Blake, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Bureau was the keynote speaker.

Ambassador Shankar too hosted two receptions on July 25, 2011 and on July 28, 2011 for the Indian American community and her American interlocutors respectively. The Indian American community was represented by all the leading associations in the Greater Washington Area and from across the country. The Governors of Maryland and Alabama also sent special citations to Ambassador Shankar for promoting ties between India and their states.

The reception on July 28, 2011 was attended by over 200 guests including Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats, Congressman John Larson, Administrator of USAID Rajiv Shah, and other senior representatives from the US government, US Congress, business organizations, universities and think-tanks.

Under Secretary Hormats said that representing India in the United States is a challenging task, but Ambassador Shankar travelled extensively across the United States and projected India even to those who had very little knowledge of the country and its achievements, in a very clear, positive and convincing manner. Ambassador Shankar was also presented with a flag of the United States of America, which was flown over the Capitol building specially for her in recognition of her achievements as Ambassador of India to the United States, along with a certificate confirming this by the Congress, sent by Congressman Ed Royce, the co-chair of the India Caucus in the House of Representatives.

Meera Shankar and her IAS husband Ajay Shankar are likely to live in New Delhi where they have bought a flat in newly constructed Commonwealth Games village. Her batch-mate and former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao is taking over as India's new ambassador to US. 

IFS officers’ assets made public; Hardeep Puri owns house in West End, Meera Shankar in Commonwealth Games Village

Indian Diplomats in New Delhi (File photo)

INDIAN Foreign Service (IFS) personnel barring a few made their property details in public by May 27, 2011 paving the way for a more transparent regime and a public scrutiny. Among top diplomats whose list of immovable properties was placed in the Ministry of External Affairs’ website by Friday evening include foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar, India’s ambassador to Japan Alok Prasad, Permanent Representative of India to UN Hardeep Puri, India’s high commissioner to UK Nalin Surie, Secretary (West) Vivek Katju just to name a few.

According to the declaration, Permanent Representative of India in United Nations Hardeep Puri bought a house in New Delhi’s posh West End area in 2005 which costs him Rs 2.5 crore. Puri also mentioned that he sourced the money from the sale of his previous house added with Rs 1 crore loan from HSBC. Now, his West End house gives him a net income of Rs 30 lakh per annum, the declaration adds.

India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar and her husband Ajay Shankar (ex-DIPP secretary) jointly own a Rs 2.85 crore flat in the newly constructed Commonwealth Games Village in New Delhi. They are yet to get the possession of the flat. The declaration has further mentioned that they managed that amount from the sale of their Gurgaon house and joint personnel savings.

India’s high commissioner in London Nalin Surie and his wife have a two-room DDA flat in New Delhi’s Vasant Vihar area and a residential plot of 420 sq metres in Gurgaon, both of which were purchased in 1980s. His flat now gives him a monthly rent of over Rs 20,000.

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao’s Gurgaon flat was bought in 2003 for Rs 25 lakh and she has no idea how much is the market value of that property now, the declaration says. Secretary (West) Vivek Katju’s IFS apartment flat in Gurgaon now gives him a rent of Rs 1,80,000 annually. According to his estimates, the market value of the flat now is Rs 60 lakh.

Pat-Down: Was Ambassador Meera Shankar singled out for wearing a sari?

THE US might have expressed concerns over the patting down of Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar after India’s external affairs minister SM Krishna showed his anguish over the incident, but the question remains – was the 1973 batch IFS singled out for her sari, not-so familiar dress in US. Ms Shankar who is a batch-mate of foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and one of the most high-profile Indian diplomats, was subjected to a “pat-down” in public view in an airport in Mississippi last week despite she presented her diplomatic credentials.

Media reports quoting eyewitnesses say that Shankar was the only passenger to be singled out for secondary screening among 30 odd in the line and her sari could be the reason for the alert. According to eyewitnesses observing her face, said that she felt humiliated when the “pat-down” was done in public view.

For the record, pat-down is an act of passing the hands over the body of a clothed person to detect concealed weapons, drugs, etc., but passengers who have undergone that process in US say it could at times be very humiliating.

Also Read

Did Rao and Shankar pre-decide to wear pink Saris?

House of Shankars: Meera and Ajay

PM's salad bowl in Meera Shankar party

Action and Appointments

a) Dr Sharmila Mary Joseph K, a 1997 batch Kerala cadre IAS, presently working as deputy secretary in the department of higher education, has been appointed as deputy secretary i n the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for the balance period of her central deputation tenure i.e. up to July 11, 2014).

b) Suresh Kunhi Mohammed, a 1992 batch Karnataka cadre IPS, who was recommended for Central deputation by the ministry of home affairs, has been selected for appointment as director in the ministry of health and family welfare, New Delhi.

c) Veena Tamta Bhatia, a 1988 batch IOFS, has been selected for appointment as director in the department of bio-technology under the ministry of science and technology.

d) The government has approved a proposal for discontinuation of the Managing Directors of SAIL Steel Plants at Durgapur, Rourkela, Bokar, Bhilai and IISCO from the SAIL Board and selection and appointments of plant Managing Directors by the SAIL Board as is in case for below Board level appointments. The Managing Directors would now be re-designated as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of respective plants in the existing pay-scales.

