Whispers Forum

What happened in Parliament especially Rajya Sabha this monsoon session is not only shocking but quite painful. One was upset to see the Chairman breaking down on the ruckus that marred the proceedings. Venkaiah Naidu is a perfect gentle man politician. He has been conducting the job of the Chairman Rajya Sabha with impartiality. His anguish is therefore on the goings on during this session is understandable. As one who during the course of one's career as civil servant had many occasions to be present in the official gallery whenever any matter pertaining to the ministry one worked in be it a star question a bill or something other .It was a matter of pride to be listening to our members of parliament speaking and debating.. i was witness to some finest speeches in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. There were some aberrations in the conduct of some of the members then also but nothing of the nature one is seeing now. The aggressiveness, sloganeering and scuffles. One is really ashamed of who indeed is responsible for this downfall, actually the end of parliamentary democracy? Both sides. Opposition wanted discussion on Pegasus, Price rise and Farm laws(and why not zero all important issues .They were not given heed to instead the other side went on pushing one bill after another without debate, discussion. "You go on shouting we do not care” that means they do not care for the people of this country who elected members to the parliament from parties in opposition.
Aarti Khosla

There is a pressing need for implementing the Police Commissionerate system in eligible towns and cities all across the country to manage the law and order situation of the teeming towns and cities of India in a modern way. That is the way towns and cities all over the world are managed. Why should India be so fixated on its colonial past that it has to cling to the obsolete legacy of the past? The colonial hangover of the system of the District Collector has to be junked at last now. At present, there is wide variation in implementation of this measure across the country. The Police Commissionerate system has worked very well, wherever it has been implemented in the right spirit, for example, in Gujarat. At the same time, Municipal Commissioner system can also be implemented in such cities and towns. These reforms are long overdue.
Vijay Kumar
All games be treated equally
You are absolutely right. Even big corporate houses and industrialists run after Cricketers for endorsing their products. All games should be given equal prominence.
Interdjeet Singh

This is factually wrong. From time immemorial, Committee of Secretaries has vetted names of all appointments above Joint Secretary before sending to ACC. But for past 3 years the concept of interviews was brought in and in last 3 years all appointees in CBDT and CBIC were interviewed for selection as Member. What change has now happened to warrant this news?
Ajay Agnihotri
GoI should also consider other employees for promotions
Government of India should also consider other employees in terms of promotions. IAS no doubt have an upper hand but he is ably assisted by his subordinates without which he or she cannot function properly. In a calendar year, two batches are getting promotion whereas others are lingering on one issue or the other, mainly unwanted court cases. If a person is aggrieved and goes to court, his whole batch, seniors and juniors are affected. Government should promote uniformly and the grievances should be addressed in proper forum without affecting the entire spectrum. There should be a serious thought on this and a solution should be found at once.
Ramesh

UPA-I & II followed by NDA in next seven years , failed to promote Men's and Women's hockey in the country. They pampered and glorified the elite cricketing community. Hockey was pushed to tertiary state of neglect.
The person behind patronising men's and women' hockey in India, is none other than the quiet politician Naveen Patnaik, CM , Orissa. The state government did not waste time in signing a Rs 140-crore deal in 2018 with Hockey India to sponsor the men’s women’s hockey teams for five years. And, with no publicity.
The hockey players have humble background with meagre resources .The governments and corporate sector must rise to the occasion and donate liberally for them as part of corporate social responsibility. Jobs must also be located for them.
The cricketers are prosperous with several having flourishing businesses. There is nothing against the cricketers. They have brought laurels to the country. But, both cricket and hockey must be treated at par. Discrimination is unfair and divisive.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The appellant sought the copies of all performance reviews carried between Dec. 2012 -March 2014, copies of disagreements submitted and related information from the IAF which was denied u/s 8(1) (e) and (j) of the RTI Act. The applicant submitted that he is not asking for the Appraisal report but the copies of the Performance Review and that he is privy to but does not have any copy of the same. It was informed that the information asked by the applicant belongs to a period when the AR procedure was not completely online. The CIC observed that the information was denied under Sec. 8(1)(e) and (j) of the RTI Act in a blanket manner without proper scrutiny of each and every point. The CIC directed that the performance review from Dec. 2012 -March 2014 should be provided to the appellant under the RTI even if not generally given, as he is already privy to the same. The copy of his own disagreement note should also be given. Similarly, all other points onwards should be studied again vis-a –vis the discussions during the hearing and the appellant’s recent submissions and a proper point wise reply be given.
Comments
In the matter of Dev Dutt v. Union of India, the Hon’ble Supreme Court had ruled that the Appraisal report of defense personnel are not liable to be disclosed under RTI Act.
Citation: Kunal Kumra v. Directorate of Personal Services, Air Head Quarters in File no.: - CIC/IAIRF/A/2019/134503, Date of Decision: 08/07/202
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

