Heartening to hear IAS officers making mark in IFS positions: IAS Association reacts to a Khaleej Times report on IAS Dinesh Kumar as a diplomat

Dinesh Kumar, 2004 batch IAS

IAS Association on Sunday tweeted saying how heartening it is to “hear about IAS officers making the mark in positions which have normally been the domain of IFS officers”, adding further: “Proud of you Dinesh”. The Association has also attached a news clipping of Khaleej Times, a newspaper published from the Gulf where 2004 batch Nagaland cadre IAS officer, Dinesh Kumar — the first secretary for community affairs at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi — was profiled and praised. The headline of the news reads:

10 new joint secretaries appointed; four railway officers figure in the list

THE government on Tuesday issued an order appointing 10 officers as joint secretaries or joint secretary-equivalent out of whom five belong to IAS and the rest being non-IAS (one from Indian Ordnance Factories Service and four belonging to various railway services). The key appointments include lateral shifting of Amardeep Singh Bhatia, 1993 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, as Director (JS level) of Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and appointing Ashish Upadhyay, 1989 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS, as joint secretary in the ministry of coal. Here below are the 10 orders of new JS appointments:

Amstrong Pame: Every Friday, this Manipur cadre IAS will have dinner with 10 students

DEPUTY commissioner of Manipur’s Tamenglong district and 2009 batch IAS Amstrong Pame has asked school authorities of his district to short-list students for having first-hand experiences of witnessing the functioning of the deputy commissioner’s office, apart from joining him at the dinner table once in a week at his official bungalow. According to a letter dated July 3 issued by his office, a group of 10 students ranging from Class V to X will be invited every Friday for dinner with DC. The letter further said how the students needed to be selected. First, here's the full text of the letter issued by the deputy commissioner’s office:

Doctor-turned IAS Anu Aggarwal deemed to have resigned; but why?

DOCTOR-turned IAS Anu Aggarwal, belonging to Nagaland cadre of 2001 batch, is deemed to have resigned from IAS because of unauthorized leaves for over five years. The resignation will have a retrospective effect from September 1, 2015. The DoPT notification issued on Tuesday and signed by a deputy secretary-level officer reads as follows:

Nagaland IAS couple on leave to allow fair play in son’s electoral battle

Chief secretary Jamir

IT SOUNDS odd that two senior-most IAS officers of Nagaland, chief secretary Alemtemshi Jamir and additional chief secretary Banou Z Jamir, are on leave these days when this North-Eastern state goes to assembly poll on February 23. This 1977 batch power couple is not sulking, but…

Raghu Menon’s India on a global journey; clinches first chairmanship of IPDC

RAGHU Menon, secretary, ministry of Information & Broadcasting, was elected as chairman of the Inter-Governmental Council of the International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC) defeating Switzerland . This is for the first time in the history of IPDC that a developing country will be in the chair of the Inter-Governmental Council of the IPDC, a government of India release said.

Significantly, Mr Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, is one of the rare officers to have a graduation degree in journalism.

In fact, the candidature of the India, endorsed by Asia Pacific Regional Group and supported by countries from Africa, Arab and Lain American Region, won the election with 23 out of 37 votes against Switzerland’s 14 votes.

The Inter-Governmental Council of the IPDC, which was established in 1980, implements national, regional and inter-regional projects in the areas of promotion of freedom of expression and media pluralism, development of community media, capacity building and promotion of international partnership.

Mr Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, thanked the members of the Inter-Governmental Council for reposing faith in his leadership and assured his full commitment for strengthening programme implementation under IPDC’s mandates.

West Bengal has a shortage of 59 IAS

West Bengal government has urged the Centre to meet shortage of IAS officers in the state. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in a statement said on Thursday that Bengal a shortage of 59 IAS officials out of the total need of 296 IAS officers. In fact, shortage of officers at the state level has been a concern in many other states too. Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has already set up a committee to look into the shortage of officers at states.

Police Complaints Authority at UT Level

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) is setting up Police Complaints Authority at the Union Territory level. The Police Complaints Authorities of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshdweep will be a single member Authority, and in the case of Puducherry, A and N Islands and Chandigarh, there will be chairperson and two members and in the case of Delhi, chairperson plus three members.

The Authorities will be to inquire into allegations of “serious misconduct”, like death in police custody, grievous hurt, rape or attempt to commit rape, arrest or detention without due process of law, extortion, land or house grabbing etc.

