Whispers Forum

Would a person who has been a part of bureaucracy all through his / her life change colours overnight? As a class who is more interested in hiding information during their entire service career, how can these individuals who become the torch bearers of transparency play any significant role in transparency? They are status - quoist, more concerned about their own perks and comforts. They may be competent, but you cannot expect them to bring a revolution, or even a huge change. With a fossilised mind, the orders are going to be nothing less than a caricature of what a decent order should be. LONG LIVE INDIA
Sushmita

A view has emerged that the Trade Agreement between India and the European Union could reshape global commerce, boost exports and counter rising protectionism worldwide. Further, the deal would help Europe achieve its objective of shrinking its reliance on China and diversifying its global supply chains. Europe will have the opportunity to access the big market in India.
Everyone in India and Europe seems in a celebratory mood. But, not President Trump. At least, so, it seems. He feels:”the deal amounts to European Union funding war against itself”.
Against this background, let us not forget, the deal is as much about geopolitics as it's about inter-continental business relations. It may face challenges in the fast-evolving geopolitical landscape and the unpredictability of the US administration that is using tariffs as a bargaining chip under the looming shadow of President Trump.
PM Modi feels "it is not just a trade agreement but a new blueprint for shared prosperity". President of the European Commission Ursula called the agreement as "the mother of all deals". Both see it as a win-win situation.
Let us wait and watch and hope the deal, which is still subject to ratification, assumes greater geopolitical significance ,as we go along. Let the ‘mother of all deals” turn into a game changer.
A K Saxena (Former civil servant)
Economic Survey
Economic survey confirmed the fears that reduction in corporate tax rates did not result in extra capital investment.the step increase profits and resulted in increasing income inequality.Therefore,the said corporate tax reduction should be withdrawn and matching relief should be given in individual tax rates so as to increase theis disposable income. As far as direct taxation is concerned,scruiny system should be scrapped altogether[as was done in Vajpeye government].Instead,NUGET approach be given wider adoption. Searches and subsequent assessments yield omly meagre extra revenue because post search assessments result in huge demand giving charge of tax terrorism and ultimately these demand gets knocked off in arduous and time consuming appeal proceedings.Instead,assese should be goaded into NUGET approach ,for this no penalty should be levied.
Rajesh Gohel

It is said that the age is both a story we tell and a number we track. If we measure the age, it is undeniable, that is, it counts time since birth. Age has long been used as a yardstick for ability, maturity and potential. From childhood milestones to retirement thresholds, society often treats age as a defining measure of who we are and what we can achieve. But is age truly a meaningful indicator or is it merely a convenient myth? As a myth, age becomes something else entirely. We start attaching expectations to it, such as, too young to know, too old to change, the right age to succeed.
On one hand, age does measure certain biological realities. Physical strength, cognitive development and health risks often correlate with the passage of time. These patterns help shape policies around education, employment and healthcare. In this sense, age provides a useful framework for understanding human growth and decline. Yet, age becomes a myth when it is used to limit individuality. Two people of the same age can differ vastly in experience, energy, skills, and outlook. Some reach career peaks early whereas others discover their purpose later in life. Creativity, resilience and wisdom do not follow a strict timeline.
After the age of 40, it hardly matters how much a person is educated or an illiterate. Many a times, when you are standing in tea stall, it is heart-rending to observe that a tea stall person is earning more and that too tax-free. Similarly, after the age of 50, a person may have been very handsome but after this age, wrinkles appear on the face and the person is no longer considered smart. Thus, there is apparently hardly any value to smartness after the age of 50. After the age of 60, you might have been working in top most position in any organization or even with your signature the city might have been administered, but now there are chances that even the security guard will not salute. So, after the age of 60, the value of post held vanishes. After the age of 70, the size of house hardly matters. There is no value to the size of house, when the knee starts paining and in fact bigger the house, more is the trouble moving from one room to another or from one floor to another floor in the house. So, seems better, comfortable and adaptable in small flat at that age. After the age of 80, even if a person beholds huge wealth, there is hardly any value to that money as you have to eat only a few hundred money worth of tablet. There is hardly any scope left to spend money on oneself for enjoyment at that age. Full life spent running after earning money with so many tactics and practices all seem to go waste at that age.
The thinking or theme that our time will come and we will enjoy the life later is all a myth. Actually, what is happening is we are all heading towards old age and in old age we are only going to struggle with disease(s) and we are going to see that our relatives, children and even household helps are going to enjoy with our money that we have accumulated . So, please wherever you are and whatever you have, put a stop and start learning to just enjoy with the money that the Almighty has bestowed and utilize the same properly.
Yours truly,
Subbiah Sridhar

