SM Krishna warns Indian envoys of action against financial wrong-doing

Foreign Minister Krishna

FOR the first time, Indian diplomats are warned by their boss, external affairs minister SM Krishna, to ensure transparency in all financial dealings how small the amount could be, a report in a national newspaper quoting an unnamed foreign ministry source said. They were even warned that the ministry would initiate disciplinary action against the errant officers. Importantly, the warning was formal as minister Krishna preferred to issue an official letter dated October 20, 2011 to all its ambassadors and high commissioners.

Unlike their domestic counterparts like the IAS officers, the Indian Foreign Service officers usually get away with less or no punishments after indulging in financial irregularities because of geographical and diplomatic reasons. But the recent instances of irregularities in outsourcing visa and passport processing work have forced the Indian government to take stringent actions against diplomats too. The number of complaints from non-resident Indians and others has piled up during the last few months.

The MEA has also issued a detailed guideline on procurement by Indian missions abroad. One of the senor diplomats based in The Hague is now reportedly facing a CBI investigation on a visa outsourcing procurement case.

Diplomat’s credit card misused

Indian Ambassador to Sudan AK Pandey has recently found that his credit card was fraudulently used by someone in purchasing goods worth Rs 2 lakh. It was later discovered that a man from Amritsar misused the diplomat’s credit card. The police has arrested the man.

Pat-Down: Was Ambassador Meera Shankar singled out for wearing a sari?

THE US might have expressed concerns over the patting down of Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar after India’s external affairs minister SM Krishna showed his anguish over the incident, but the question remains – was the 1973 batch IFS singled out for her sari, not-so familiar dress in US. Ms Shankar who is a batch-mate of foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and one of the most high-profile Indian diplomats, was subjected to a “pat-down” in public view in an airport in Mississippi last week despite she presented her diplomatic credentials.

Media reports quoting eyewitnesses say that Shankar was the only passenger to be singled out for secondary screening among 30 odd in the line and her sari could be the reason for the alert. According to eyewitnesses observing her face, said that she felt humiliated when the “pat-down” was done in public view.

For the record, pat-down is an act of passing the hands over the body of a clothed person to detect concealed weapons, drugs, etc., but passengers who have undergone that process in US say it could at times be very humiliating.

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Action and Appointments

a) Dr Sharmila Mary Joseph K, a 1997 batch Kerala cadre IAS, presently working as deputy secretary in the department of higher education, has been appointed as deputy secretary i n the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for the balance period of her central deputation tenure i.e. up to July 11, 2014).

b) Suresh Kunhi Mohammed, a 1992 batch Karnataka cadre IPS, who was recommended for Central deputation by the ministry of home affairs, has been selected for appointment as director in the ministry of health and family welfare, New Delhi.

c) Veena Tamta Bhatia, a 1988 batch IOFS, has been selected for appointment as director in the department of bio-technology under the ministry of science and technology.

d) The government has approved a proposal for discontinuation of the Managing Directors of SAIL Steel Plants at Durgapur, Rourkela, Bokar, Bhilai and IISCO from the SAIL Board and selection and appointments of plant Managing Directors by the SAIL Board as is in case for below Board level appointments. The Managing Directors would now be re-designated as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of respective plants in the existing pay-scales.

RTI Fellowships

The government is looking for applications for 5 RTI Fellowships of Rs 2 lakh each. For details, log on to: www.jobcorridor.com 

Nirupama Rao leaves for US to hold talks with American bureaucrats before Obama’s India visit

THE preparation for US president Barack Obama’s visit to Indian in November has officially begun. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, left for the US on Thursday to meet several high-level US officials, including chairman of the Senate on foreign relations committee to discuss about the high-profile visit.

Rao is likely to meet National Secretary Advisor James Jones and Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns. Later Foreign Secretary will join external affairs minister SM Krishna who would reach New York on September 20 to participate in the UN General Assembly. The issue of visa hike and threat to outsourcing to India are likely to figure during the US visit of the foreign secretary. Rao would be aided by her batch-mate and Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar when she would engage in dialogue with top US officials.

