What Vinod Rai’s book says about bureaucrats: Pulok Chatterji, Vini Mahajan, TKA Nair, PJ Thomas, Sunil Arora etc.

Rai with wife

1980 batch IAS officer Sunil Arora is an “outstanding officer”.
Former principal secretary to PM TKA Nair was a “priest” in the PMO. 
Former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai’s book “Not Just An Accountant” has a few interesting anecdotes about men who mattered in corridors of power. Here are about 7 of them:

Commonwealth Games could be an excuse for govt to give yet another extension to cabinet secretary Chandrasekhar

 THE government may find the Commonwealth Games preparation an excuse to give yet another extension to incumbent cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar, a 1970 batch Kerala cadre IAS and former revenue secretary in Government of India. Mr Chandrasekhar, who got an extension of one year in June 2009 only to dash hopes of then labour secretary and now Member Secretary in Planning Commission Sudha Pillai becoming the cabinet secretary, may now play a spoilsport to the bids of urban development secretary M Ramachandran of 1972 batch and finance secretary Ashok Chawla of 1973 batch becoming the country’s top bureaucrat. Mr Ramachandran is retiring next month and Mr Chawla will retire in January 2011.

According to highly placed sources, the need for a continued co-ordination with various ministries in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games could be assigned as a reason for the unusual second extension for the incumbent cabinet secretary.

What this extension may also mean is a possible homecoming for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS, who had earlier served as a secretary in PMO dealing with all important issues including transfers and appointments.

Significantly, babusofindia.com (BoI) speculated such a situation in a post dated way back to March 2, 2010. It wrote, “…if Mr Chandrasekhar is given another extension, it could also pave the way for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS and close confidante of UPA chairwoman Sonia Gandhi, to supersede a few officers to grab the top bureaucrat’s job. A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during UPA’s first innings, Mr Chaterji is now in Washington DC serving as the executive director of the World Bank…”

(In Picture: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh congratulating Dr Shah Faisal, the Civil Services topper for 2010 from Jammu and Kashmir, in New Delhi on May 26, 2010.)

Action and Appointments

a) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Ms Nita Kapoor, a 1973 batch IDAS as secretary (defence finance) in place of Ms Indu Liberhan, a 1972 batch IDAS who is retiring on May 31, 2010.

b) The ACC has also approved the appointment of Manbir Singh, a 1976 batch IFS as secretary, at the headquarters of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in place of Ms Parbati Sen Vyas, a 1975 batch IFS who is retiring on July 31, 2010.

c) Niten Chandra, a 1990 batch Orissa cadre IAS, presently working as director in the department of rural development has been appointed as joint secretary in that department.

BoI Extraa

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DoPT’s clarification saves jobs of minister’s personal staff; 10 year rule applicable for private sector recruits too

FOR those Indian officers who have spent a number of years in personal staff of ministers, here’s a big relief. The DoPT has clarified that its earlier order dated March 4, 2010 saying that an officer can work in personal staff of ministers only up to 10 years, will not have any retrospective effect, implying that those officials who have already worked over 10 years under one or more ministers may not necessarily pack up and go back to their parent cadres. In fact, only the new appointments made after March 4 this year will be impacted by the order.

“It would not be practical to open cases of all appointments with ministers at all levels and recalculate their tenure or cancel their appointments as the case may be”, a new DoPT circular dated May 13, 2010 said.

The circular has, however, made it clear that the 10 years limit would be applicable to all appointments in the personal staff of ministers even for retired or private persons.

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10 years cap on officers working in minister's personal staff

Pulok Chaterji may prefer to complete a 3 year stint in World Bank. Why?

The speculations that India’s one of the most influential bureaucrats Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS, may come back from the World Bank to join newly-constituted National Advisory Council (NAC) which is being reconstituted under UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are ill placed, sources close to him said. Mr Chaterji may rather complete three years as Executive Director in the Bank to get himself eligible for World Bank’s pensions rather than venturing into an early homecoming. Mr Chaterji, who has always remained close to 10 Janpath thanks to his earlier stints as district magistrate of Rae Bareli in early 1980s, a director in the PMO during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, a secretary (joint secretary equivalent) in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in early 1990s, and then a private secretary to Sonia Gandhi when she was the leader of the Opposition.

