Whispers Forum

OnMay 25 1991, the former Prime Minister of India was assassinated at Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram district located at a distance of less than fifty kilometers from the city of Chennai. I was then serving at the International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C. as a Staff Member / Assistant to the Executive Director the late Gopi Krishna Arora, IAS (UP:1957), who had succeeded Dr Bimal Jalan who was appointed the Union Finance Secretary by the late V P Singh Prime Minister in late 1989. Around 3.30 PM in the Executive Lounge on that fateful day. I was enjoying a hot cup of coffee watching the TV when there was a flash news announcing the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.
Within half an hour, the late Abid Hussain, IAS (Andhra Pradesh) the then Indian Ambassador to the United States called me to check up with Tamil Nadu Government if the news was true as he would have to make arrangements for Shri Rahul Gandhi, who was an under graduate at Harvard, to fly to New Delhi. It was past 11 PM when I called one or two of my batch mates who were Secretaries to Government of Tamil Nadu who tuned in their TV sets and found there were no flash news. In 1991, there were only two Doordarshan channels. I called the then Home Secretary the late Shri K.J.M. Shetty IAS (TN :1959) who was fast asleep got highly irritated on being disturbed from sleep said I don’t know and went back to sleep. Later I came to know that the Raj Bhavan staff had a great problem in waking up the then Governor of Tamil Nadu the late Shri Bhishma Narain Singh from sleep.
Finally, I called the residence of the late T.N. Seshan IAS (TN: 1955) who was then Chief Election Commissioner of India. The late Shrimathi Jaya Seshan did confirm the news said Seshan had gone to the Rashtra Pathi Bhavan. When I called Abid Hussain, he told me that R.K. Dhawan had called him from Delhi a little while ago and he was making arrangements for Rahul Gandhi to fly from Boston to New York to catch a flight to New Delhi.
In December 1984, I had the opportunity to receive Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Karaikudi to address an election rally as the general elections had been announced. He had taken over as India’s Prime Minister hardly two months ago after the assassination of Shrimathi Indira Gandhi on October 31 1984. With the permission of Shri Arun Singh whohad accompanied the Prime Minister Ibriefed Shri Rajiv Gandhi about the problems I was facing from the Sri Lankan navy who were not only attacking the Tamil Nadu fishermen but had killed about five or six of them. Shri Rajiv Gandhi listened to me carefully and announced in the election rally that he was fully aware of the problems faced by the Tamil fishermen and would arrange adequate protection to them. Within two days the Director General Coast Guard met me at Madurai and arranged for eight Coast Guard vessels which greatly helped the Rameswaram and Pamban fisherfolk to perform their fishing operations in the Palk Strait without any disturbance.In fact there was not a single incident of attack on the Tamil Nadu fishermen till I left the district almost a year later.
On this day I remember the late Rajiv Gandhi with respect and I still cherish his words of compliment “well organized” at the end of the election rally.
Dr. Sitharam Gurumurthi (TN: 1972) Retired
Former Member State Planning Commission &
Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu (Retired)
“India’s Internal Challenges V/s External Threats”
PM's address to the Nation on May 12 carried the usually long ‘Bhoomika’, replete with self-adulation. His emphasis on Self-reliance filled the audience with a sense of deja vu. Same rhetoric was used during 2014 polls.
The speech turned out to be a damp squib after 10 hours of suspenseful wait. The bottomline was that the national lockdown will continue beyond 17th May as thousands of migrant labourers continue to gravitate towards native places in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, WB, Gujrat, Karnataka etc after traversing long hours on foot, bicycles without food and water. Some packed like sardines in tempos, trucks.
No feel-good announcement. Impact of package of Rs 20 lakh crores of tax payers' money as mantra for self-reliance will be seen. Further details by FM. What was the urgency for PM’s nation-wise address,5 days before expiry of lockdown on May 17.
Indian Inc has supported the move. Expected.