RTI Fellowships

The government is looking for applications for 5 RTI Fellowships of Rs 2 lakh each. For details, log on to: www.jobcorridor.com 

Namaste Obama: Did foreign secretary Rao and Ambassador Shankar pre-decide to wear pink saris?

AS US president Barack Obama landed in Delhi airport on Sunday afternoon, two senior women diplomats in pink saris were among very few people alongside Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and his wife waiting to welcome the arguably the most powerful man in earth and his better half Michelle Obama. As the television cameras flashed the two ladies in pink saris, many viewers were forced to guess that foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her batch-mate Meera Shankar, India’s ambassador to US, had probably pre-decided what to wear before reaching the airport to welcome Obama and his wife. Or are they believers of pink as auspicious colours before big occasions?

No wonder, in famous Bharti-Zain deal, both telecom honchos Sunil Bharti Mittal and Sheikh Nasser Al Kharafi, made it a point to wear the same Moreschi shoes whenever they met as they turned superstitious and believed that the deal would go through if both of them wore the same shoes every time they met. And yes, whopping USD 10.7 billion mega telecom deal was finally struck!

Rao and Shankar, both 1973 batch IFS officers, have been working overtime during the last few weeks to make this high-profile visit of US president a mega success. Both have acted as trouble-shooters and aired significant comments in the run-up to the visit. A few days before Obama reached Mumbai, Ambassador Shankar, for example, had talked about how India needs to watch the anti-outsourcing sentiment in “new political scenario” in the US. Foreign secretary Rao, on her part, stressed how the victory of Republicans would not impact the India-US relationship, which enjoys “bipartisan support” in that country.

After shaking hands with foreign secretary Rao in Delhi airport on Sunday (see picture), US president patted the next woman in pink sari, Ambassador Shankar, who in turn exchanged a few words with Obama. The President, who does not know many Indian ministers and officials welcoming him, was seen visibly pleased to find a known face, Ambassador Shankar. Ambassador’s husband and former industry secretary Ajay Shankar (second from right in top photo) was also present in the airport to welcome the US first couple. Shankar, a 1973 batch IAS, has been staying in US after he had retired 10 months ago.

Also Read

Salad bowl in Meera Shankar's party

House of Shankars

Four bureaucrats to assist PM during US president Obama’s visit to India

FOUR top Indian bureaucrats who have been assigned to help PM in formulating India’s standpoint during the three-day long visit of US president Barack Obama, are principal secretary to Prime Minister TKA Nair (1963 batch retired IAS), National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon (1972 batch retired IFS), foreign secretary Nirupama Rao (1973 batch IFS) and India’s Ambassador to USA Meera Shankar (1973 batch IFS).

In addition, there would be seven ministers and deputy chairman of Planning Commission who will also assist PM during Obama’s visit which begins on Saturday in Mumbai, only to conclude on Monday night in New Delhi. In a statement to media, India’s foreign secretary said, “Prime Minister will be assisted by Ministers of Finance, Agriculture, Defence, Home, External Affairs, Human Resource Development, Commerce and Industry, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, National Security Adviser, myself and our Ambassador to USA.”

Here is President Obama’s schedule in India:

November 6

1)      Will reach Mumbai in the forenoon of November 6.

2)      Will begin his program by paying homage to the victims of the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

3)      Visit Mani Bhavan to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi

4)      Attend a business summit organized by the US India Business Council in association with FICCI and CII.

November 7

1) On November 7, he will address a ‘Town Hall’ meeting and associated events at the St Xavier’s College

2)      Celebrate Diwali at a Primary School.

3)      Will leave Mumbai and reach Delhi in the afternoon of November 7.

4)      Will have a brief visit to Humayun’s tomb.

5)      He will be the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister and Mrs Kaur.

November 8

1)      The ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan

2)      Visit to Raj Ghat.

3)      President Obama and Prime Minister will meet in the forenoon and discuss bilateral, regional and global developments of mutual concern.

4)      They will preside over the meeting of the India-US CEO Forum.

5)      Two leaders will address a joint press conference.

6)      In the afternoon, Vice-President, Leader of Opposition and Chairperson UPA Ms Sonia Gandhi will call on President Obama.

7)      President Obama will address a joint session of both houses of our Parliament, in the Central Hall.

8)      His official program concludes with a meeting with President, and a State dinner for him and the First Lady at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

November 9

      1)      President Obama leaves Delhi in the forenoon of 9 November 2010 for Indonesia.