Countdown Begins: Who will be India’s next cabinet secretary?

THE race for the next cabinet secretary’s post may get intensified in the coming days as there are just three and half months left for a new IAS officer to clinch India’s top bureaucrat’s job. But if incumbent KM Chandrasekhar, a 1970 batch Kerala cadre IAS, gets an extension for six months, as was reported by a national daily on Monday, the present permutations and combinations may go topsy-turvy.

Situation 1: Advantage Ramachandran

First, let’s do a reality check of the Situation 1 in which Mr Chandrasekhar retires as scheduled on June 14, 2010 after serving as the cabinet secretary for long three years. In that case, the senior most bureaucrat of the 1972 batch and current urban development secretary M Ramachandran is a clear winner. He is non-controversial, a strong follower of rule books, hard-working and also a hot favourite of Prime Minister’s principal secretary and one of the most influential officials in the PMO, TKA Nair. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has interacted with him on a few occasions, and is believed to have a good opinion about him. The only other 1972 batch secretary level officer who will remain serving till then is tourism secretary Sujit Banerjee, but he is no way a contender for the post.

What further helps Mr Ramachandran over someone from 1973 or 1974 batch is the fact that both home secretary GK Pillai and defence secretary Pradeep Kumar who are on two-year-long fixed terms, happen to be his batch-mates and are unlikely to be subjected under a junior cabinet secretary.

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Numerological influence of 1972 batch IAS?

Situation 2: First woman cabinet secretary

Sometime back, there were gossips in Raisina Hill that incumbent cabinet secretary Mr Chandrasekhar who is already on an extension now, may be given a post equivalent to a minister of state earlier than scheduled, paving the way for Planning Commission secretary and the topper of the current merit cum seniority list of 1972 batch IAS now, Sudha Pillai to get the coveted post. But that can be possible only if the announcement is made one and half months earlier, as Ms Pillai who is also the wife of home secretary GK Pillai, retires on April 30, 2010. babu blogger made a mistake in an earlier post saying that Ms Pillai would retire on May 31, 2010.

Her strong social sector background may rather count as a positive factor, as the cabinet secretary’s mandate no longer requires prior experiences in home or defence, as the incumbent cabinet secretary himself is a former revenue secretary. Also, NSA Shiv Shankar Menon and home secretary GK Pillai, both happen to be from the same 1972 batch IFS and IAS respectively, are likely to take care of issues related to external and internal security respectively. For Ms Pillai, the biggest strength, however, comes from the fact that Dr Singh’s government may like to make a history by elevating two women officers as foreign secretary and cabinet secretary. For the record, 1973 batch IFS Nirupama Rao is already the top diplomat of the country.

Read

BoI Ranking: India's top 3 most powerful woman bureaucrats

Woman on Top: Nirupama Rao is now foreign secretary

Situation 3: Chawla Vs Chaterje

This is a newly developed situation of present cabinet secretary getting an extension for another six months in addition to his one-year extended term. Though the national daily which flashed this speculative story on Monday did not assign any major reason for his possible extension, many of his ongoing initiatives including assessment of ministries in a structured manner could be one of the reasons for the PM to vouch for continuity.

But a six months extension for Mr Chandrasekhar means current finance secretary Ashok Chawla, a 1973 batch Gujarat cadre IAS retiring only on January 31, 2011, emerging as the top contender for the coveted post. He is known to be well-connected in power circle and has served under two Congress heavyweights – finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and home minister P Chidambaram. Though a person close to the development says that his closeness to Pranab Mukherjee may rather be counter-productive, but few people know that he has some 10 Janpath connections too!

But even a fewer people have anticipated so far that if Mr Chandrasekhar is given another extension, it could also pave the way for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS and close confidante of UPA chairwoman Sonia Gandhi, to supersede a few officers to grab the top bureaucrat’s job.