Let us see how the poor and indigent population benefit. There could be lots of fireworks between BJP and the UPA- ruled states on scales of quantum of financial package received by them. But, no one can question PM’s honesty of purpose. Let us not forget that he is a seasoned politician too.
A word about India’s threats from hostile neighbours.
People of India are more worried about escalating tension at the LOC , IB, LAC and Indian ocean than Corona. A joint conspiracy is being hatched against India by China-Pakistan.
PM Modi's leadership will be under real test in the battle field.
Artificial islands are being created by China in Indian Ocean, just 600 Km off Indian coast, as part of its doctrine of String of Pearls. Hambantota port of Srilanka is already under Chinese occupation. Debt trap.
What would be India's response? Will it remain a mute witness like the US in South-China sea conundrum, when artificial islands were created by China ?
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)
TPA is also a Covid Warrior
Glad to know that TPA was processed promptly and senior citizens were comfortable in getting the treatment. Yes insurance and banks are working and doing yeomen service. They are also Covid Warriors
Seth

There is a concern that civil service aspirants are not giving IFS as their first choice. There are two reasons. First is that they do not know that financially a foreign posting is very lucrative. IFS association rightly keeps everyone dark about the allowances and the perks; otherwise there will be unnecessary public criticism. Apart from free furnished accommodation, IFS officers are allowed domestic servants and chauffeur driven cars even when posted in countries where only the super-rich can afford such things. In addition there are countless allowances. Second reason is lack of challenge. After six years of service, an IFS officer is mainly looking after crockery and cutlery while his IAS counterpart is managing a whole district with all its challenges, headaches and fulfilment. Even at the level of Ambassador in 90 percent of the missions there is no substantive work. But this can also be viewed positively. Instead of drowning in alcohol, some officers use their time in perfecting the knowledge of foreign language allotted to them. They can also use their time in improving English as the new batches (as pointed out by a former Dean of the Sushma Swaraj Foreign Service Institute) are not up to scratch in English. Brilliant IFS officers have written coffee table books and bestseller novels. For an intelligent person, availability of free time is a boon. A very small number of candidates with nefarious intentions may still give income tax as their first preference. Others should give first preference to IFS.
M.P. Bauer
Why should poor souls suffer for others ?
It is heartrending to see migrant labour, especially women with babies in arms and heavy bags on their heads walking in this hot weather to their home states. It is even more pathetic to see authorities not allowing them to cross state borders and forcing them to go back , sometimes using violence. I appeal to the Chief Ministers of various states : for God's sake, if you can’t look after them by providing shelter and food at least open your state borders, arrange buses and trains ( at state's cost) and let the wretched souls go wherever they want to go. If it will result in increase in corona cases, so be it. Why should these poor souls suffer and pay the price for the welfare of other citizens. Let us all suffer together.
Raghavan
R. Subramanian
Flat 202,Priyadarshni Apartments, CGHS Plot No.34A
SECTOR 56,GURGAON
CSS officers working as frontliners !

I read two derogatory comments against our missions/posts in the last few days as if they are all useless creatures and have no role to play. Missions or posts be closed. I have a small question, how in this hour of crisis, were repatriated from abroad, who helped them in this hour of crisis. Almost each element of the embassy had a role to.play and were working 24/7 for this purpose. This is only a recent example. Mission staff is always on toes 24/7, have to live under tensive, hectic, turbulent local conditions, sometimes face civil strife due to coups etc in the country of posting. MEA fraternity right from Ambassador down the last rung are civilian soldiers committed to the nation with a motto "Service Before Self" I think those who are writing such negative comments have some vendetta against MEA or Missions, the other reason could be they could not make it to the foreign service. Would suggest this website should not encourage such comments in future.
Harish Kumar
Well said !
Well said. Government needs to have a relook at the existing Tax Laws and rationalise them so that people have adequate money to spend and spurt growth.
S Gopal
Great, Congratulations !