Yes. Definitely, he is the most active CS ! He has always been on his toes and committed remarkable deliverables at all his postings! More power to him.
Shikha
Do we need highly modernised railway coaches
Recently, there was a post in which a senior railway officer said that only those who can properly use modern gadgets and maintain the facility provided in Vande Bharat coaches, should travel in it. He is absolutely correct. Majority of us, lack basic civic sense and do not know how to handle properly , equipment fitted in coaches. So the railways should not spend money for such luxurious coaches. What we need is simple, clean, well designed and comfortable , air conditioned coaches with clean toilets ( with water). More trains with such simple coaches should be their priority.
S. Gopal

Details of actions taken by the RBI regarding Action Taken on a letter addressed to the Governor of RBI by the appellant in respect of an alleged unauthorized transaction conducted by Bank of Baroda in violation of the Banking Regulation Act. The PIO informed that the said letter as mentioned in the query was not received by the Governor's office. The appellant enclosed proof of delivery of letter in his second appeal. The CIC held that the PIO has provided an appropriate reply to the RTI Application, as per the provisions of the RTI Act. The CIC observed that the PIO is only required to supply all the information/documents within his access. The CIC referred to the Delhi High Court judgment dated 06.12.2023 in Narendra Tyagi v. Assistant Director (CPIO) [LPA 764/2023] in which it was held that whether or not such information as provided by the PIO under the RTI Act is incorrect in any manner, is not the domain of consideration or determination under the RTI proceedings.
Comments
The Information Commission is the last bastion of fact verification and it is only the law points which are discussed at the level of High Court or Supreme Court. The Information Commission must seize the opportunity to verify the correctness of data provided by the PIO, and penalize the PIO if the information provided is factually incorrect.
Citation: Surjitsinh Mangrola v. Reserve Bank of India, Second Appeal No. CIC/RBIND/A/2024/655388; Date of Decision: 08.12.2025
Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com

The retirement of around 300 IAS officers in 2026 marks a major personnel shift in India’s bureaucracy. It underscores the importance of strategic succession planning, timely recruitment, and administrative preparedness to ensure governance continuity and public service delivery remain strong despite turnover at senior levels.
Sreedhar Madanala
Panacea for all wrong
It is being suggested as if IAS is the panacea for all wrongs. In fact ,IAS officers with their huge egos are responsible for various ills affecting growth of the country despite Modi being there.
Rajesh

Is India ready with a budget proposal to face the headwinds during this period which will set the direction for the Viksit Bharat or an India which missed the great moment in its history? It would require radical reforms in personal income tax proposals to produce highly competitive talent in all walks of business. For years our tax slabs have induced emigration. Now both capital and talent are emigrating. Government does not provide STEMa education but the person spends the money running in to crores. S/he is entitled to rewarding remuneration by getting paid well, as s/he is valuable to the business. Our tax rates are instead a punishment @35%. So, one getting paid 1 crore pays up to 35 lakhs or more as income tax! They resent it, seeing tax evaders laughing at it. The highly talented and roadside venders are equal for tax purposes. For talent retention, upgradation, innovation, discovery and exports, India needs workers whose shortage/non-availability is rued by businesses. We are already losing business and opportunities, which will grow enormously in this critical phase of one year because the new world order has emerged with aplomb. This budget must exempt earnings up to 1 crore from personal income tax as it will be spent on products and services, which means increased job opportunities and excise/GST for revenues.
M L Gupta

