Know Your Babu: The officer who gave Railways an IT vision 11 years ago

Featuring a historic train journey

ON TUESDAY morning, as rail bureaucrats like lakhs of their fellow countrymen logged into their computers, they all said “wow”! After all, Google doodle of the day featured India’s first passenger train journey, an event that dates back to April 16, 1853 when the historic 34-km-long train journey took place between Bori Bunder in Mumbai and Thane. But another event that went largely unnoticed outside New Delhi's Rail Bhawan was the elevation of an Indian Railway Traffic Service officer who incidentally gave Indian railways…

Who are the IAS, IPS officers who have declared their assets so far?

WHILE the debate is on whether bureaucrats should declare assets in the same way as their political masters, a select officers from UP cadre have taken a lead in declaring their assets. What's more, some of them have reportedly written letters to Cabinet secretary that all government employees should declare their movable and immovable assets. As was reported in a section of media in the last couple of days, those who have already declared their assets are 1979 batch IAS Vijay Shanker Pandey, Sunil Kumar and Renuka Kumar (both 1987 batch IAS) and IPS officer Jasbeer Singh. According to sources, Mr Pandey has declared assets including bank deposits of Rs 1.17 lakh, Rs 2.5 lakh in post office account and a 1990 model Fiat car. The assets of other bureaucrats could not be established so far. A few more IAS officers are likely to declare their assets voluntarily. The move has come weeks after Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and 20 other Supreme Court judges declared their assets voluntarily. Bio-data of Vijay Shanker Pandey, IAS Name: Vijay Shankar Pandey Cadre: Uttar Pradesh Batch: 1979 Date of Birth: December 10, 1956 Place of Domicile: Uttar Pradesh Educational Qualifications: Post Graduation in Maths Current Posting: Principal Secretary Foreign Training: Degree on public management from IDS Sussex, UK (13 weeks, 1999)

Bio-data of Sunil Kumar, IAS Name: Sunil Kumar Cadre: Uttat Pradesh Batch: 1987 Date of Birth: October 15, 1963 Educational Qualifications: PG in Sociology Foreign Training: Nil Bio-data of Renuka Kumar, IAS Name: Renuka Kumar Cadre: Uttar Pradesh Batch: 1987 Date of Birth: June 26, 1963 Place of Domicile: Uttar Pradesh Educational Qualifications: PG in Sociology Current Posting: Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, New Delhi Foreign Training: Nil

Read: Indian bureaucrats face the challenge of disclosing their assets (October 26, 2009)

Action & Appointments

1) Jagdish Prasad Meena, a 1983 batch IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) under the ministry of home affairs, in the pay band of Rs 37400-67000/- (PB-4) with a grade of Rs 10000, for a period of five years or until further orders. 2) Tenure of Sunil Kumar, a 1979 batch IAS and joint secretary, in the department of higher education has been extended by 3 months beyond June 27, 2009 when the officer completes his 5 year tenure. 3) Central deputation tenure of A K Sirolia, a 1985 batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre, and Inspector General, BSF has been extended for a period of three years beyond May 26, 2009 or until further orders. 4) Urban development secretary Dr M Ramachandran, a 1972 batch IAS of Uttarakhand cadre will hold additional charge of the post of secretary, ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation during the period from June 29, 2009 to July 10, 2009 when Mrs Kiran Dhingra, a 1975 batch IAS will remain on leave.