Ex-civil servants Sudhir Chandra, PJ Thomas, others start UPSC interview coaching centre, Anugrah

A NUMBER of former civil servants and experts, many of whom were on UPSC interview board earlier, have started a low cost coaching and customized guidance centre in New Delhi to train IAS aspirants for interviews. Named Anugrah, this Delhi-based organization says, it will give priority to those who hail from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds, though anyone including those who have not yet cleared the civil services mains examination, may enroll at the centre. Former civil servants who are guiding the young aspirants for the UPSC personality test include…

BoI heroes of 2011 scripted future agenga, influenced some and inspired many

It was quite a rough and tough year for Indian bureaucrats. But there were a handful of bureaucrats who refused to give in to the unusual circumstances that overshadowed the corridor's positive developments. This lot of movers and shakers were ahead of the curve. And they demonstrated their ability, innovative ideas and leadership to race ahead of their peers. Here are the BoI heroes of 2011 who refused to fail:

Kuldip Narayan, IAS

In January 2011, even before Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's deadline expired, two Bihar IAS of 2005 batch, Kuldip Narayan and Balamurugan D, set the ball rolling by declaring their assets and liabilities including minor details such as buying of televisions and mobile phones. It was a different matter that every bureaucrat across the country and even the ministers of Manmohan Singh's cabinet later had to declare their assets once the anti-graft campaign of Anna Hazare wooed lakhs of Indians to the streets.
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What did they declare?

Sudhir Chandra, IRS

When 1973 batch Indian Revenue Service officer Sudhir Chandra took over as the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on December 31, 2010, he ordered the backdoor of his historically significant corner room of North Block opened. The door which remained closed for over 60 years leads to a balcony overlooking the monumental beauty of Raisina Hills --- The Rashtrapati Bhawan. The pillared balcony has reminiscence of history thanks to the emblem of Lord Mountbatten-headed South East Asia Command being carved on a plaque there. Some of his decisions turned controversial, but his firm direction for early refund rejoiced millions of Indian tax payers.
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North Block's corner room overlooking Rashtrapati Bhawan

Former Bureaucrats

As many as 83 distinguished Indian bureaucrats with a combined work experience of about 2,500 man-years are pinning hopes that a court verdict could put in place a mechanism that would insulate bureaucrats from political pressure. Former Union cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian and 82 other distinguished ex-bureaucrats petitioned in Supreme Court seeking urgent administrative reforms. A Supreme Court bench issued notice to the Central and state governments after showering praises on the petitioners that they raised some important questions.
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Who are these 83 bureaucrats?

Ranjan Mathai, IFS
It was not an easy decision, but the government zeroed in on  Ranjan Mathai, a 1974 batch IFS officer, as India's foreign secretary. The Ambassador in Paris was ahead of his peers and batch-mates in the race to replace Ms Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, who later became India's ambassador to US post retirement. BoI (babusofindia.com) in a report dated as early as February 28, 2011 said why Mathai would clinch the coveted foreign secretary’s job.
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Mathai Vs Rest

Gautam Sanyal, CSS

Gautam Sanyal, a Central secretariat service officer, is the new poster boy of India’s babudom. Till a few months ago, he was the all-powerful OSD to Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee. But after Ms Banerjee became chief minister of West Bengal, Sanyal too took a flight to Kolkata and became the most important officer in Bengal’s power corridors giving heartburns to many IAS officers.
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Sanyal, Mamata's Pulok Chatterji

Sanjiv Bhatt, IPS

IS Gujarat’s much talked about IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt slowing becoming a real-life Singham, an Ajay Devgan-starred character of a police officer who finally motivates his seniors to join him in a fight against the evil? Bhatt who was arrested on September 30, 2011 on a compliant filed by police constable, is now getting a strong backing from fellow IPS officers of the state.
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Real-life Singham