Both India and China celebrated 2025 as the year of 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.Looking back,China’s foreign minister had suggested at a press conference in Beijing that the “dragon and the elephant should dance together and that the ballet would be the only right choice for both India and China”. Do these not signal China’s desire to improve relations with India?
Catching these signals, the BJP had recently extended a red carpet welcome to China's communist party at BJP Hq in Delhi.Was it not justified?
No doubt,holding a contrarian view, some experts do believe that China could never be trusted.But,what about Trump’s tariff war? How could the US force India to import arms ,crude oil, agricultural /dairy,fisheries and genetically modified products from it .This will adversely impact indian farmers and fishermen.
How could India ignore its national interests in the fast changing dynamics of international geopolitics?Did any country foresee the standoff between the US and eight european countries over former’s insistence on annexing Greenland?
Both,Russia and China are already suspicious about Pakistan’s growing proximity with the US.
All things considered,under such geopolitical compulsions,India needs to play its card carefully by strengthening the BRICS for creating a new currency for trade, despite US’s opposition to it, calling it a step towards “ de-dollarisation”.
China has border issues with all its neighbours.India must address these issues firmly and cautiously in the new world order.China is also expected to shun its claims on Aksaichin,Arunachal Pradesh and the latest Shaksgam valley as its territories. Shaksgam valley was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China
India should put its best foot forward in the emerging multi-polar world order and continue as member of the QUAD.
And finally,India must also support Russia’s proposal of forming the Russia-India-China troika (RIC troika) as a trilateral grouping to counter western dominance.
There seems to be no other option for it in the present chaotic and confused situation.
A K Saxena (Former civil servant)

Hearty congratulations to the Govt of Tamil Nadu for announcing the new pension scheme which will be of immense benefit to the govt officials on retirement. I would like to mention a point please. Except for the pensioners covered under EPS 95 pension scheme most of the organised professions in our country are having the benefit of very lucrative pensions. The present minimum pension of a EPS 95 pensioner is Rs 1000 , mercifully the minimum pension which was Rs 500 from 1995 onwards was proposed to be revised to Rs 1000 by the govt of the day before the 2014 general elections and thankfully it was implemented by the govt of the day post 2014 elections. A number of very distinguished Honble MPs and others have been trying their best to convince the Ministry of Finance GOI and EPFO to revise the minimum pension of Rs 1000 to a respectable figure . But it looks like there is a utter lack of empathy from the concerned departments and about 65 Lakhs pensioners are hoping against hope that some change will accrue. God only knows how many of the pensioners who were hoping for a decent pension to manage their retired life with dignity have left for their heavenly abode. Trust that the The Almighty will give the wisdom to the concerned officials to take up the issue of revising the minimum pension to a decent figure considering the present day cost of living and get it implemented in the forseeable future. Thank you
K Srinivasa Rao
HINDU
They will form new block called H.I.N.D.U before 2029 election
MNJ

A section of those with unimpeachable track record in ISRO are of the view that N M Desai, Director Space Applications Centre, has the best credentials for the top post.
Lalit Shastri
Praven Kumar appointed DGP BSF
Right decision of Government of India.He has profound experiences in the field of combating Maoist and terrorist activities .
Arati Hota
Secretly “surge
Forget bureaucracy, even Opposition is secretly “surging” to meet Deva Bhau and Eknath Shinde… Center, State and Civic bodies all are with NDA
VD
Realisation time
Now Fadnavis will realise that being CM of Maharashtra is a much bigger position than being CM of a small state like Vidarbha …. He was the one who once supported for separate vidarbha state .
Anik