(File Photo: Ambassador Meera Shankar and foreign secretary Nirupama Rao with external affairs minister SM Krishna, in Washington DC on June 2, 2010)

Babus In Demand

Are you an Indian officer at the rank of deputy secretary or director level, but with fairly good knowledge of Tamil language? If you fit the description, you could be a contender for a vacant post in development cooperation wing of Indian High Commission at Colombo. The period of deputation will be three years. An academic background in finance, economics or civil engineering would be desirable. Last date of application is October 15, 2010. Only in August, the government had invited applications for filling up the post of Counsellor, Community Affairs (Development) under the ministry of overseas Indian affairs at Abu Dhabi.

Action and Appointments

a) Mohan Kumar, presently Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Paris, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Bahrain in succession to Dr George Joseph. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

b) Delhi police has registered a case of molestation against a 50-year-old Delhi Metro officer under Sections 354 for allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman colleague, and 509 (making indecent gestures to insult a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A woman in her mid-30s complained that she was being sexually harassed for the past few months by the DMRC officer, and the accused allegedly sent lewd text messages on her mobile phone.

Now, Pillai publicly objects forest officials attending meetings held by Naxals

HOME secretary GK Pillai is back in action, with yet another explosive statement. He said some of the senior forest officials living in Naxal areas are attending meetings organized by banned Maoist outfits, in addition to not passing over information about happenings there, raising a serious security concern of the North Block.

Only recently, Pillai’s statement about ISI’s direct role in Mumbai attacks on the eve of India-Pakistan foreign minister level talks virtually derailed the process, leading foreign minister SM Krishna repeatedly mentioning about the ill-timing of his statement. But no one including the Pakistani side could afford to say that Pillai’s statement was wrong in content.

Now, addressing the 35 District Forest Officials (DFOs) from various Naxal-hit areas, Pillai said on Saturday that forest officers were not co-operating in providing information about Naxals’ grouping in jungles and collecting arms and ammunition. He further objected about forest officers’ attending meetings organized by banned Maoists groups. He even cited an example in which a forest official in July attended a meeting organised by the extremists at Sunabeda sanctuary in Orissa. What was further objectionable was that the said officer took his official vehicle to attend the meeting.

(In picture: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with the Forest Service Officers from Naxal affected States, in New Delhi on August 06, 2010).

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A 1978 batch Haryana cadre IAS in a gangrape case

A local court in Chandigarh framed gang rape charges against 1978 batch Haryana cadre IAS and secretary in fisheries department N K Jain. He was charged in an eight-year-old rape case when he was Chandigarh home secretary. An electrical engineer by education, Jain is due to retire in May 2012. 

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao strongly defends GK Pillai on ISI remark

INDIA’s home secretary GK Pillai’s remark on ISI’s role in Mumbai attack was strongly defended by foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS saying that it was “perfectly within his rights” to state the Indian position. Mr Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS, came under a controversy after Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pillai was making negative comments and even equated him with Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed. And all that took place in a press conference when India’s foreign minister SM Krishna was present there, but did not react to Qureshi’s attack on Pillai.
Back in India, minister Krishna supported Pillai. Also, Ms Rao said there were a “huge number” of journalists in the controversy and in that noise EAM (external affairs minister) did not react.

Both the Congress and the BJP have condemned Qureshi’s remarks on home secretary Pillai. Significantly, Pillai went to Pakistan only last month and held secretary level talks with his Pakistani counterpart.

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Action and Appointments

a) The competent authority has approved that AC Padhi, CMD, NSFDC may be allowed to hold additional charge of the post of CMD, NHFDC in addition to his own charge for a period of three months with effect from May 14, 2010.

b) The ACC has approved the extension of tenure of Sanjay Sinha, a 1978 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IPS as minister (personnel and community affairs) in the embassy of India, Washington for a period beyond June 30, 2010 till his successor is appointed.

c) DD Padsalikar, a 1982 batch Maharashtra cadre IPS has been appointed as minister (personnel and community affairs) in the embassy of India, Washington (joint secretary level).

d) Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, a 1990 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS, presently working as director in the department of rural development has been promoted to the rank of joint secretary in the same department.

BoI Extraa…

Gateman honoured for averting a rail accident

K Madhu, a newly recruited gateman was honoured by M.S Jayanth, General Manager, South Central Railway for exhibiting his presence of mind and alertness to avert a major rail disaster near Secunderabad on July 15, 2010. The General Manager presented an award of Rs 5000 to the employee.