Vini Mahajan, IAS

Vini Mahajan, one of the most influential bureaucrats in Indian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and 1987 batch Punjab cadre IAS, will remain at the power centre of Delhi at least till April 2012 after she managed yet another extension. Despite being in controversy in the so-called "official" leakage of the 2G note dragging home minister P Chidambaram, Mahajan remained influential at the nerve-center of Raisina Hills. Her mentor TKA Nair may lose his sheen, but Ms Mahajan has not lost her ground.
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Unconditional Extension

Satyapal Singh, IPS
Satyapal Singh, Additional Director General of Police in Maharashtra and the man who was personally reviewing the security of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare by visiting Anna’s native village in Ralegan Siddhi is an unusual police officer. His domain knowledge and understanding of Yoga, Vedas and Swami Vivekananda could make many religious experts envious.And he close to Baba Ramdev too.
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Anna's protector, Baba's friend

Neelam Sharma, IFS

Indian Foreign Service officer Neelam Sharma’s decision to marry her batch-mate (2009 batch) and Gujarat cadre IAS Kuldeep Arya was contested by Haryana's Khap Panchayat. It questioned how the IFS officer, a Brahmin, dared to fall in love with a man from another caste. Currently posted in Moscow, IFS Neelam Sharma stood her ground and managed the event like an able diplomat. 
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A diplomat's wedding

How a non-IAS can become a mover and shaker in power corridors, demonstrates Sudhir Chandra

IF YOU are an IAS, you automatically hold positions of immense importance. But you may not necessarily need to be an IAS to influence the system and implement things the way you wanted. Outgoing CBDT chairman Sudhir Chandra has demonstrated how an allied service officer can emerge as an independent power center, an implementer of big ticket ideas and a real mover and shaker in corridors of power.

In his written farewell message to fellow IRS-IT officers dated May 31, 2011, Chandra said, “As a service we are not emerging, we have already emerged”.

During his five months stint as chairman of the direct tax body, Chandra took up issues which an ordinary bureaucrat would like to pass quietly. He decided to refund dues of lakhs of taxpayers in the country in the current fiscal year itself and forced his juniors to work on Sundays. The result: over 32 lakh taxpayers were surprised to find their money in their bank accounts. And Rs 30,000 crore was disbursed in the months of April and May alone.

It was not easy task as many finmin honchos wanted to block the initiative citing reasons of overdraft and fiscal deficit. But, can you rein in fiscal deficit by holding on tax payers’ dues, Chandra fought back.

Despite odds, Chandra was instrumental in fighting against the menace of black money and the I-T department seized unaccounted money worth Rs 30,000 crore in the last two years. The IRS-IT officers’ role during the last assembly elections was appreciated by none other than chief election commissioner SY Quraishi in a letter dated May 23, 2011.

But what’s about the accountability of his own I-T officers who go for raids and surveys? Chandra who came into prominence as Member (Investigation) issued an order in May this year saying that survey teams visiting taxpayer’s premises would, before the commencement of survey proceedings, provide to the taxpayer the names, designations and contact numbers of their chief commissioner, commissioner and additional or joint commissioner of Income Tax. And he sent a written message to his fellow IRS-IT officials saying it was necessary to “bring transparency in survey operations and obviate the possibility of any grievance to the taxpayers”.

But it was not a smooth journey for Chandra. Many objected to his declaring independence when CBDT and CBEC chairmen (at the rank of special secretary) were firmly placed under revenue secretary who is always an IAS. A high-powered committee of secretary had recommended striking down of CBDT’s powers on phone tapping after the Niira Radia episode. On his last day as chairman, Chandra told reporters with pride that CBDT’s phone tapping powers remained intact.

For Chandra, the bottom-line is clear: IRS officers are definitely not children of lesser God!

IRS probationers pose questions on postings through video-conferencing

ABOUT 150 Indian Revenue Service (I-T) probationers now undergoing training at National Academy of Direct Taxes, Nagpur seized an opportunity to interact with CBDT chairman Sudhir Chandra and other members of the Board through video conferencing on Friday. During the last three months, this is the third video-conferencing session between Board in New Delhi’s North Block and I-T officials across India.