A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during UPA’s first innings, Mr Chaterji is now in Washington DC serving as the executive director of the World Bank. After all, he had served as district magistrate of Rae Bareli in early 1980s, a director in the PMO during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, a secretary (joint secretary equivalent) in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in early 1990s, and then a private secretary to Sonia Gandhi when she was the leader of the Opposition. A quite a strong CV indeed to clinch India’s top bureaucrat’s job!

Also Read

BoI Ranking: Pulok Chaterji is India's most powerful bureaucrat

BoI Ranking: Chawla is fourth most powerful bureaucrat

PMO continues to retain key officers

Top five babuz: India’s 5 most powerful bureaucrats are Pulok Chaterji, TKA Nair, KM Chandrasekhar, Ashok Chawla & M Ramachandran

THE list of babuz, 09, is finally out. These 5 master bureaucrats have the power and ability to fix problems, manage crises, push agenda and get things done. They have clouts not just because of their posts and positions, but for their sharp managerial skills, leadership qualities and last but not the least their sound relationship with India’s political heavyweights. Methodology of Selection After taking feedback of over 30 senior bureaucrats and politicians who have mustered in understanding ups and downs of actors in Delhi’s power corridor, babu blogger has finally zeroed in five top babuz, or five most powerful bureaucrats in the country. Consensus and Controversy Whereas there was a consensus on Pulok Chaterji being the most powerful bureaucrat despite being stationed in US now, there was a tie between cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar and finance secretary Ashok Chawla for the third position. Also, there were anonymous comments in the blog saying that none of the Indian babuz has the intellectual caliber of Henry Kissinger after babu blogger had claimed that these powerful bureaucrats were Dr Manmohan Singh’s Kissinger-type master bureaucrats. babuz No 1: Pulok Chaterji A 1974 batch IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre, he is now posted in Washington DC as an executive director of the World Bank. A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) till recently, Mr Chaterje’s personal equation with Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s family can’t be ignored by anyone in the government including those who are senior to him. The buzz is that the man who had a say in virtually every appointment of the government during Dr Manmohan Singh’s first innings, may soon come back to power pockets of Raisina Hill. Also read, “babuz no 1: Pulok Chaterji is India’s most powerful bureaucrat; find out who are no 2, 3, 4 & 5” posted on August 17, 2009. babuz No 2: TKA Nair Retired over a decade back, this 1963 batch Punjab cadre officer and principal secretary to Prime Minister, was also the secretary to former prime ministers I K Gujral and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As babu blogger had written earlier, “And his immense clout explains why Reliance Industries’ (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani or Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal knows who to meet in the Raisina Hills to explain their side of the story on recent gas row and misery of aviation sector respectively,”. babuz No 3: K M Chandrasekhar A 1970 batch IAS of Kerala cadre, K M Chandrasekhar is well regarded among top echelon of civil servants in India. He was the architect of government’s 100 days agenda which various ministries were forced to initiate even before the new government was formed. babuz No 4: Ashok Chawla A 1973 batch IAS from Gujarat cadre, finance secretary Ashok Chawla would have been equally powerful today, had the BJP come to power after the last general election. A former civil aviation secretary, Mr Chawla served as secretary of department of economic affairs (DEA) only to be elevated as finance secretary eight months later. He is a contender to be the next cabinet secretary. babuz No 5: M Ramachandran Urban development secretary M Ramachandran, a 1972 batch Uttaranchal cadre IAS, is gathering clout in power corridors as he is the top contender to be the cabinet secretary next year. Known for following rule books to the core, Mr Ramachandran is pioneered reforms in India’s urban sector. Also read, “Chandrasekhar gets extension; Ramachandran & Chawla to be key contenders for cabinet secretary’s post next year” posted on June 2, 2009.

