babuz no 2: Principal secretary to PM TKA Nair is India’s second most powerful bureaucrat; find out who are no 3, 4 & 5

RETIRED from IAS 12 years ago, 1963 batch Punjab cadre officer is the most powerful bureaucrat in the PMO now, and the second most powerful in India, according to babu blogger’s list of powerful bureaucrats based on feedback of senior civil servants and politicians. Mr TKA Nair, who was secretary to former prime minister I K Gujral and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had also served in Planning Commission. From day one, Dr Manmohan Singh was very keen on taking him on board as PM had always believed in creating a core team of master bureaucrats to make an impact on overall administration and delivery of services. Read, “babuz aaj kal: India’s most powerful civil servants are being spotted; Indian PM too has Kissinger-type master bureaucrats” posted on August 13, 2009. The man who attended the first cabinet meeting of Dr Manmohan Singh government in May, 2004, has been calling the shots in the PMO for over five years now. He commands high respect from all officers in government today. 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. Yes, TKA Nair is India’s Kissinger-type master bureaucrat. Also read, “babuz no 1: Pulok Chaterji is India’s most powerful bureaucrat” posted on August 17, 2009. Watch out this space in coming days to find out who is babuz no 3, 4 & 5. Action & Appointments a) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the request of Dr A K Banerjee, IA&AS (1973 batch) for relieving from the post of chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, with the condition that he may continue for three months, by which time a substitute can be in place. b) Edwin Kulbhushan Majhi, a 1989 batch Kerala cadre IAS has been appointed as Mission Director-cum-joint secretary in the department of agriculture and cooperation, in the pay band of Rs 37400-67000 (PB-4) with a grade pay of Rs 10000. c) The proposal of the ministry of railways (railways board) for extension of Central deputation tenure of P K Mehta, IPS (1977 batch Haryana cadre), and chief security commissioner, Northern Railway, has been approved for a period of three months beyond August 8, 2009. d) R K Jain, a 1981 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS has been appointed as chief (joint secretary level), national manufacturing competitiveness council (NMCC) under the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) in the pay scale of Rs.18400-22400 (pre-revised), for a period of three years.

Why do Goan Netas hate babus? State politicians demand separate IAS, IPS cadre only for Goa

TENSIONS between Netas and babus in India are well known, but it has reached the climax in Goa where politicians have openly criticized their bureaucrats as inefficient and non-cooperative. Tensions have reached the stage when the government of Goa has begun consultation with the Central government to create a separate cadre for the state of Goa only. Currently, Goa (See picture) is a part of the AGMUT cadre (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories), where bureaucrats are transferred among those states and union territories. But if there is a separate cadre only for Goa, local politicians will have the power to transfer them at their will. State chief minister Digambar Kamat said in a written reply tabled in the assembly recently that the possibility of having an independent cadre of IAS (Indian Administrative Service) and IPS (Indian Police Service) officers only for Goa was being explored in consultation with the government of India. According to media reports, sole Rajya Sabha MP from the state Shantaram Naik had even accused IAS and IPS officers posted in the state of being inefficient and uncooperative, and added that it was very difficult to get rid of bad, uncooperative officers as that comes under the jurisdiction of the Union home ministry. Read "Netagiri & babudom: A new set of instructions issued to help officers communicate with MPs" posted on August 7. Files To Fields Feeling bored at going through the unexcited files! Here’s a smart alternative. Come autumn, a series of sports events will make civil servants working in various Central government ministries and departments of Delhi engaged allowing them to temporality junk files and join their colleagues in fields. Whereas inter-ministry chess tournament will be held at Nirman Bhawan from September 15 to 25, 2009, the volleyball encounter will take place at Brassey Avenue, Delhi from September 9 to 11. And that’s not all. Central civil servants cultural and sports board in collaboration with Gujarat government is organizing another volleyball tournament from October 6 to 8, 2009 at Gandhinagar. Also read, "WATERLOO: Civil servants may show their talent in a Water Polo event in Delhi" posted on July 29, 2009. Action & Appointments 1) R K Jain, a 1981 batch IAS of Himachal Pradesh cadre has been appointed as chief (joint secretary level), National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) under the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) in the pay scale of Rs 18400-22400 (pre-revised), for a period of three years. 2) K M Acharya, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS and secretary in the ministry of social justice and empowerment will hold additional charge of the post of secretary in ministry of women and child development from August 29, 2009 to September 6, 2009, and for any extended period of the spell of leave of Anil Kumar, a 1973 batch UP cadre IAS.