The young officers asked many a question regarding the criteria of their future postings, according to people present during the session. Whereas administrative needs would get top-most priority in deciding where the officers would be posted, there would be a few exceptions on compassionate ground, the probationers were told. I-T officers from 30 cities including far-flung centers like Guwahati and Shillong also got hooked into Friday’s video-conferencing.

Meanwhile, CBDT chairman Sudhir Chandra’s term has been extended by two months till May 31, 2011.

(File Photo: A section of 64^th batch of IRS in New Delhi recently)

Also Read

FM’s interaction through video-conferencing

Action and Appointments

a) Vumlunmang Vualnam, a 1992 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS has been appointed as director in the ministry of home affairs.

b) AN Srivastava, a 1988 batch Indian Ordinance Factory Service officer has been appointed as director in the ministry of new and renewable energy.

c) Dheeraj Kumar, a 1993 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, has been appointed as a director in the ministry of minority affairs. 

Mountbatten Musings: CBDT chairman’s direction for early refund to rejoice millions of Indian tax payers

WHEN 1973 batch Indian Revenue Service officer Sudhir Chandra took over as the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on December 31, 2010, he ordered the backdoor of his historically significant corner room of North Block opened. The door which remained closed for over 60 years leads to a balcony overlooking the monumental beauty of Raisina Hills --- The Rashtrapati Bhawan. What’s more, the pillared balcony has reminiscence of history thanks to the emblem of Lord Mountbatten-headed South East Asia Command being carved on a plaque there.

Over a month later, Chandra issued another directive which stands to benefit lakhs of tax papers in the country waiting for their refund cheques to come. The CBDT chairman has now directed all chief commissioners to upload necessary data so that the refunds could be issued expeditiously, said an official release. Significantly, it will be for the first time that most income tax refunds of the current assessment year will be dispatched to the taxpayers within the current financial year itself. All taxpayers who have filed e-returns and whose refund claim is below Rs 10 lakh would be issued their income tax refunds by March 2011. The move is significant as many tax payers receive their refund money only after a few years of the assessment year.

Significantly, the CBDT chairman’s room has a historical bearing as India’s last viceroy Lord Louis Mountbatten used it during the World War II. An inscription in the room says: “Admiral The Lord Louis Mountbatten, G.C.V.O.K.C.B.D.S.O.A.D.C. Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command occupied this room from October 1943 till April 1944 and thereafter when present in New Delhi until the end of the War against Japan. The emblem of the South East Asia Command is also carved on the plaque within the pillared balcony outside this room.” (In picture: CBDT chairman’s corner room in North Block reminds of colonial power-center)

Shashi Kant Sharma appointed as new financial services secretary

Shashi Kant Sharma, a 1976 batch Bihar cadre IAS, presently secretary in department of information technology has been appointed as secretary in department of financial services under ministry of finance in the vacancy of R Gopalan, a 1976 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS who has recently been made DEA secretary. A post graduate in political science and a MSc degree holder from the University of York, Sharma had earlier served as additional secretary in defence ministry and DoPT. 

Video Conferencing: FM motivates I-T officials from CBDT chairman’s office

AHEAD of the annual budget, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee motivated chief commissioners of Income Tax and other senior I-T officials from across India to maximize direct tax collections. I-T officials from 48 cities in India listened to FM on Wednesday through video conferencing organized by the office of new CBDT chairman Sudhir Chandra.

FM was specially invited to the chairman’s office, also located in North Block, to address senior I-T officials through video conferencing and also to release a 30-page “Vision 2020” document of the I-T department. The vision document along with the new Direct Taxes Code (DTC) could form the core of the department’s strategic planning in coming years. While talking to I-T officials, Mukherjee stressed the need for adopting tax payer friendly approach. It was an interactive session in which I-T officials posed questions and narrated the challenges before them.

For the record, CBDT chairman’s room in North Block used to be the office of Lord Mountbatten, the last viceroy of British Raj. (Picture on Right: Sudhir Chandra)

ICAI award for Surat Municipal Corporation

Call it yet another distinction for the city of Surat and its commissioner S Aparna, a 1988 batch IAS. The Surat Municipal Corporation has figured among 17 companies or entities which were awarded the prestigious ICAI Awards for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the year 2009-10. Surat has been awarded the Plaque for Commended Annual Report for the year ended March 31, 2010. A year ago, Surat’s municipal commissioner S Aparna along with the city’s Mayor received the best JNNURM city award from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

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Who is S Aparna?