Action and Appointments

a) M Ramachandran assumed charge as Principal Registrar at the head quarters of the Central Administrative Tribunal at New Delhi on November 4. He had earlier served in various capacities in different departments of government of India and had worked as deputy registrar and joint registrar of the tribunal in Bombay Bench and as registrar for many years in the Ernakulam Bench of the tribunal. He holds masters degree in history, public administration and law. 

Nirupama Rao leaves for US to hold talks with American bureaucrats before Obama’s India visit

THE preparation for US president Barack Obama’s visit to Indian in November has officially begun. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, left for the US on Thursday to meet several high-level US officials, including chairman of the Senate on foreign relations committee to discuss about the high-profile visit.

Rao is likely to meet National Secretary Advisor James Jones and Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns. Later Foreign Secretary will join external affairs minister SM Krishna who would reach New York on September 20 to participate in the UN General Assembly. The issue of visa hike and threat to outsourcing to India are likely to figure during the US visit of the foreign secretary. Rao would be aided by her batch-mate and Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar when she would engage in dialogue with top US officials.

(File Photo: Ambassador Meera Shankar and foreign secretary Nirupama Rao with external affairs minister SM Krishna, in Washington DC on June 2, 2010)

Babus In Demand

Are you an Indian officer at the rank of deputy secretary or director level, but with fairly good knowledge of Tamil language? If you fit the description, you could be a contender for a vacant post in development cooperation wing of Indian High Commission at Colombo. The period of deputation will be three years. An academic background in finance, economics or civil engineering would be desirable. Last date of application is October 15, 2010. Only in August, the government had invited applications for filling up the post of Counsellor, Community Affairs (Development) under the ministry of overseas Indian affairs at Abu Dhabi.

Action and Appointments

a) Mohan Kumar, presently Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Paris, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Bahrain in succession to Dr George Joseph. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

b) Delhi police has registered a case of molestation against a 50-year-old Delhi Metro officer under Sections 354 for allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman colleague, and 509 (making indecent gestures to insult a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A woman in her mid-30s complained that she was being sexually harassed for the past few months by the DMRC officer, and the accused allegedly sent lewd text messages on her mobile phone.

Bureaucracy bashing has turned a fashion statement for Global Netas

HAS bureaucracy bashing become a fashion statement for global Netas right from British Prime Minister David Cameron to Japanese premier Naoto Kan?

As David Cameron entered No 10 Downing Street recently, he talked about a “post-bureaucratic age” which would not allow “the old top-down, big government solutions”. New Japan PM Naoto Kan’s insult to bureaucracy has been pretty well known in power corridors of the world’s second largest economy. As soon as Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) took over in August, 2009, he called bureaucrats “a bunch of idiots who just got good grades in school.”

Kan who hailed from a middle class background, shot into fame in mid-1990s, for exposing the wrongdoing of his own bureaucrats. As the health minister then, he exposed his own ministry’s cover-up of HIV-tainted blood. Kan’s bureaucracy bashing has undoubtedly helped him achieving political mileage.

In fact, when DPJ registered a landslide victory last year in Japan, senior civil servants were in a state of nervousness, as the party had openly declared that it would bring in more elected representatives to fill up top bureaucratic posts and end the practice of Amakudari, under which Japanese senior bureaucrats take up high-profile positions in the private and public sectors after retirement. (Read: Japanese bureaucrats after retirement)

Meera Shankar’s party in US to honour FM

The Ambassador of India in US Meera Shankar hosted a banquet dinner in the honour of visiting finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday at India House in Washington. Commerce minister Anand Sharma, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, leading business leaders from India including RIL chairman Mukhesh Ambani, Max India chairman Analjit Singh, HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, CEO of Infosys Technologies S Gopalakrishnan, chairperson of Biocon Kiran Majumdar Shaw and Apollo MD Preetha Reddy were present along with other dignitaries.

Also Read

Salad Bowl in Meera Shankar’s party

House of Shankars: Mr and Mrs Ambassadors

House of Shankars: Mr Ambassador welcomes Manmohan Singh in US

ON Sunday, Indian government issued this official photograph saying “The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh being received on his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, in Washington on April 11, 2010”, without actually naming who is the one shaking hands with the PM and welcoming him in the airport.

In fact, the man in the photograph is Ajay Shankar, a 1973 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, who retired as industry secretary in December last year. No prize for guessing what he is doing in US, and more significantly, why is he welcoming the PM and his wife in the Maryland Air Force base?

Yes, you must have guessed it right by now. Mr Shankar is the husband of Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar, a 1973 batch IFS, and has been staying in US after his retirement on December 31, 2009. Where is Mrs Shankar then? If you enlarge the photograph, you will notice ambassador Shankar in a yellow Sari behind PM’s wife.

