Whispers Forum

Whispersinthecorridors.com has been regularly throwing up names of probables for appointment as union Cabinet Secretary. This would make the job of PM easier in selecting the right person for the job without gender bias.
Women have held key portfolios in the past. Madam Indira Gandhi as de jure PM, President of India, an Italian lady as the de facto PM of India during the UPA era, Speaker (LS), Governors of States etc.
But, all in political domain. None as chief of Indian bureaucracy.
Regrettable. Country’s successive CEOs failed to locate a woman officer to fill the position of union Cabinet Secretary ? Whether the omission was inadvertent or a conscious decision, one wonders? But, this surely, reveals the deeply ingrained misogynistic mindset of successive Prime ministers.
Are women officers less competent , less manipulative, less pliable, more difficult to handle than their male counterparts?
Let us go down the memory lane. Recall super sessions of senior civil servants like Ms Roma Majumdar , Ms Reva Nayyar and Ms Sudha Pillai despite their relative merit and inter se seniority vis-à-vis male aspirants. Ms Sarla Grewal was , appointed as Principal Secy to the then PM- Rajiv Gandhi, but not as Cabinet Secretary.
One hopes. PM Modi takes the call by allowing merit-based, out-of-turn promotions of a lady officer when the extended tenure of P K Sinha ,present Cab Sec, expires in June 2019. No UPA trick. Let no one keep the seat of cabinet secretary warm for facilitating the posting of a junior favourite of the male specie.
Recall, how Senior-most IAS officers were even shunted out as Chairpersons of Trade Fair Authority of India with status and pay scale of Cabinet Secretary. Motive : to plant a favourite, otherwise junior, as Cabinet Secretary.
The wind seems to be blowing in favour of Modi returning as PM after 2019 elections. The exercise must begin before EC’s Code of Conduct comes into operation so that the new incumbent could work as under-study to present CS.
If, PM Modi wishes to postpone selection of new Cabinet Secretary on ethical consideration till his re-election, it is his prerogative.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)
Expenditure on Advertisement by the Modi Government
The news on the issue is misleading. It needs to be clarified that the expenditure quoted mainly includes expenditure on the advertisements related to public awareness and promotion of public interest. Incomplete information amounts to lie.
A K Verma, ISS (Retd.)

Be-maut mar rahey hain, hamarey bravehearts,ISI key aatankvaad sey
Sarkar masroof hai, election jeetney aur Rafale kee kharidaari sei
Bina surgical strike kei , hamarey jawaan pareshshaan hai aur public hairaan hai
Atyachaar se kaap rahi hai insaaniyat, raaj kar rahey hain haiwan
Paap se dharati phat rahi hai , adharma se aasmaan,
Phir bhi sab bole rahey hain: Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat,
Kashmiriyat ke naam par ,Kashmiri IAS afsar dei rahen hain isteefa,kya haq hai unhe Kashmir mei rehne kaa
Sab chup hain. Par aaj wakht hai sab kuch bolney kaa
Janta Oob chuki hai raajneetik rhetorics, sermons, speeches sey
Aur, ham sab be-parwah hain,pareshan hain Home minister,Army chief key maukhik mooh-tor jawaabs sey,
Pradhan mantri ke paas vakht nahi hai, mandir, election rallies aur Videsh bhraman se
Koi batlaye hamey, kee ham karein toh kyaa karein
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

So Long Modi Govt will remain in power there will be no Lokpal. Govt is not interested in making appointment. Corruption in Govt offices have increased. I know the EPFO closely where corruption has increased at least four times
M P Srivastava
A matter of concern !
We appreciate the Central Govt. for granting promotion from ASO to Deputy Secretary and Grade D Steno to Sr. PPS but also it is a matter of concern that they could not think about the promotion of lower paid employees i.e. SSA to ASO, JSA to SSA and MTS to JSA. They are deprived and no one think about their promotion in Central Secretariat. In this time also they are left out.
Prabhakar
Equivalence be put in place
I fully endorse. This is a simple way and then equivalence should be put in place once for all. It is surprising that an appointment/post of Chief Engineer held by a Brigadier who is placed in lower table as compared to a civilian CE in total difference to well settled principles of equal pay for equal work
Ashok Pandey