Tax hound Sudhir Chandra takes over as new CBDT chairman

A FEW months ago, a survey undertaken by babusofindia.com sprang a surprise by declaring 1973 batch IRS officer Sudhir Chandra as the fourth most powerful bureaucrat in India, 2010 behind cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar, principal secretary to PM TKA Nair and home secretary GK Pillai. Chandra, the no non-sense officer in North Block who as Member, Investigation in CBDT brought hopes to thousands of IRS officers by demonstrating that an IRS officer was no less than an IAS.

On December 31, 2010, Sudhir Chandra was appointed as the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes, replacing his IRS batch-mate SSN Moorthy. Post retirement, Moorthy will relocate himself to Mumbai to take charge as Member in Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT).

While announcing that Chandra is the fourth most powerful bureaucrat in India, Team BoI wrote: “When 400 taxmen carried out a massive search operation across properties of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda last year to trace his Rs 2000 cr allegedly unaccounted assets, a tax hound sitting at his North Block office was instructing everybody how to be extremely polite in handling the operation, but at the same time be as courageous as “Rani of Jhansi”. That was just the beginning of a string of I-T raids at the premises of impregnable IAS officers and leading business houses which were hitherto considered as safe domains…Chandra has proved that no one including politicians and top bureaucrats should feel secured and flaunt their unaccounted money because of their clout in the corridors of power. He is truly the corridors’ game-changer.”

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Know The Super Taxman

Gujral to hold addition charge of NHAI chairman

RS Gujral, a 1976 batch Haryana cadre IAS and secretary in the ministry of road transport and highways has been given the additional charge of chairman, National Highways Authority of India. The appointments committee of the cabinet (ACC) has approved giving additional charge to Gujral for a period of three months from January 1, 2011. Current chairman Brijeshwar Singh, on his superannuation on 31st August 2010, was re-employed as chairman, NHAI, on contract basis, first for a period of three months which was later extended by one month.

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Kamal Nath’s Old Hand

Action and Appointments

a) Vice Admiral DK Joshi on Friday took cover as the chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) from Air Marshal SC Mukul. Earlier Vice Admiral DK Joshi was Commander in Chief of Andman and Nicobar Command.

b) Air Marshal DC Kumaria will take over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command (WAC) at Subroto Park, in New Delhi on 01 January 2011. 

BoI list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats, 2010, is out; 3 IAS, 1 IRS and 1 IFS figure

THE final BoI (babusofindia.com) list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats in India, 2010, is out. Based on feedback from over 50 bureaucrats and politicians in corridors of power in Delhi, BoI Team has prepared the list which has three IAS, one IRS and one IFS officer. These bureaucrats, who wield tremendous power and have capacity to influence key government decisions, have derived their power not because of the posts they hold, but thanks to their proactive and at times controversial way of pushing matters ahead. In corridors of power, you can criticize each one of them for some decision or the other, but you can’t simply ignore any one of them. Welcome to the world of power babus.

No 1: KM Chandrasekhar

The Prime Minister’s recent decision to bestow overriding power to cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar-headed committee to monitor Commonwealth Games is just one of many instances of how “soft spoken”, “non-interfering” and “mild” Cab Sec has asserted himself during the last one year as the most powerful bureaucrat in India. His serial extension as India’s top bureaucrat even at the cost of making new rules and causing heartburns to his juniors, has vindicated his clout in the government and demonstrated PM’s growing confidence on him. (Read: Why is Chandrasekhar powerful?)