ALSO READ

Meera Shankar is one of the Top 3 women bureaucrats 

PM's Salad Bowl in Meera Shankar's party in Washington 

Meera Shankar's letter on Railway officers and dollar bribe

A bureaucrat and a diplomat in Washington

Pandey is back in Maya House

The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday reshuffled the postings of four IAS officers, including Vijay Shankar Pandey, a 1979 batch IAS, who was shunted out of the chief minister’s secretariat last month after Mayawati got upset about bad publicity over the Rs 200-cr B-Day extravaganza. Now, Mr Pandey will again be re-associated with the CM secretariat as he is attached to Mayawati’s residential office. In addition, he will be the principal secretary Food and Drug Authority (FDA).

On Sunday, Mayawati administration transferred 21 senior IPS officers, including eight Inspector General of Police.

Also Read

Pandey declares bank deposit of Rs 1.17 lac

Who is this anonymous Reddy?

Just a few days after one assistant agriculture officer SV Rao from Karnataka’s Hindupur, was arrested for impersonating as an IAS officer in order to avail better facilities, the police seems to be clueless about who is Dr Srinivas Reddy? A man identifying himself as Dr Srinivas Reddy, has been e-mailing a senior IAS officer, E Rajshekarappa, Director, Economic and Statistics, Karnataka Agriculture Commission seeking information. The man has even e-mailed Karnataka chief minister PS Yeddyurappa, media reports said.

Taste of Time: Job in Ministry of Road

It does not matter whether you have a taste for good food or not? If you are in government service for 6 years in the pre-revised scale of Rs 3200-4900 per month, you can try your luck to be a canteen manager. Click at CANTEEN MANAGER’S JOB.

Also, if you are scouting for a government job, Insider’s posts in http://www.jobcorridor.com/ are ready references. 

Women’s Bill In Raisina Hill: Indian politicians bank on power women of great Indian babudom

IF THE Indian government has its way, the “Monday, the March 8” won’t just be remembered just for routine celebration of international women’s day. In fact, India is on the verge of making history as the ruling party coupled with the main Opposition, the BJP, is determined to enact a new law that will ensure 33% reservation for women Parliamentarians in Lok Sabha.

Whereas more women politicians are likely to enter corridors of power in coming days, let’s do a reality check of the most powerful women bureaucrats in India and why they are so important in Raisina Hills.

In fact, the BoI (babusofindia) ranking of the country’s three most powerful women has remained unchanged during the last five months. Even now, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar, also a 1973 batch IFS and 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS and Planning Commission secretary Sudha Pillai have remained the three most powerful women bureaucrats in the country.

(Click here to read: India’s 3 most powerful women bureaucrats)

But they are not alone. One out of four secretary level officers (at the Centre) happens to be a woman --- a marginally improved statistics than 13.7% serving IAS in the country being women officers.

Some of the power-women in New Delhi include expenditure secretary Sushama Nath, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS, school education secretary Anshu Vaish, a 1975 batch MP cadre IAS, mining secretary Santha Sheela Nair, 1973 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, health secretary Kanuru Sujatha Rao, 1974 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, higher education secretary Vibha Puri, 1976 batch Uttarakhand cadre, secretary in department of AYUSH S Jalaja, 1974 batch Bihar cadre IAS, land resources secretary Rita Sinha, a1973 batch UP cadre IAS, drinking water secretary Rajwant Sandhu, a 1975 batch HP cadre IAS, food secretary Alka Sirohi, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS, textile secretary Rita Menon, a 1975 batch UP cadre IAS, sports secretary Sindhushree Khullar, 1975 batch UT cadre IAS, urban poverty alleviation secretary Kiran Dhingra, also a 1975 batch UT cadre IAS etc.

Also Read

Meera Shankar's party in Washington

Meera Shankar's letter on corrupt railway babus

Nirupama Rao's prescription for Indian diplomats

Sudha Pillai still a contender for cabinet secretary

Questions in Lok Sabha on changes in UPSC’s recruitment process

WATCH out for the official answer of some of the important questions that you have been guessing for far. The government will give a formal reply to a question admitted in Lok Sabha on possible changes in the recruitment process of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Though the changes in the methods of recruitment through UPSC have been indicated in various forums, it has not been made clear so far.

The list of unstarred questions that are being admitted in Lok Sabha for March 10, 2010, also includes amendment of RTI Act, CBI raid in government offices, reservation for Muslims, travel concessions for pensioners, OBC in Central government services, bureaucrats in vigilance cases, induction of state civil services to IAS, vacant posts in CBI, reservation to ex-servicemen etc. For the same day, there is a starred question on single recruitment examination too.

List of Lok Sabha questions for March 10, 2010

A top Indian bureaucrat and a diplomat meet Obama’s cabinet colleague to discuss about municipal bond, PPP etc.

FAMILIAR with photo ops of an US bureaucrat meeting top Indian leaders? Yes, the reverse too has become a reality now. A top Indian bureaucrat, urban development secretary M Ramachandran and one of the senior most diplomats, Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar recently met a senior colleague of US president Barack Obama, and discussed a whole range of issues including municipal bond market and public private partnership among others.