Great Suman, Congratulations ! You have both been diligent & Genius.Relating myself back to 2000-04,makes me feel extremely happy & highly elated. Wishing you all the Best, all along.
Arun Sharma
How true... ?
How true... I'm sure the Revenue Services may be taking this perspective with a great pinch of salt.
Oscar Noronha

In a book published by Mrs Sonali Kumar titled ‘The Outsider’s Curse’, the author claims that she (1979 batch IAS) was the first outsider lady officer in J&K. The marketing of the book is based on this premise which is fallacious. For example, Ms Meena Ahuja (IAS : 1975) was an ‘outsider’ and was working in the cadre when the author joined. All India Services were introduced to J&K in 1961 much later than their introduction in the rest of India. Promotion quota in J&K and Sikkim is 50% whereas in other states it has been lower. The result is that there is delay in promotion of junior scale officers of all three AIS officers. For confirmation, the AIS officers in other states have to pass examination in the official language of the state; in J&K the officers have to pass examination in three languages - official language Urdu plus two sub-regional languages. These have been genuine problems for young direct recruits but not mentioned by the author. The main complaint of the author is that ‘insider’ direct recruits have local connections; but this is true for all states. This problem are more severe in small cadres because in small states everyone knows everyone. Another problem with poor small states is that administrative canvas being small, the officers do not get enough challenge and the intelligent ones (like the author, presumably) get frustrated and are cribbing most of the time. Outsider AIS officers in J&K are not worse off than those in other poor small states.
Prof. N.C. Saxena
Govt servants can give suggestions through proper channel
I agree that government servants can give suggestions but through proper channel and to the appropriate authority. They could have sent it to Department of Administrative Reforms for action.
S Gopal
BHEL extends financial help to pensioners and widows
Curious to know further details of financial assistance to pensioners of BHEL. Can the details be shared. Thank you
Om Prakash
My Salute to Health Insurance TPA and its CEO, Mehra !
*I want to share my experience with Health Insurance TPA (Hi Tpa) with all the PSGI Employees and Retirees. My wife Mrs. Darisy Helen Grace Darling aged 62 years is suffering from Heart problem, breathlessness etc. We are initially doubtful and afraid of going to Hospital due to LOCKDOWN. But her suffering is increasing day by day.
*When I contacted the Health Insurance TPA Officer at VIZAG, R. N. RAJU and informed him about my predicament of taking her to Hospital, he assured me that inspite of LOCKDOWN Hi Tpa will render all necessary help and I shall get all approvals without any delay. To be sure I also contacted General Secretary, General Insurance Pension Achievers (GIPA), P.V. Subbarao, who informed that the CEO of HiTpa Suresh Kumar Mehra has directed all his staff across India to render 24 hours service and they are true to their words.
*I took my wife in my car to Apollo Hospital admitted her on 21st April and the Admission Approval was received by the Hospital within 5 minutes. All tests were conducted, the Coronary Artery Disease with 90% block was detected. Surgery was advised to clear the block with PTCA - insertion of STENT. Discharge Approval came within 10 minutes.
*Again I took her to Hospital on 21st April and the Admission Approval literally followed us. She was admitted in Hospital and Surgery performed with complete success by Dr. D. K. Barua, the renowned Surgeon. By 25th April evening the Doctor advised Discharge and I was worried because it was Saturday late evening and there was complete SHUTDOWN. But to my utter surprise and delight the Discharge Approval (for more than Rs. 3 lakhs) the Discharge Approval came within 10 minutes of the file sent by Hospital.
*We were discharged and came home calmly and happily. My wife is Hale and healthy, recovering fast. This is an experience most unexpected and unbelievable that too when the whole Country was in LOCKDOWN. Kudos to R.N. Raju, HiTpa Officer at VIZAG. HAT'S OFF to S.K. Mehra, CEO of HiTpa, under whose dynamic leadership HiTpa has emerged as Customer friendly Institution. We are indebted to you.