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Action and Appointments

a) Justice Venkategowda Gopalagowda, Judge of the Karnataka High Court has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.

b) Justics PV Reddi, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, has taken over as Chairman, 19th Law Commission of India on Thursday. He was also the Chairperson, Authority for Advance Rulings.

94 IAS officers get clearance for exposure tour to USA; visit scheduled for May 15 to 29

THE two-week exposure visit to US organized in collaboration with Duke University for mid-career IAS, which was put on hold thanks to the health ministry travel advisory in the wake of H1N1 threat, is now re-scheduled for May 15 to 29, 2010. In fact, a mid-career officer cannot be said to have technically completed the mandatory training in terms of IAS (Pay) Rules without undergoing this programme.

As many as 94 IAS officers belonging to 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 batches who participated the first part of the programme in June-August, 2009 at Mussoorie, will be eligible to undertake the course in US. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) in an office memo dated February 1, 2010, gave the clearance saying that it has no objection to the US visit of 94 Indian officers “from political angle”.

The two-week exposure visit to Duke University, USA, is designed to provide officers with a global perspective and exposure to international best practices.

List of 94 participating IAS

Zero rupee notes to greet bureaucrats

A social organization has been campaigning among people to hand over specially designed Rs 0 notes bearing the image of Mahatma Gandhi to corrupt officials if they ask for bribes. The notes printed by Fifth Pillar look like Rs 50 bank notes though it is filled with inscriptions like “Eliminate corruption at all levels” and a pledge “I promise to neither accept nor give bribe”.

The concept is believed to be working in reducing corruption. “Next time someone asks you for a bribe, just take your country’s zero currency note and hand it to them. This will let the other person know that you refuse to give or take any money in order to perform services required by law or to give or take money to do something illegal,” Fifth Pillar campaigners say.

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RS Pandey appointed interlocutor for NSCN (I-M) talks

Raghav Sharan Pandey, a 1972 batch Nagaland cadre IAS who has recently retired as petroleum secretary, has been appointed as interlocutor and representative of the Government of India to hold talks with Naga underground outfit NSCN (IM). Mr Pandey is a batch-mate of home secretary GK Pillai. He had also served as additional secretary in the ministry of agriculture and secretary in steel and heavy industries ministries. Mr Pandey attended a one-year long course on poverty alleviation from the University of Sussex, UK (1985) and a 4-week-long course on disability and rehabilitation form an US university (1987)