Mr Ramachandran and Ambassador Shankar took up a number of issues like urban sanitation and energy efficiency with Shaun Donovan, secretary in US department in housing and urban development. Mr Donovan’s rank is equivalent to a minister in India.

In fact, Mr Ramachandran who single-handedly initiated a big-ticket loan from the World Bank during his US visit last year, has now made a serious attempt to hard-sell Indian cities to big US investors. In addition to packaging India’s urban story to US companies, over-enthusiastic Mr Ramachandran invited Peter M Rogoff, administrator of US Federal Transit Administration to visit an urban mobility conference to be held in Delhi only in December 3-5, 2010. Yes, the conference will take place five months after he retires as urban development secretary!

(In picture: Mr Ramachandran addressing a gathering of India US Business Council in mid-January, 2010)

Write to babu.blogger1@gmail.com to air your views on how a bureaucrat’s personal initiative makes a difference.

Also Read

Ramachandran turns author 

A key contender for cabinet secretary's post

Why ambassador Meera Shankar so powerful?

NTPC’s workshop on RTI

Leading power PSU, NTPC organized a workshop on implementation of RTI Act in PSUs in New Delhi on Tuesday which was participated by public information officers from ONGC, MMTC, CIL, BHEL and Powergrid to name a few. “A Practical Handbook on Right to Information Act-2005” written by SR Khaneja was released by NTPC chairman RS Sharma.

Also Read

Chief Justice under RTI net

200 officers face music over RTI

What makes an Oxford scholar to decipher RTI?

Action and Appointments

a) Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad, Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court has been appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

b) Two CSS officers of deputy secretary rank, SK Gupta and SK Jain, have been promoted to the level of director. Whereas Mr Gupta who is now in the department of administration reforms and public grievances will be posted as a director in the ministry of home affairs, Mr Jain will now be a director in the ministry of commerce. 

Govt fast-tracts investigation on US companies bribing Indian bureaucrats

IN A move to fast-track the process of investigation against the government officials allegedly to have received bribe from US companies, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has asked the concerned departments for expeditious action against officials belonging to the ministry of railways, ministry of defence, department of agriculture & cooperation, department of revenue and government of Maharashtra. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances & pensions, Prithviraj Chavan named of the American companies believed to be involved in the graft case and also listed out what all has been done so far. Significantly, the Indian Ambassador in USA Meera Shankar first informed the government by writing a formal letter that several references regarding illegal payments to the officials in India were made in an US report on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Anti-corruption Enforcement for the second half of 2008 and early part of 2009. In September, 2009, the CVC asked the CBI to look into each of these instances of corruption and furnish a report. The CBI's report is awaited. The companies which have allegedly made improper payments to some Indian officials, according to the minister's statement in Lok Sabha, are Pioneer Friction Ltd., part of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (Webtec), York India (a subsidiary of York International Corporation), DE - Nocil Corp. Protection Ltd (a subsidiary of Dow Chemicals Corporation), Pride Foramer (a part of Pride International Inc.) and an unindicated front comapny of Richard Morlok and Mario Covino. It was further informed that CBI was investigating a case of improper payment to a key official in Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage, Faridabad by De-Nocil, a subsidiary of Dow Chemicals. Also, the ministry of defence has constituted a Board of Officers for investigating the allegations pertaining to Indian Navy and the ministry of railways suspended business dealings with Pioneer Friction, Kolkata and Webtec, USA as a result of the allegation. Read: Who are ‘officials in the Indian Railway Board’ who took dollar bribe? (October 16, 2009) Senior officials from shipping ministry & Assam government in disproportionate assets case CBI has registered 88 cases against All India Services Officers including IAS, IPS, IFS (Forests) from 2006 till October 30, 2009. Significantly, maximum number of cases (65) were of 2006. During the said period, CBI has filed charge-sheets in 102 cases against All India Services Officers and registered 5 cases of disproportionate assets against All India Services Officers for which no charge-sheets have been filed. Out of these five disproportionate assets cases, three cases are against the officers of joint secretary level and above, working in Madras Fertilizers Ltd, Chennai; government of Assam and ministry of shipping. Defence activities beyond the purview of RTI Under the ministry of defence, only Defence Research and Development Organisation and Border Road Development Board are exempted from the purview of the Right to Information Act 2005. However, information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations are not exempted, defence minister AK Antony said in a written reply to Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