C. Rajamohan Rao
Sr. Divisional Manager (R)
UIIC, Visakhapatnam RO.

Appellant sought information pertaining to his pay alleging certain discrepancies with respect to the same. He sought certified copy of recovery order issued by the Principal/DHE regarding fixation of pay in ACP, copy of pay fixation ACP case, copy of Earned leave record up to 30.07.2017 etc. The CIC directed the PIO to provide an opportunity to the Appellant to inspect relevant documents along with all the note sheets/correspondences pertaining to averred Pay Recovery order on a mutually decided date and time duly intimated to the Appellant telephonically and in writing. The CIC further directed to provide copies of documents, if desired, to the Appellant without charging prescribed fees.
Comments
As per the provisions of the RTI Act, the information can be denied only under section 8 and 9. All the available information must be provided failing which penal action may be taken against the PIO.
Citation: Ajit Singh v. Post Graduate Govt. College in File No : CIC/UTOCH/A/2018/152703, Date of Decision : 19/03/2020
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

It has been pointed out in the Forum that Indian missions abroad are over staffed, the Indian officials there have no work and spend their time in watching videos. Secondly, government expenditure on a babu in a mission (allowances plus perks) is more tan ten times that of his counterpart in Delhi. These two issues are not scrutinised because they are far away. It is not the fault of the officials that they have no work. In the old days the main job of a mission was to keep his government informed of what is happening in the host country. Now physical presence is not required to know what is happening. Quite the reverse. Often an Ambassador gets a phone call from his country: Are you aware that such and such thing happened last night in the country (where you are posted)? Second job was to act a channel for communication. In the old days, Ambassadors could even stop a war from occurring by clearing misunderstanding or offerings compromise. Now foreign ministers or foreign secretaries of the two countries can talk to each other directly to each other. The video link is so good that it is like talking face to face. Embassies do not have skills to promote commerce. Private sector facilitators can do it better. When big shot Indian business persons go abroad, they do not even bother to meet the Indian Ambassador relying on local agents instead. Granting visas was the only work left; and with the coming of e-visas, that is also gone. As for overstaffing and high expenditure on allowances and perquisites, which ministry wants to reduce staff or expenditure? It is to the credit of MEA that a large number of their employees (from the level of driver to Secretary) get a chance to make a lot of (white tax free) money. The officials should not be blamed if there is little work and they watch video films. At least they attend office and keep the tricolour flying.
M. P. Bauer
Restoration of Full Pension after Twelve years
In response to my above post published a few days ago. my attention has been drawn to a case filed by the Retired IPS Officers Association before the Delhi High Court in 2017 when it was pointed out that the centre fully recovers the commuted pension plus interest within 11 years after retirement and therefore the demand for restoration of full pension after twelve years was fully justified since the central government was in fact recovering excess amount for four more years from pensioners. The Delhi High Court judges had also sought the explanation from the central government in this regard. This was reported in the Business Standard on February 9, 2017. It is felt that this is the appropriate time to correct this serious anomaly.
Dr Sitharam Gurumurthi IAS (TN 1972( Retired)
Former Member State Planning Commission &
Retired Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu
Chandra Shekhar Kumar Joint Secretary, Higher Education
Sir, Your email ID cs.kumar61@nic.in is saying email ID not exists and undelivered. My Gravience against the Central University of Karnataka against Illegal Recruitment with case no:PRSEC/E/2020/03034 is pending with you. Kindly take it as serious sir.
