When a cabinet minister sits behind PMO officials in a government function

WHAT could be described as a rare instance in protocol-heavy government functions where sitting arrangement is well-calibrated and pre-determined, a cabinet minister of the Government of India was seen sitting behind PMO officials at a function held in New Delhi on Wednesday. The occasion was the presentation of ideas on governance, science and technology, and energy and environment to Prime Minister by three group of GoI secretaries. As this government-released photo shows, union human resource development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar was seen sitting in the second row behind three officials from the Prime Minister’s Office viz…

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…

What PM Modi says about Team PMO

Misra and Mishra of PMO

IF YOU check out the official website of India’s prime minister’s office (PMO) and go through the RTI section, you will come across a sub-head called “official working hours”. It is 9 am to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday excluding Gazetted holidays, it mentions. But the reality is when the PM himself works till late night, there is no chance for the junior staff to log out at 5.30 pm. And on the day, when Modi Sarkar completed a year, PM Modi chose to sit down with PMO officials and…

DoPT to continue initiatives on training with “more enthusiasm”; more about training of civil servants

A trainer being awarded by PMO's PK Mishra

IN THE end of the 1st National Symposium on Excellence in Training that was organized by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) in collaboration with UNDP India in New Delhi on April 11-12, 2015, it was announced that the symposium would now be an annual event. At the closing session, attended by PK Mishra, additional principal secretary to the prime minister, it was further announced that DOPT would continue this initiative “with even more enthusiasm and...

PMO’s Mishra Square: India’s second most powerful bureaucrat, 2014

PK Mishra (July 2008 photo)

THE PMO under Narendra Modi has a Mishra Square, quite literally. Two of Modi’s confidants, principal secretary to PM Nripendra Misra and additional principal secretary to PM PK Mishra are calling the shots in South Block, though many in the corridor are convinced by now that between the two, PK is more influential. In BoI Power List 2014, Mishra Square is the second most powerful bureaucrat. When Gujarat cadre retired IAS…

PMO’s Mishra Moment: Know more about new additional principal secretary PK Mishra

IN YET another surprise appointment, the Centre has accommodated one of prime minister Narendra Modi’s close associates and 1972 batch former IAS PK Mishra as additional principal secretary to PM against a newly created high-profile post in prime minister's office (PMO). Call it a Mishra moment in PMO as Nripendra Misra was already appointed as principal secretary to PM. This Gujarat cadre retired IAS was principal secretary to Gujarat CM till 2004 before moving to the Centre as…

Another Subba Rao to move to North Block; set to take mantle as all-powerful Establishment Officer

TWO years after Duvvuri Subbarao, 1972 batch IAS topper and then finance secretary left the North Block to proceed for Mint Road in Mumbai, yet another Subba Rao is soon joining the other side of the North Block housing the personnel ministry. IV Subba Rao, a 1979 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, has been appointed as the Establishment Officer in place of PK Mishra who recently took over as steel secretary.

The EO is an influential officer in the DoPT as he reports to cabinet secretary and is largely responsible for transfers, postings etc. of most IAS officers. The EO also acts as a secretary to Appointments Committee of Cabinet which is headed by the Prime Minister.

A post graduate in English literature, Subba Rao had an earlier innings in Central deputation in 1990s when he worked in the ministries like chemical and fertilizers and human resource development.

Subba Rao was a newsmaker during 2009 general and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh when as the chief electoral officer, he successfully conducted the mega show. Media reports say that he was instrumental in the transfer of the Director General of Police ahead of the polls.

BoI Extraa…

Guess what US Prez Obama is telling Ambassador Shankar

This is a recent picture of Ambassador Meera Shankar with President Obama at the Iftar party at the White House on August 13, 2010. Ms Shankar seems to be attentive, yet nervous. None of us know what Obama is trying to explain to the Ambassador. You are welcome to guess it and post your comments. You can also write to us at feedback@babusofindia.com