Babuz no 3: Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar is India’s third most powerful bureaucrat behind Pulok Chaterji & TKA Nair

A WEEK before the announcement of Parliamentary results in May this year, cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, a 1970 batch IAS of Kerala cadre, ordered all secretaries to prepare a 100 days agenda for their respective ministry or department. By then, it was strongly anticipated that Congress would lead a coalition government, and by the time the government was actually formed, its 100 days agenda should be ready. No wonder, once Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh began his second innings from his South Block office, he had no qualm about Mr Chandrasekhar getting a one-year extension. Yes, K M Chandrasekhar who is well regarded among top echelon of civil servants in India is India’s No 3 most powerful bureaucrat. He is babuz no 3, just behind 1974 batch IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre, Pulok Chaterji and principal secretary to PM TKA Nair, according to feedback received by babu blogger from senior civil servants and politicians. Also, read “babuz no 1: Pulok Chaterji is India’s most powerful bureaucrat” and “babuz no 2: principal secretary to PM TKA Nair is India’s second most powerful bureaucrat” posted on August 17 and 18 respectively. A former ambassador & permanent representative of India in World Trade Organization (WTO) and revenue secretary in the ministry of finance, Mr Chandrasekhar has a post graduation degree in management studies from the University of Leeds in United Kingdom. In fact, Mr Chandrasekhar had a close tie with another secretary three batch junior to him for the third position as many senior IAS officers in power corridors have rather vouched for the latter to be more powerful than the cabinet secretary. Anyway, the 1973 batch officer is babu blogger’s choice as the fourth most powerful bureaucrat in India. Watch out this space in the coming days to check out who are babuz no 4 & 5.

State secretaries to discuss urban issues in New Delhi today Principal secretaries or secretaries of urban development of states and union territories would meet on August 19 in New Delhi to discuss project completion in 65 Mission Cities under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), submission of Quarterly Project Reports (QPRs), utilization of funds and projected requirement of funds etc. The state government officials will also discuss other urban schemes such as national urban sanitation policy, pilot project on implementation of service level benchmarks and accelerated urban water supply programme (AUWSP) etc.

babuz no 1: Pulok Chaterji is India’s most powerful bureaucrat; find out who are no 2, 3, 4 & 5

IN GOVERNMENT, no one feels he is unimportant. From the person who signs and receives a letter to the secretary of a department who takes all major decisions, everyone in power corridor seriously attempts to make his or her presence felt. After all, each individual in the government is powerful enough to speed up a process, or paralyze it completely. If everyone in the system is so powerful, who should qualify to be babuz or India’s most powerful bureaucrats? According to the feedback received by babu blogger from at least 30 senior bureaucrats in the country, 5 babuz or 5 most powerful bureaucrats in India have been chosen. While selecting the list of top 5 babuz, more weightage is given to the clout that he or she has on the system rather than the significance of the post that the bureaucrat is currently holding.

Pulok Chaterji, babuz no 1 A 1974 batch IAS from Uttar Pradesh cadre, Pulok Chaterji could now be posted far away in Washington DC as an executive director of the World Bank, but his one phone call carries more power than many important files doing round the power corridors of Delhi. But what makes him so special and powerful? A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) till recently, Mr Chaterje’s personal equation with Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s family can’t be ignored by anyone in the government including those who are senior to him. After all, he served as district magistrate of Rae Bareli in early 1980s, a director in the PMO during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, a secretary (joint secretary equivalent) in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in early 1990s, and then a private secretary to Sonia Gandhi when she was the leader of the Opposition. What’s more, he is a highly efficient officer with a clear focus on delivery. There is already a buzz that the man who had a say in virtually every appointment of the government during Dr Manmohan Singh’s first innings, may soon come back to power pockets of Raisina Hill. Watch out this space in the coming days to find out who are the babuz no 2, 3, 4 & 5. Read "BoI announcement on Spotting The babuz" posted on July 28, 2009. Other News: Over 3000 vacant posts of judges to be filled up The government may soon expedite the process of filling up vacancies of judges in various courts including those in High Courts, Prime Minister indicated it in a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices in New Delhi on Sunday. “The existing vacancies in High Courts are quite high in number and need to be filled up urgently. I would urge the Chief Justices of High Courts to initiate proposals for quickly filling up these posts, he said. Also, the process will begin to fill up about 3000 posts of judges in the country which are now vacant because of delay in recruitment, he indicated.