Mallikarjun (mallupatil04@gmail.com)

Is it the purpose of income tax to perpetuate poverty or earn decent revenue for a democratic welfare state? The IT and other tax laws were promulgated by the British government to fleece the people of India, a colony then, to raise the living standards of the British people leaving barely adequate for the Indians to consume to survive. This mentality of a foreign government (colonial power) was best symbolised by tax on edible salt, which contributed 25% to the British revenues, but which happened to be the substitute for vegetables for the masses here! As the Indian people paid it, the British also fixed quantities for its consumption, which popularized the phrases Namak Halal & Namak Haram. It encouraged the colonial government to impose all kinds of other taxes most unreasonably e.g. customs, excise, sales, estate, wealth etc. This ‘sinful’ practice, most unfortunately, has been continued by the successor governments, who only added to the harshness. The gist of all the tax laws put together is that Indians are not encouraged to consume adequately (liberally/luxuriously is taboo), impacting adversely economic progress of the country as more than 98% lawful income earners are left with zero or little surplus to consume goods/services (industrial particularly). It has other unwelcome ramifications: low entrepreneurship growth, innovation, unethical practice (corruption), poverty. Had the tax laws been rational, we would not have seen the largescale suffering of the artisans in India due to lockdown. If “skilled” workers suffer so badly even after 73 years of independence and more than a100 years since start of industrialisation, there is something seriously bad in the state of India. Indian tax laws need to be rationalised urgently to stimulate consumption and economic growth. Unless people have enough to buy essentials for growth of the individual and society such as a computer, smart phone, refrigerator, two/four-wheeler, a modest flat, ordinary furniture essential for use like study table etc. under the age 30 years, India can never breach the vicious circle of poverty. Peeling of the veneer of the Fabian ideas of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru has been overdue. Let people feel proud to pay tax unlike the current scenario in which the smart fellows dodge tax regime with a smirk leaving the law abiding feel low. Even now, the superrich manage not to pay any tax, the proletarian filling the revenue gap for them.
M L Gupta

As Member Secretary of the Fifth Pay Commission in the State of Tamil Nadu to examine the demand of the State Government employees for pay parity with the Central Government Employees in 1987-88. I had found that in commutation of pension, it would be reasonable to restore the full pension after completion of twelve years after superannuation and the pensioner actually stands to lose for the next three years. for waiting to complete fifteen years after retirement. . In fact this was the demand of central government employees before the Last Pay Commission but the Pay Commission did not make any recommendations in this regard. The Centre could consider restoring full pension after completion of twelve years after commutation as part of the economic stimulus package.
Dr Sitharam Gurumurthi IAS (TN 72)
Former Member State Planning Commission &
Additional Chief Secretary to the State Government of Tamil Nadu (Retired)
HRD ministry should advertise post
HRD ministry should advertise the post in Newspapers etc and invite applications. They should not resort to the practice of constituting a SEARCH COMMITTEE for recommending names.This is an OPAQUE procedure and is highly misused.
S Gopal
Civil servants and populist politics
A former civil servant has been writing numerous pontificating posts in the Forum. His defence of ITOs although well-intentioned is perhaps ill-informed and self-contradictory; so is his belief that ITOs are macroeconomists acting in public interest. It has been rightly pointed out by A K Saxena that the bureaucracy is free to submit suggestions to cadre-controlling authorities for improving governance and service delivery mechanism. In this case the proposal was submitted to the public directly before being submitted to the cadre controlling authority and had nothing to do with service delivery mechanism or reduction in corruption. Saxena has also rightly pointed out that we are slowly, but surely, moving from Socialist to Capitalist economy and that taking policy decision is the sole prerogative of the political executive. The proposal of IRS(IT) Association was a copycat proposal based on a leftist think tank based in London. Understandably, CPM has come out openly in its favour. It is the job of the Associations to protect and promote the interests of its members (for which this Association deserves kudos for getting so many posts upgraded by Late Arun Jaitley) and to improve conduct of its members. The Association has contributed nothing for reducing corrupt behaviour of a minority of its members who spoil the reputation of the whole cadre. What effect a tax (direct or indirect) has on the macroeconomic situation is in the sphere of Indian Economic Service and not of those who collect direct taxes. The proposals are not just naive from economic point of view but seek to increase the powers of ITOs. Apart from motivation and lack of competence, the primary question is: Should the bureaucrats be allowed to air populism? Many countries allow their civil servants to participate in politics, even to contest elections. India chose the British system of anonymity of the civil servant. As of now, it is no one’s case that this system be changed though the conduct rules are rather suffocating in some other respects. Instead of taking any action against 50 young officers unconfirmed in service (who can be discharged from service without a departmental enquiry) the government has rightly started DE against 3 senior officers who misguided these youngsters for a nefarious objective. Most senior government officers who are punished by government hire expensive lawyers and get acquitted by the law courts; but this cannot be an excuse for not taking any action against senior officers who attempt to exploit junior officers. There is a lot of well-intentioned criticism of populist politicians by A K Saxena in his previous posts. How about bureaucrats indulging in populism ?