PM uses the metaphor of salad bowl in Meera Shankar-hosted dinner in Washington

ON Wednesday night, Indian Ambassador to US Meera Shankar hosted a reception in Washington's Marriot Wardman Park Hotel in honour of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Ms Shankar who has been the newsmaker-bureaucrat this week thanks to her perfect execution of the behind-the-scene preparation for PM's most high-profile visit to US as President Obama's state guest, made it a point to convert the party into a meaningful dialogue between Prime Minister of India and prominent Indian Americans coming from across the continent. Prime Minister Singh on his part said how metaphors such as salad bowl, melting pot and the rainbow are used to describe Indian and American societies. "I want to see a true intellectual and business partnership between Indians and Americans in years to come. We are similar in so many ways. We are both free and open societies. We are both plural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-religious societies. Metaphors like salad bowl, melting pot and the rainbow have been used to describe both our societies. We are constantly dealing with issues like coalition building, dealing with civil society organizations, non-governmental activism and the free consumer – of goods and ideas", he said. The PM also said how India needs more "brain gain". "More than the resources, however, we will require imagination and innovation to succeed. People of Indian origin worldwide can contribute mightily to this effort. In the past few years we have already experienced what has been called a “reverse brain-drain”. I would prefer to call this “brain gain” or, indeed, a meeting of minds," he said. Significantly, in July this year, Senate India Caucus gave a rare reception for the Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar for which nearly two-dozen Senators turned up. (In picture: Ambassador Ms Shankar (in middle) with PM and his wife; on extreme right is Ambassador's husband and India's industry secretary Ajay Shankar) Read: Follow-up of Meera Shankar's letter: Who are officials in the Indian Railway Board who took dollar bribe? (October 16, 2009) Also Read: BoI Ranking: India’s Top 3 Most Powerful Woman Bureaucrats are Nirupama Rao, Meera Shankar & Sudha Pillai (October 19, 2009) Also Read: Full text of PM's speech Ministry of culture to appoint non-bureaucrats in important posts The ministry of culture has changed its recruitment rules in respect of the posts of heads of eight attached and subordinate offices so as to induct professionals at the helm of affairs. The rules have been changed to provide a search-cum-selection procedure in place of selection procedure earlier and ensure appointment on contract basis in addition to the existing modes of promotion and deputation basis. The recruitment rules in respect of posts of director general, Archaeological Survey of India, director general, National Museum, director general, National Archives of India and director, National Library have already been revised and that of director, Anthropological Survey of India is under revision, minister of state for planning and parliamentary affairs V Narayanasamy said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. At present, the post of director general, Archaeological Survey of India is held by an officer of additional secretary level on regular appointment basis and the post of director general, National Museum is held by a joint secretary in the ministry of culture on additional charge basis.

BoI Ranking: India’s Top 3 Most Powerful Woman Bureaucrats are Nirupama Rao, Meera Shankar & Sudha Pillai

HAD current secretary to Planning Commission Sudha Pillai made it to the top as cabinet secretary, India’s top two bureaucrats today would have been women making history in India’s power corridors. Despite being at the top in the merit-cum-seniority list of IAS officers, Ms Pillai missed the bus as the incumbent K M Chandrasekhar was given one year’s extension after the new government was formed. Nevertheless, Nirupama Rao became the foreign secretary in July this year after another powerful IFS and Rao’s batch-mate Meera Shankar (See Picture with US Prez) was made India’s ambassador to US. After BoI’s (babus of india) selection of 5 most powerful bureaucrats, which incidentally had no woman contender, here is the list of top 3 most powerful woman bureaucrats based on feedback of politicians and senior bureaucrats who have an insight of the country’s power corridors. Interestingly, it’s a mere co-incidence that spouses of all three most powerful women bureaucrats who BoI has selected, happen to be senior IAS --- Sudhakar Rao, Ajay Shankar and G K Pillai respectively.

No 1: Nirupama Rao Being the number one Indian Foreign Service officer and only the second woman in the history to become India’s foreign secretary, Nirupama Rao is India’s most powerful bureaucrat today. An MA in English literature, this 1973 batch IFS from Kerala has held key diplomatic positions including minister for press affairs at the Indian Embassy in Washington, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India, Moscow, MEA’s official spokesperson and India’s ambassador to China, and yes, she proved her mettle in every important post. No wonder, she was a favourite officer of former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, and was considered highly efficient during BJP’s regime too. Her biggest challenge today is not just to ensure meaningful diplomacy with Pakistan, but to keep China engaged in a continuous dialogue process. Read: Rao’s take on art of diplomacy (August 25, 2009) No 2: Meera Shankar India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar who has recently become a newsmaker for writing a letter to Prime Minister’s principal secretary TKA Nair giving details about US companies bribing Indian government officers, is BoI’s choice to be the second most powerful woman bureaucrat today. Born on October 9, 1950, this 1973 batch IFS was earlier India’s ambassador to Germany, and had an earlier innings at Washington (1991-’95) when India liberalized its economy under Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenure as the country’s finance minister. Wife of India’s industry secretary Ajay Shankar, a 1973 batch UP cadre IAS, Mr Shankar’s biggest challenge today is to muster the country’s economic diplomacy and help India achieve a higher than expected growth rate. No 3: Sudha Pillai This 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS is still considered to be an asset by Team Manmohan Singh, though many in power corridors strongly believe that it was intentional on the part of the government for not giving the highly-sensitive post of cabinet secretary to a woman officer who has better understanding of only social sectors. Her biggest challenger in the race for the post of cabinet secretary was her husband and batch-mate from the same cadre G K Pillai who too lost out after the incumbent Mr Chandrasekhar was given extension. Mr Pillai was then made home secretary with a two-year-term. There’s no doubt that Ms Pillai is still the most powerful women IAS officer today, and keeping in mind her grip on India’s social sector, she is tipped to become the member secretary in the Planning Commission with a rank of a minister! Read: Pati, Patni and Post: It’s Pillai Vs Pillai for next cabinet secretary (May 11, 2009) Read: India’s Top 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats (August 24, 2009)

