Action and Appointments: Temporary Heads in Government Departments

THE government's adhoc appointments have continued. Here are a few more instances:

a) The government has approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of secretary, department of pharmaceuticals to K Jose Cyriac, a 1977 batch Kerala cadre IAS, secretary, department of chemicals and petrochemicals for a period of three months with effect from November 1, 2011 or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post.

b) The government also approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of secretary, ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, to SNA Zaidi, a 1976 batch UP cadre IAS, who is currently secretary in the ministry of civil aviation, for a period of three months with effect from November 01, 2011 or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post, whichever is earlier.

Also Read

Temporary Regimes in Key Ministries

…Regular Appointments

a) Ajay Bhattacharya, a 1977 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, presently administrator, Universal Services Obligation Fund under the Department of Telecommunications, has been appointed as secretary in department of fertilizers in place of Sutanu Behuria, a 1976 batch Haryana cadre IAS.

b) Sutanu Behuria, a 1976 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS, secretary, department of fertilizers has been appointed as secretary, National Disaster Management Authority under the ministry of home affairs in place of Noor Mohammed, a 1977 batch UP cadre IAS.

…And A Farewell

Raghu Menon (File Photo)

Raghu Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, who had recently retired as secretary, Information and Broadcasting ministry, was given a farewell at Nagaland House, New Delhi. The initiative was taken by resident commissioner Jyoti Kalash and additional chief secretary of Nagaland and the president of All Nagaland IAS Association Alemtemshi Jamir. Menon spent 16 years in the trouble-torn North-Eastern state of Nagaland out of his 37 years of service as an IAS. A number of bureaucrats along with their spouses were present during the get-together.

A panel of members in Planning Commission refuses to endorse package for Naxal areas terming it a bureaucratic exercise

A PANEL of three members of Planning Commission has refused to endorse a draft package for Naxal areas terming it a “bureaucratic exercise” with no views from local people being accommodated there, a media report in a national newspaper said. The members, Abhijit Sen, Mihir Shah and Narendra Jhadav, said that they can’t put a stamp on an action plan based on failed project delivery systems.

Member secretary Sudha Pillai, a 1972 batch IAS, has been passionately working out the details of the development package for Naxal areas, and there were reports in media how her approach to Naxal is different from that of her husband and home secretary GK Pillai whose ministry has been playing the key role in finding a military solution to the vexed issue.

Bringing Buddha to New Zealand bureaucrats

A delegation of monks and nuns has brought the teachings of Buddha to politicians and civil servants of New Zealand as they gifted Dhammapada – a book of teachings of saint Budhha to the country’s Parliament. The scripture comprising over 400 short sayings believed to be of Buddha and originally written in Pali language, was earlier presented to Australian politicians too. In New Zealand, there are a few Buddhist MPs, including Labour’s Darien Fenton.

Secretaries In Action

Information and Broadcasting secretary Raghu Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, said in Guwahati on Tuesday that the Community Radio as an outreach tool would be strengthened during the 12th five year Plan, and the ministry would consider the proposal of providing a seed capital for initiating such effective tools for the North-Eastern region. He along with his minister Ambika Soni were present in the North-Eastern city for attending the first Regional Conference of Media Units in the North-East.

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.

Also Read

Brand police to sell insurance products

Pune city police commissioner prescribes arms for citizens

Govt proposes to fill 490 IPS posts 

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.