M.P. Bauer

DEBATE (1)
Still Trump remains number one.
A B Pandey
DoT itself resisted implementation of e-Office !
Many of the government officials in the current pandemic want to work from home. Among them, many are from the DoT. While in service we were trying to implement e-Office in DoT with a lot of pressure. But I am afraid to say that the biggest resistance was from the DoT.
Anurag Srivastava
“Jettison Egotism”
India is a federal polity. The Union of India and the States are expected to work in harmony. The Centre under the Disaster Management Act constituted teams to tour the affected areas and report omissions and commissions by the state governments in management of Covid-19 pandemic.
Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee has questioned the ‘basis’ of teams and has refused to entertain them. She is urged to keep her ego under check, subservient to national interest. This is not the time for earning political brownie points. Maintaining communal harmony is the need of the hour. We want to see both the Centre and States on same page. Confrontation should be replaced by spirit of Co-operative federalism.
It is noteworthy that PM Modi has been awarded top ranking by some non-descript rating agency of the US for combating CoronaVirus pandemic. Let us not be ecstatic about a mere interim assessment. Let us await the final outcome, still, a long way off. The country will surely celebrate if the country decides to award ‘Bharat Ratna’ to PM Modi for providing excellent leadership through the ongoing crisis. No one can question his sense of nationalism and commitment
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)
Things are not good in MoSPI
Things are not going good in MoSPI. Recently, one SAG level ISS Officer has been transferred from MoSPI but still yet to be relived. Now he is doing lots of conspiracy to remain himself in MoSPI. It may be noted that since last 20 years, he is posted in same division and looking same work . Even Secretary wants to change the system but he is not getting proper cooperation from his officers
TRM
M B Rajesh Gowda MD, BESCOM in Karnataka
Sir, I request your good office to do something that the customers are overcharged as the meter reading for the electricity consumed in any house was taken for two months put together instead of dividing the total unit by two and then making calculations slabwise. Hence during the corona lockdown the meter reading and billing were done for the entire two months duration leading to the higher slab for most of the customer as the total unit consumed is goes to the highest slab of Rs6.25 instead of 3.25 and 5.5. This results in inflatted electricity bill leading the hardship of the general public.Hope you can take up the matter with concerned Minister and other policy makers to give relief to the esteemed genuine customers of BESCOM.Thank You.
Dr. P Saravanan

DEBATE (1)
All the four leaders are trying for supremacy.
N G Ranga
Hardly any work in most Missions abroad
Regarding the news that currently 850 IFS officers are posted in Missions abroad. This is not the correct figure while evaluating. One should also include IFS B officers, whole brigade of PA & PS. In Missions abroad if there's one IFS A officer, then to assist him you have 3 more IFS B officers. In most of the Missions there is hardly any work. Only 20% of the staff has actual work, rest all are watching movies during office time or sitting, chatting, relaxing at home. A Babu whose salary is around 50,000-60,000 rupees in India, but when he is posted abroad...Govt spends 4-5 lakh rupees as his rental accomodation..this figure is per month. He gets almost 3 lakh rupees per month. At some Missions school fees for kids is almost 20 lakh rupees in a year, completely paid by Govt. On an average medical cost for one Babu a year fully paid by Govt is 30-40 lakh rupees. People in India don't know what perks IFS people posted abroad get. There is no checking on how they are spending tax payers money. Most of the Missions are overstaffed.