Who are ‘officials in the Indian Railway Board’ who took dollar bribe? Matter ignored for 20 months

FOR the last one year and eight months, the Indian government did not react to US Department of Justice’s disclosure of a detailed description of how an US company acknowledged its Indian subsidiary making payment to Indian Railway Board officials to obtain and retain business, schedule pre-shipping product inspections and obtain issuance of product delivery certificates among others. As Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar’s letter to principal secretary to PM TKA Nair about bribing of Indian officials of various government agencies is now talk of the power corridors of Delhi, babu blogger has made an attempt to dig out an US Department of Justice release which clearly indicates Indian Railway officials taking bribe for helping a railway component maker. There is no mention of politicians being linked to the episode though for record, Lalu Prasad was then the railway minister. The US release dated February 14, 2008 mentioned how New York Stock Exchange-listed Wabtec acknowledged responsibility for the actions of its Kolkata-based subsidiary Pioneer Friction Limited (Pioneer) and its employees and agents “who made various payments to officials of the Indian Railway Board (IRB), a government agency which is part of India’s Ministry of Railroads”. Wabtec, which is headquartered at Wilmerding, manufactures brake subsystems and related products for locomotives, freight cars and passenger transit vehicles among others. One of Wabtec’s subsidiaries, Pioneer Friction Limited (Pioneer), is based in Calcutta, India, and manufactures low and high friction brake blocks for rail operations in India, the release said. The release further talked about why the company paid Indian railway officials. “As described in the agreement with the Department, Wabtec has acknowledged responsibility for the actions of Pioneer and its employees and agents who made various payments to officials of the Indian Railway Board (IRB), a government agency which is part of India’s Ministry of Railroads. These payments were made in order to: assist Pioneer in obtaining and retaining business with the IRB; schedule pre-shipping product inspections; obtain issuance of product delivery certificates; and curb what Pioneer considered to be excessive tax audits," it said. The company had to make a payment of the $300,000 penalty and agreed for further remedial steps including the adoption of rigorous internal controls, the release further said. In another US Department of Justice release dated January 8, 2009, it was mentioned that a former executive at California valve company pleaded guilty to bribing foreign government officials where the name of Maharashtra State Electricity Board figured among various other government agencies like Petrobras (Brazil), Dingzhou Power (China), Datang Power (China), China Petroleum, China Resources Power, China National Offshore Oil Company, PetroChina, KHNP (Korea), Petronas (Malaysia), Dolphin Energy (UAE) and Abu Dhabi Company for Oil Operations (UAE). Read the full text: US Department of Justice release (Feb 14, 2008)

PMO monitors probe against officers, claims a news channel

THE Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun a probe against some government officials, who are accused of taking bribes from US companies. India’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is monitoring the investigations, says an Indian news channel. The news which was repeatedly on air, further said that allegation of corruption by babus was brought to the PMO’s notice by Indian ambassador to the US Meera Shankar, who wrote a letter to principal secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair on May 12 saying a number of Indian companies had received illegal payments from some US companies. The letter also made several references to payments made by US companies to Indian officers, the channel claims. Among the companies named in the report for allegedly paying bribe were Mario Covino of Control Companies, Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation and Dow Chemicals. BoI (Babus of India) could not independently verify the allegations.

Officials meet to discuss SMEs The first meeting of the Sub-Group on the Infrastructure/Technology/Skill Development of the Task Force constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office was held in New Delhi recently under the chairmanship of Dinesh Rai, secretary, ministry of micro, small & medium enterprises. Additional chief secretary to Tamil Nadu P Selvam suggested that there should be some earmarked quota of industrial plots for MSEs. Several officers including Saurabh Garg, secretary-cum-commissioner gave valuable inputs. Prime Minister to address CMDs today Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh will address the chief executives of public sector enterprises and present the MOU and SCOPE Excellence Awards on October 15, 2009 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Four PSEs which will receive MOU awards for two consecutive years 2006-07 and 2007-08, are CONCOR, Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL), Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) and Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. (RCF). Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) will receive two MOU Excellence Awards in the mining and metal sector and also in the category of listed CPSEs for the year 2007-08. SCOPE excellence awards for the year 2007-08 will be received by S K Roongta, chairman, SAIL (Individual Category); CIL (Institutional Category); HEC (Special Institutional Category) etc.