No 2: TKA Nair

A 1963 batch retired IAS, working as principal secretary to PM since May 2004, TKA Nair, is ranked No 2 in the BoI’s (babusofindia.com) list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats second time in a row. From managing crisis for the Prime Minister, meeting ministers on behalf of the PM to taking the viewpoints of top corporate honchos on all policy matters, Nair is still the man of the moment in PMO. (Read: Nair as Henry Kissinger style bureaucrat)

No 3: GK Pillai

Union home secretary GK Pillai is quite assertive, vocal and even non-diplomatic at times when questions of internal security become a priority. Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS, is ranked 3rd in BoI’s list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats, 2010. Pillai and his boss P Chidambaram are now gearing up for a fool-proof security arrangement for the biggest sporting extravaganza in India, the Commonwealth Games. For Pillai, Games provide an opportunity to make him a true game-changer. (Read: Is Pillai a game-changer?)

No 4: Sudhir Chandra

When 400 taxmen carried out a massive search operation across properties of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda last year to trace his Rs 2000 cr allegedly unaccounted assets, a tax hound sitting at his North Block office was instructing everybody how to be extremely polite in handling the operation, but at the same time be as courageous as “Rani of Jhansi”. Sudhir Chandra, Member, Investigation of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the 4th Most Powerful Bureaucrat in the list, and undoubtedly the most surprising candidate. But he is the driving force for making IRS no-lesser mortal in front of IAS. (Read: What makes Sudhir Chandra a powerful bureaucrat?)

No 5: Nirupama Rao

Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, the second woman IFS officer to clinch that coveted post, is suave, polite and as the profession demands “highly diplomatic”. For over one year now, she has been instrumental in motivating her colleagues to act like economic ambassadors of the nation and paint a good image of the country. Her firefighting in GK Pillai’s “ISI remark” episode which had resulted into the collapse of India-Pakistan foreign minister level talks, was the most remarkable during the recent time. She walked across the road to North Block to have a cup of tea with Pillai demonstrating real-diplomacy inside Raisina Hills! 

Tax hound Sudhir Chandra is India’s 4th Most Powerful Bureaucrat

WHEN 400 taxmen carried out a massive search operation across properties of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda last year to trace his Rs 2000 cr allegedly unaccounted assets, a tax hound sitting at his North Block office was instructing everybody how to be extremely polite in handling the operation, but at the same time be as courageous as “Rani of Jhansi”. That was just the beginning of a string of I-T raids at the premises of impregnable IAS officers and leading business houses which were hitherto considered as safe domains.
Sudhir Chandra, Member, Investigation of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the 4th Most Powerful Bureaucrat in the BoI (Babus of India) power list. A 1973 batch Indian Revenue Service official, Chandra has proved that no one including politicians and top bureaucrats should feel secured and flaunt their unaccounted money because of their clout in the corridors of power. He is truly the corridors’ game-changer.

The man who is driven by his fearlessness has kept photographs of his religious guru all around the wall of his official room, possibly to draw strength against any political interventions! And no wonder, thanks to his growing clout, he is adding more enemies every single day.

What this tax hound does when he ends his busy day in North Block? That’s his own world as he starts playing Lara’s Theme to Strangers in the Night... in his piano. (In Picture: Chandra (left) with revenue secretary Sunil Mitra and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee)

Derailing the Koda case no longer an easy proposition. Why?

JHARKHAND I-T director (investigation) Ujjwal Choudhary’s transfer after the February 16 raids may unlikely to impact the Rs 2,000 crore money laundering scam involving former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda as long as the man in the North Block anchoring the investigation, remains firm. Though a section of the media has quoted I-T Bihar and Jharkhand di-rector general (investigation) Anjani Kumar saying that Mr Choud-hary’s transfer would not impact the investigation, and another quot-ing Mr Choudhary himself saying that his replacement was equally a competent officer, what has been ignored so far is the real force be-hind the entire investogation — Sudhir Chandra, Member, Investiga-tion of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and a 1973 batch Indian Revenue Service official.
In fact, the issue has been highly politicised after the BJP slammed the Centre for transferring Mr Chaudhary, saying it was deliberate and was done to hush up the probe. The Congress in turn hit out at the BJP for its “desperate search of issues”, after it questioned the Centre about Prime Minister’s special envoy Shyam Saran’s resignation, and the removal of the I-T officer investigating Koda case.
However, any intended derailing of the investigation is no longer an easy proposition now as I-T department unearthed a number of evi-dences against the alleged culpitrators.
In fact, babusofindia had earlier reported how Sudhir Chandra had asked his officials to be extremely polite in handling the operations, but at the same time wanted them to be as courageous as “Rani of Jhansi”.
Read:
I-T officials instructed to call ex-Jharkhand CM "Koda Sir"
Sudhir Chandra: The super taxman in North Block anchoring Koda case
Read tomorrow: Behind-The-Curtain: Why more and more IAS officers are under I-T scanner?