Ahead of polls, the ruling political dispensation, it seems, is hell-bent on adding to chaos by increasing current reservation quota for SC,ST&OBC by 10%.
Worse, the UOI reportedly also plans to create another category of Economically Backward class among the Upper Castes for availing of reservation quota of 10% in public jobs and educational institutions.
Beneficiaries in upper castes would be communities like the Rajputs, Jaats, Gujjars, Bhoomihars, Vaish, Brahmins et al. The Union cabinet has already approved the proposal.
If the Constitutional Amendment bill is not passed by Parliament ( 2/3 rd majority ) promulgation of Ordinance will be the inevitable option, seeing the mood of the GoI.
Merit will become the casualty once again by the Electoral fraud.
Will the proposed Constitutional amount not amount to violation of SC's ruling in Indira Sawhney's case?
Will the Supreme court strike down the amendment by taking suo moto cognisance , without waiting for the PIL that may be filed soon?
One more query on behalf of Civil Services aspirants. .If the orders come into force , will this not impact the distribution of vacancies for the final results of UPSC's Civil Services exam-2018, the interviews for which are starting shortly?
Whether the seemingly game-changing initiative motivated by political considerations be regarded as a “ Pro-poor or Anti- national” move, one wonders ?
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)
Far from truth
Views that the Ministry of Overseas Affairs was useful is far from truth. There was duplicity of work and confusion prevailed. Protector General of Immigrants is still there and doing his job excellently, The embassies and consulates are suffering from severe shortage of staff, However there can be a dedicated Consular/ First Secretary level officer for NRI's affairs. MEA should fill up posts in Indian Cultural Centres abroad and if need be on deputation, as most of the posts of Directors and other staff in ICR's are vacant.
N Verma

It is now clear that there is a group of officers who enjoyed patronage in the previous government and now find themselves as persona non grata. They have become active now writing letters to criticise the government, on small issues, making them appear as national issues. Their conscience was not stirred when all atrocities took place in Congress regime including 1984 riots or the massive scams that took place in UPA regime. Some were even participants in it. Now they have started criticising through your forum also, in the hope that if a khichri govt comes to power, they will again be fit for crumbs of office.
S Chatterjee

Fully endorse the views on CGHS. A computer literate clerk can be posted to each of the Wellness center who can enter the details of medicines prescribed by the Specialist. Why a qualified Doctor’s time is wasted on clerical work ? It is high time that CGHS authorities take note of it and act on it.
S Gopal
Change your habit first and then advise politicians
Politicians don't have the level to understand the facts and the bureaucrats who are close to the power are also behind this. First the person at top should change their habit and then advise the politicians to change.
Manas
Pleasant New Year news
The Promotion of 1986 batch of IRS Officers as CCIT has come as a pleasant New Year News. I congratulate all of them and hope to see the remaining batchmates being promoted soon.
Ajay Kumar Verma, ISS (Retd.)

PSU's have become habitats for kith and kin of politicians and Babus. How can it be commercial organisations. One of loss making Maharatna PSU’s Independent Director staying in five star hotels like Oberoi Grand hotel in Kolkata at the cost of Public and tax payers money, instead of staying in company guest house. The so called Maharatna PSU has not revised Pay scales for Employees and not even implemented the Pension scheme. When Directors are corrupt, incompetent and relatives of politicians and babus take undue advantage, how can PSU's become profit making ?
Rao

The most dangerous trend in a democracy is that as soon as any political party takes over either in a State or at the Centre, there is a reshuffling of bureaucrats on a mass scale. Are these bureaucrats inefficient or were they working as workers of a particular party? Legislators are non-permanent whereas the civil servants are permanent. Is it not unconstitutional practice in the sense that there is a separation of power between the three pillars of democracy, i.e., the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary? Transfer of a civil servant in a normal course is justifiable, otherwise not. This is a clear indication that the bureaucracy, which is required to be non-partisan, is made party-tools.
Zile Singh
CGHS can be improved
The trajectory of a beneficiary in the CGHS is more complex than that of Black money. It is a case study in harassment of people: beneficiaries and doctors! Patient and doctor time is wasted in an exercise that can be drastically cut straightaway. When the specialist prescribes medicines, the doctor in the dispensary writes again before issuing medicines, whereas that part of the exercise can be cut by single specialist prescription which connects the patient to his/her card number through computer. Even the medicine can be issued from the RML/SJH like facilities rather than making patients run to the dispensary, file the prescription and make another visit for medicines (worth less than even 100 rupee or so). Tests can also be conducted at the facility itself (Arvind is quietly stealing the show- Mohalla clinics giving CGHS a healthy competition- tests, consultation and medicines in the Mohalla itself rather than distanced locations. A free service against paid service to CGHS beneficiaries).
M L Gupta