1976 batch IAS officers elevated to special secretaries and secretaries

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the following appointments, on in-situ elevation, with effect from 24th November, 2009. (i) Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi, a 1976 batch UP cadre IAS as DG, civil aviation, ministry of civil aviation in the rank and pay of secretary; (ii) Raminder Singh Gujral, a 1976 batch Haryana cadre IAS as DGFT, department of commerce, ministry of commerce and industry in the rank and pay of secretary; (iii) Ajoy Acharya, a 1976 batch MP cadre IAS, as special secretary, department of defence production, ministry of defence, (iv) Pradeep Kumar Misra, a 1976 batch UP cadre IAS, as Establishment Officer and special secretary, department of personnel & training (DoPT), ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions; (v) S Sundareshan, a 1976 batch Kerala cadre, as special secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas; (vi) Uday Kumar Varma, a 1976 batch MP cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of information and broadcasting; (vii) Ms Anita Chudhary, a 1976 batch Haryana cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of home affairs; (viii) Sumit Bose, a 1976 batch MP cadre IAS, as secretary, 13th Finance Commission in the rank and pay of secretary (ix) R Gopalan, a 1976 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, as special secretary in the department of commerce, ministry of commerce and industry; (x) Mathew C Kunnumkal, a 1976 batch Kerala cadre IAS, as special secretary & financial adviser, department of chemical & petrochemicals, ministry of chemicals & fertilizers; (xi) Pramod Deepak Sudhakar, a 1976 batch UP cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of corporate affairs; (xii) M Raman, a 1976 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, as DGS&D, department of commerce, ministry of commerce & industry in the rank and pay of secretary; (xiii) A Didar Singh, a 1976 batch Punjab cadre IAS, as Member (Finance), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), ministry of road transport and highways in the rank and pay of secretary; (xiv) Subramanyam Vijay Kumar, a 1976 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of mines; (xv) Rajen Habib Khwaja, a 1976 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of environment and forests; (xvi) Samirendra Chatterjee, a 1976 batch Assam cadre IAS, as Member Secretary, National Commission for Women in the rank and pay of secretary; (xvii) Sutanu Behuria, a 1976 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS, as special secretary & financial adviser, department of commerce, ministry of commerce and industry; (xviii) Anil Kumar, a 1976 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of power; (xix) K S Money, a 1976 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS, as Member (Administration), National Highways Authority of India, ministry of road transport and highways in the rank and pay of secretary; (xx) Shashi Kant Sharma, a 1976 batch Bihar cadre IAS, as DG (Acquisition), department of defence, ministry of defence, in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxi) Dhruv Vijai Singh, a 1976 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS, as special secretary, department of administrative reforms and public grievances, ministry of personnel, public grievances & pensions; (xxii) Anil Bhushan Prasad, a 1976 batch Bihar cadre IAS, as secretary, National Disaster Management Authority, ministry of home affairs in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxiii) V Venkateshwara Bhat, a 1976 batch UT cadre IAS, as Member (Finance), Atomic Energy Commission/ Space Commission/ Earth Commission in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxiv) P Uma Shanker, a 1976 batch UP cadre IAS, as Chairman and Managing Director, Rural Electrification Corporation, in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxv) Anwar Ehsan Ahmad, a 1976 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS, as special secretary, ministry of home affairs; (xxvi) Prabeer Kumar Basu, a 1976 batch Bihar cadre IAS, as special secretary, department of agriculture and cooperation, ministry of agriculture; (xxvii) Sayan Chatterjee, a 1976 batch Kerala cadre IAS, as Director General, Sports Authority of India, department of sports, ministry of youth affairs and sports, in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxviii) Naba Kumar Das, a 1976 batch Assam cadre IAS, as special secretary, department of agriculture and cooperation, ministry of agriculture; (xxix) Ms Minnie Mathew, a 1976 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, as Chairman, Coconut Development Board, department of agriculture and cooperation, ministry of agriculture, in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxx) K S Ramasubban, a 1976 batch West bengal cadre IAS, as secretary, Central Vigilance Commission, in the rank and pay of secretary; (xxxi) Bishnu Charan Khatua, a 1976 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS, as chairman, Forward Markets Commission, department of consumer affairs, ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, in the pay of secretary; (xxxii) Shashi Prakash, a 1976 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS, as Adviser, Inter State Council Secretariat, ministry of home affairs in the pay of secretary.

Dr Arvind Virmani to have an interesting tenure in International Monetary Fund

DR ARVIND Virmani’s tenure as executive director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be much more interesting than his predecessors given the fact that India intends to make available up to USD 10 billion to shore up resources of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Currently, IMF has no exposure in India though the international body was a key player in bailing out India from its financial mess in early 1990s. It was already reported that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Dr Virmani, currently on extension as chief economic adviser in department of economic affairs (DEA), as executive director in IMF. Dr Virmani will replace Adarsh Kishore, a 1969 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS, in the IMF. Mr Kishore was a former expenditure secretary and then finance secretary. Dr Virmani who served as director in state-owned banks like Punjab National Bank and Allahabad Bank and also in the government think tank ICREAR, is a known economist with a PhD degree from Harvard University.

Disclaimer: Picture here is babu blogger's impression, not actual.

Action & Appointments a) Tara Datt, a 1983 batch IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of minority affairs, in the pay band of Rs 37400-67000, (PB-4) with a grade pay of Rs 10000, for a period of five years. b) S K Srivastave, a 1978 batch Assam cadre IAS, and additional secretary in the ministry of labour and employment has been given additional charge of the post of Director General, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). c) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved, ex post facto, extension of tenure of R Parasuram, a 1978 batch MP cadre IAS as Minister (Agriculture) in Embassy of India, Rome beyond June 28, 2009 and upto July 20, 2009. d) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has not approved the proposal of the Department of Atomic Energy for extension of Central deputation tenure of Dr P Mukherjee, IA&AS (1980), joint secretary & financial advisor in that department. e) The proposal of inter-cadre transfer of Romil Baaniya, a 2007 batch Nagaland cadre IPS, has been approved. He will now have AGMUT as the cadre. f) The extension of Central deputation tenure of Sanjiv K Mittal, a 1987 batch IAS of UP cadre, has been approved. He is a joint secretary & financial advisor in the ministry of coal and holding additional charge of the post of joint secretary & financial advisor in the ministry of youth affairs & sports for a period beyond October 27, 2009 and upto December 31, 2010.