I-T officials instructed to address ex-Jharkhand CM as "Koda Sir"

INCOME tax officials dealing with former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda regarding a case of an alleged involvement in illegal transactions worth over Rs 2,000 crore, are given special instruction by the North Block to be extremely polite and clam while conducting searches and asking questions to the politician. Also, tax officials have been asked to address Mr Koda, now an independent MP from Jharkhand, as "Koda sir" all the time. In fact, it's mandatory for bureaucrats to call political leaders as "sir" though it's not practised all the time. (Picture: Koda with model and actress Koena Mitra who was Jharkhand's brand ambassador) In fact, over 400 I-T officials were deployed in the biggest ever search operation in a politician's premises, and it was done at the stewardship of Sudhir Chandra, Member (Investigation) of the Central Board of Direct Taxes. Despite handling sensitive issues in CBDT, Mr Chandra always keeps the green light outside his cabin on, and hardly refuses anyone from meeting him.

Read: North Block’s top taxman keeps his door-light on a green mode (July 23, 2009). Also, I-T officials around the country are now being encouraged to be brave, and discharge duties fearlessly and without any political pressure. On October 9, the ED first lodged a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Mr Koda and three former ministers Kamlesh Singh, Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Bandhu Tirkey and his associates Sinha and Chaudhary. Action & Appointments a) B S Parsheera, a 1974 batch AP cadre IAS, presently specical secretary in the ministry of environment and forests, as secretary, department of official language in the ministry of home affairs in place of Pradeep Kumar, a 1973 batch UP cadre IAS on his retirement on 31st October, 2009. b) Ms Anshu Vaish a 1975 batch MP cadre IAS, presently secretary in the department of school education and literacy in the ministry of human resource development will hold additional charge of the post of secretary, department of higher education in the ministry of human resource development for a period of three months with effect from 1st November 2009 or untill further orders. BoI extraa...What's in a confidential circular? Link of a confidential DoPT circular placed in the official website

North Block’s top taxman keeps his door-light on a green mode

THE door is virtually open if you wish to meet one of the country’s top taxmen --- Sudhir Chandra, member (investigation) of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Unlike all his predecessors in North Block, Mr Chandra has made it a point to keep his door light on a green mode even when he is in a meeting on serious tax matters. Many government officials prefer keeping the door light on a “red” mode even if they are relatively free, thereby discouraging other visitors to enter their rooms. However, Mr Chandra’s logic of not switching on the red light is to facilitate junior officers of the department to walk up to him without any hesitation, officials in the department have confirmed. A 1973 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) official and batch-mate of CBDT chairman S S N Moorthy, he holds the rank of a special secretary to the government of India. No wonder, many junior officials of the revenue department find themselves quite comfortable now to enter into Mr Chandra’s room and take up serious matters. As the Member, investigation, he monitors all searches conducted by I-T department. Mr Chandra was chief commissioner of Income-Tax in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) for over two years becoming moving to the North Block.

BoI Extraa… It’s past 12 midnight now, but not dark as yet. I can still see the outside world from my hotel room located in the heart of Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden which witnesses the long days in summer and equally long nights during winter thanks to its proximity to the North Pole. I am told that if I travel 200 km north of Stockholm, I will be able to see the midnight sun! Anyway, I may or may not go further north, but I will definitely give you a sense of Swedish babudom, and common men’s perception towards bureaucracy here.