RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das: Another 1980 batch retired IAS appointed in a high-profile post

Shaktikanta Das, 1980 batch retired IAS, has today assumed charge as the new Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in place of Urjit Patel who had resigned on Monday. With Das’ appointment to this Mint Street post, the number of 1980 batch retired officers occupying high-profile positions has increased to at least four. The other 1980 batch retired officers in high positions include…

Govt approves cadre change of Shashvat Saurabh on grounds of marriage; Tapan Ray given additional charge of DEA

THE government has accorded its nod in cadre change of Shashvat Saurabh, 2016 batch Sikkim cadre IAS from Sikkim cadre to AGMUT cadre on grounds of marriage to Ms Soumya, a 2014 batch AGMUT cadre IAS. Also, the Central government has approved the proposal for cadre change of Rohitashva Singh Tomar, 2016 batch Tripura cadre IAS from Tripura cadre to Rajasthan cadre on grounds of…

GST bills passed in LS; how top finance ministry bureaucrats react to this historic move; CBEC to turn CBIC

AS THE historic Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime on Wednesday came one step closer to a rollout on July 1 — with Lok Sabha saying “yes” to four supplementary legislations — secretary of the department of economic affairs (DEA) Shaktikanta Das said, he was “fortunate to witness this transformative moment” whereas his colleague in the North Block and revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia took to Twitter to compliment everyone including the officers behind the success. Adhia, a 1981 batch Gujarat cadre IAS said:

How DEA secretary and 1980 batch IAS Shaktikanta Das answers a question in Tamil

AT THE inaugural session of economic editors conference in New Delhi, televised by some TV channels, finance minister Arun Jaitley got puzzled for a moment. “Kya” (what?) — he asked his officials sitting next to him, as one of the editors from Tamil Nadu began by asking a question in English before shifting to Tamil language. The question was on investment awareness among common people. The media person from Tamil Nadu got a reply from union secretary of the department of economic affairs (DEA) Shaktikanta Das who hails from Odisha but...

In next 13 days, Shaktikanta Das will be India’s finance secretary; Watal on leave till Jan 3

Shaktikanta Das

FROM today (December 22), department of economic affairs (DEA) secretary and 1980 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS Shaktikanta Das will have a new designation -- finance secretary. But his new designation will last only for 13 days, i.e. till January 3, 2016. In fact, 1978 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS and expenditure secretary Ratan P Watal who is also the finance secretary by virtue of being the senior-most of all the five finance ministry secretaries, will be on…

Who are the bureaucrats in Twitter? And why their followers love to read about "safe" sarkari experiences

ON Thursday night, former foreign secretary of India and 1973 batch retired IFS officer Nirupama Rao thanked her 4 lakh Twitter followers. "400K followers today. Humbled and honored. Thank you all", she wrote in a post in the micro-blogging site, Twitter. In fact, if there is one area of Indian bureaucracy that has undergone a sea-change in the last couple of years is the very willingness of more and more serving bureaucrats and diplomats to share their “safe” sarkari experiences in social media platforms. BoI picks out a few bureaucrats from a list of about 500 who are effectively using Twitter to reach out to citizens:

8% growth, rationalization of Central schemes, appointment of bank CMDs – what top 3 finance ministry secretaries had to say

Adhia (left), Watal during the press meet

FINANCE ministry top bureaucrats on Monday talked about the health of Indian economy: A possible 8% growth, government’s role in passing over benefits of RBI’s soft monetary policy, 5% fall in direct tax collection, rationalization of Central schemes and revamping the process of selection of directors, CMDs of public sector banks, among others. The bureaucrats who participated in the press meet included finance secretary and 1978 batch IAS Ratan P Watal, DEA secretary and 1980 batch IAS Shaktikanta Das, revenue secretary and 1981 batch IAS Hasmukh Adhia, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian, among others. Here are 10 things which the top North Block bureaucrats had to say:

Budget preparation begins amid shaky economic ground; what did 5 Finmin secretaries discuss on Monday?

Finance Ministry secretaries discuss about economy, budget

A DAY before Prime Minister’s meeting on global economic scenario with captains of industry including Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani, Tata group chairman Cyrus Mistry and Airtel group chairman Sunil Mittal, RBI Governor, top government officials, bankers and leading economists etc. today at his residence in 7 Race Course Road, the finance ministry on Monday had an all-secretary meeting. Chaired by newly-designated finance secretary and 1978 batch IAS Ratan P Watal (who is also in charge of expenditure department), the meeting took stock of the present economic crisis and discussed about creating a mechanism of better co-ordination among five departments belonging to the finance ministry, as the preparation of the next General Budget, to be presented in February 2016, had actually begun. Now, such meetings involving all five finance ministry departments will be held on…

How senior bureaucrats reacted to Saturday’s civil services results; their reminiscences of UPSC days

Ex-foreign secretary Nirupama Rao in 1973

AS UPSC announced the civil services examinations results on Saturday, many a senior bureaucrat including those serving as union secretaries, joint secretaries, ambassadors, former bureaucrats—all took to the social media sites to talk about the results, congratulate the toppers and narrate their reminiscences of their UPSC exams days. Revenue secretary and 1980 batch IAS Shaktikanta Das wrote in Twitter that he felt very happy for the customs and excise IRS officer Ira Singhal who topped the exam this year. “Her performance in Customs and Excise training academy was impressive. Great determination”, Das added. As many as…

Budget Secrecy, Halwa Ceremony: 100 finance ministry officials will be confined to North Block basement till Feb 28

THE printing process of the Budget document to be presented by union finance minister Arun Jaitley on February 28 began in the basement of North Block on Friday after the finance ministry bigwigs participated in a traditional event called “halwa ceremony”. As finance minister and North Block officials enjoyed the halwa (see photo), the final chapter on budget secretary, something unheard of in…

Know Your Babu: Revenue secretary and 1980 batch IAS Shaktikanta Das

Shaktikanta Das

THE post of union revenue secretary may not wield lots of power as two powerful boards under him, CBDT for direct taxes and CBEC for excise and customs, both manned by IRS officers, often overshadow the position of the lonely IAS at the top. Yet, Gujarat cadre IAS Rajiv Takru’s shifting out of the North Block for an apparently less significant post of secretary in the department of North Eastern Region (DoNER) coupled with 1980 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS Shaktikanta Das’ elevation as the new revenue secretary can be considered as the first…