My neighbour and recently retired promotee IRS (retd as ACIT) says this is so because now all powers have been taken away by the Govt from senior IRS officers like Commissioners and above and given to working level ACITs and Dy CITs who are overloaded with work. These senior IRS officers are now left with powers to spoil the ACR of their subordinates or to rate these ACRs high only and that too from places far away from their home towns. They have already completed 20 years of service and pension is due to them. They leave the job and join private sector companies in their home towns.
Ashok
Appoint CS on the basis of seniority alone
Cabinet Secretary (CS) should be appointed on the basis of seniority and not gender basis.
R K Upadhyay

Annual excise auction is always a big event in any state particularly for earning big revenue for the state. That year, more than four decades back, it happened that in a particular excise division, the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (DETC,), was transferred on the very day the excise auction was to be conducted. However, he remained in charge of auctioning of Bhang (hemp)only. Throughout his life, thereafter, he lived with the stigma of nomenclature of' Collector Bhang', as it had never happened before or after that. Under the new DETC, the scenario changed drastically. It is strange that persons earning crores, having affluence in the society, when participated in the excise auction, their short names would fly around. Tita, bitta, kuku, pappu, gogi, goga, tiku etc made bids of crores. Since, the auction had turned highly competitive, in auction of one group, the contest became very hot and keen. The reserve price of one group was two crores. The auctioneer officer announced, ''2 crores.'' Immediately, one short statured boy's high decibel voice echoed in the Hall. His bid said, ''one hundred rupees more (sau rupye utte )''.Hearing this everyone in the hall laughed loudly. But that boy said, ''There is no rule to bar me to bid like that (istran boli den vich mere te koi pabandi nahi)''.The other bidders increased the bids in lakhs,but that boy remained in the contest by each time bidding, ''Sau rupye utte.'' The bid went upto 4 crores and was announced in that boy's favour, in''4 crores and one hundred rupees.''
The pattern of campaigning in any state election, has almost become uniform. Earlier, the political players will appear in every nook and corner of the state just some days before the campaigning. But now, they have already started the action to catch public eye. If some party announces free ghee, the other announces tea and sugar in addition. If one party says that will give five kg pulses free, the other would announce six kg and so on and so fourth. If one party announces 300 units free to all, the other would announces 350/400 units free. The bidders have started appearing in all areas of the state like mushrooms, earthworms, in the rains and like moths in the twilight after the rains. They seem like bidders of peoples' aspirations and sentiments.
There was one group of vends in a particular district, which was continuously purchased by one person for almost a decade. It was talk in the department that the contractor had very high contacts and so remained a liquor baron. Before one auction, he played very arrogant and the honest DETC taught him lesson of life. He prepared two more groups secretly to bid for that group and also resisted pressure from his seniors and the minister. Sensing trouble for himself, the contractor started spreading rumours that the officer had asked for a Maruti car from him in bribe. In that auction, his group had to pay 75 lakhs more than the expected auction. His detractors would later on tell him, ''You should have given him one Maruti, instead of paying the price of 40 Marutis. ''He would grin and exhibit false teeth at this..After getting some units of electricity free, the people will have to pay the price of 40 Marutis later on, by way of loot of the natural resources and public order, as has been happening for a long time.
Surinderjit Singh Sandhu

The decision of the Government is a welcome step towards making the Backward classes the benefits of 27% reservation. The need of the hour is that the percolating benefits are not gobbled up by the so called creamy layers BCs following malpractice of getting certificates of non-creamy layer BCs. It has happened and is happening that the well-offs get the benefits extended with holy intentions to the needy by the Government. W.r.t. increasing the UG course for additional one year, it will simply discourage the students to take up the medical as a careers when five and half years are now taken in getting MBBS degree. It will not be a good idea.
Devendra Mishra
Time for Woman Cabinet Secretary
There has never been any woman Cabinet Secretary in India. Time is now very ripe to make a lady 1985 IAS officer, who has two years of service, as Cabinet Secretary. Is Mr. Modi the supporter of women in the 'national bhaghidari' listening?
BBS

Normalisation Process being adopted in Competitive Examinations by Staff Selection Commission (SSC). The moot question is as to why the normalisation process has been adopted in assessing the ability of the candidates in a transparent manner. But it has been observed that the normalisation process has not been clearly spelt out by SSC in their notification. There is also a lack of transparency in the process. In order to make the examination clean, it is submitted that a wide survey amongst the candidates of examinations may be carried out and based on the recommendations a concrete and pragmatic view may kindly be taken safeguard the interests of the candidates at large. In order to meet the rising number of candidates in the examinations, better infrastructures on a single day instead of holding different papers on variable dates may be considered. If it is not possible for a single agency to provide necessary infrastructure on a single day, more companies may be allowed to provide infrastructures necessary for the examination on a single day. By this way, there would not be any need for normalisation process. As it used to be done by SSC and presently being followed by UPSC in its examination. Normalisation p;rocess is like that denying the legitimate right of employment to the deserving candidates, who even otherwise scored the marks above the cut-off.
Ved Prakash Sharma