Women On Top: Meera Meets Meira

Ambassador of India to USA Meera Shankar (Right) meets Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in New Delhi on August 27, 2009

Indian diplomats need to introspect & change art of diplomacy, says foreign secretary Nirupama Rao

SOUNDS odd, but India’s seasoned diplomats received a lesson or two on diplomacy in New Delhi on Monday. In the second conference of heads of missions held in New Delhi, 112 mission heads who are posted in various embassies or high commissions around the world, gathered to listen to external affairs minister and foreign secretary amongst others, and also to discuss what should be India’s strategic goals in coming days. While talking to India’s seasoned diplomats being posted across the world, external affairs minister S M Krishna said development, inclusive economic growth and alleviation of poverty need to be India’s foremost strategic goals. “The main purpose of our foreign policy is to assist in the fulfillment of these goals by providing an enabling external environment which ensures our security, promotes trade, nurtures our key bilateral relationships, safeguards our national interest and enhances our influence in the world,” the minister said. Earlier, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao welcomed the heads of mission. (Some of them are seen in the picture, enjoying a joke possibly cracked by India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar, 2nd from right). Ms Rao said the Indian diplomat today needed to introspect on how his or her practice of the art of diplomacy and the tools used for it, must adapt, or change, in response to the challenges in the world and the decentralization of the international landscape. Wish to study RTI, get yourself enrolled on a government course The department of personnel and training (DoPT) has launched an online certificate course on RTI for various stakeholders targeting mainly public information officers (PIOs), assistant public information officers (APIOs), appellate authorities, representative of civil society organisations and media. The proposed online course can be taken in batches of 15 days, and the registration for the first pilot batch would commence on August 24, 2009 and close at 5 pm on September 3, 2009. The course starts on September 7, and the examination can be taken from 9 am on September 19, 2009 to 9 pm on September 21, 2009. If you have any doubt, send a mail on occhelpdesk@cgg.gov.in

Also read, "Babus Under Check: Government finally gives clarification on disclosure of file noting by bureaucrats under RTI" posted on June 25.

Woman On Top: Nirupama Rao to be India’s next foreign secretary

NIRUPAMA Rao, a 1973 batch IFS and currently Ambassador to China, will be India’s next foreign secretary on the retirement of the present incumbent Shivshankar Menon on July 31, 2009. She is the second woman foreign secretary after Chokila Iyer. Had labour secretary Sudha Pillai clinched the cabinet secretary’s job, country’s top administrative and diplomatic posts would have for the first time been occupied by women officers. Ms Pillai, who was the senior most officer in the merit list, missed the bus as incumbent cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar was given one year’s extension. Another prominent foreign service post, India’s ambassador to US, recently went to Meera Shankar, another woman officer and batch-mate of Ms Rao. Incidentally, both the President of the nation and Lok Sabha speaker happen to be women. babu blogger in his post on June 3, 2009, said that “India’s ambassador to China Nirupama Rao’s ability to grab the crucial foreign secretary’s post would determine the degree of celebration for woman leadership in the country.” In fact, Vajpayee government appointed Chokila Iyre, a woman IFS officer, as foreign secretary in 2000, but it was a different story while filling up the top IAS post. An extension of former cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi had stalled Reva Nayyar, an IAS from Haryana cadre, becoming the first woman cabinet secretary.

Know Your Babu: Nirupama Rao

Date of Birth: December 6, 1950 Educational Qualifications: MA in English Literature from Marathwada University. A Fellow at the Centre for International Affairs in Harvard University specializing on Asia-Pacific security. Postings January 1976 - October 1983: At Indian Missions in Vienna and Colombo, and as Desk Officer in the Southern Africa and Nepal Desks in the ministry of external affairs. 1984 to 1992: Worked in the East Asia division of the MEA, with special focus on India-China relations. October 1993 to October 1995: Minister for Press Affairs at the Indian Embassy in Washington. 1995-May 1998: India's Ambassador to Peru. June 1998 and August 1999: Deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India, Moscow. June 2001 to October 2002: Joint Secretary (external publicity) and official spokesperson of the MEA, the first woman officer to hold this post in the ministry. Major assignments: Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and then Indian Ambassador to China from September 2006 Prasad to continue in PMO Continuity seems to be the mantra for Dr Manmohan Singh’s second innings as many officers from the cabinet secretary downwards are holding on to same positions under the new government. M N Prasad, a 1972 batch IAS, will remain a secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), but on contract basis. Mr Prasad, who would have retired now, is continuing in the PMO on a contract basis but in the rank, pay and status of secretary to the government of India with effect from July 1, 2009, and until further orders, a release said.