Anonymous
Aisi Ho Hera Feeri
It is a happy news that state governments are planning home delivery of liquor. In the Hindi film Hera Pheri, Babu Rao Ganapat Rao Apte suggests to the vendor to arrange for piped supply to him so that he could fill his bottle as and when he chose to do so. Can we make a law to supply piped liquor, like piped cooking gas? I don’t know the taste but enjoy immensely others enjoying drinking to their heart’s full. It is equally intoxicating. Indeed, many Indians drink no water but Coca Cola and beer only. Think of them popular governments !
M L Gupta
Is SSC justified today ?
The circumstances and the urgency of SSC has long expired and no more relevant, why should any citizen be misguided for such a short tenure and left high and dry in a age when the world has moved far beyond. what would be the employment opportunities in the peer group out side. The govt and especially the Bureaucracy has no Road Map other than convoluted circulars and heart and mind less execution. Its a SHAM. TOP SSC altogether or make is compulsory for the Entire ARMY entry. No other organisation in our country or the world spend money to train and discard people. Despite SSC the shortage of officers has increased due to such uncertainties, besides career hazards and discrimination.
Rajendra Singh Rawat

DEBATE (1)
United States of America (USA) will always be super power country in the world as far as amassing arms and ammunition and army are concerned. Besides, it has strong support of NATO.
Sachin Shrivastava
RTI Act is not a total casualty COVID-19
It is good to see that the RTI Act is not a total casualty of the CoronoVirus infection and the Central Information Commission is atleast giving a semblance of working. The direction for the disclosure of the normalisation process is not legally tenable when the Courts have already said in the case of UPSC that the normalisation process is not to be disclosed. Some of the decisions of the Information Commission are difficult to understand as they seem to be contradictory or appear to be against the judicial verdicts on similar issues. May be, the lockdown would give them time to think about such issues.
Shailendra Sinha
"Out-of-box suggestions by ITOs are not a Misconduct"
Apropos of the post “What to do with ITOs”, published in WIC dt May 11? The author seems biased and intent motivated.
The bureaucracy is free to submit suggestions to cadre-controlling authorities for improving governance and services delivery mechanism. For promoting out-of-box thinking ,bureaucrats based on hands-on experience, are encouraged to make suggestions for consideration of the authorities concerned.
In the context of extant circulars , a body of 50 IRS officers devoid of malicious intent, took pride in making some suggestions for reviving the Indian economy by levying 40% tax on super-rich companies and surcharge on MNCs. Sending a joint memorandum to CBDT chief for raising revenue to fight Covid-19 infection, was not a crime. Needless to mention that government decision had political overtones ( Read as pressures of top business honchos under garb of Covid -19 crisis) for making out-of-box suggestions in public interest. We are slowly but surely ,moving away from Socialist to Capitalist economy.
Tax officers’ suggestions, though politically incorrect, were worth consideration by the authorities concerned. The decision makers possibly felt piqued and slighted. Taking policy decisions, is the sole prerogative of the political Executive, who possibly felt piqued and slighted. Bureaucrats are considered “excellent subordinates but “ bad advisors.”
Initiating disciplinary proceedings against 50 IT officers for " violating the Conduct Rules", would tantamount to travesty of justice. This cannot stand the scrutiny in the court of law. Besides being demoralizing to officers, this will create an unsavoury controversy for the Govt of India.
PM should intervene.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

DEBATE (1)
It is easier said than done for Indian companies to quit China immediately and move their manufacturing bases in India. It would take them atleast two years to wind up in China and another two years to create a base in India.
Raj Singh
RBI's decision to redraw its fiscal year
At the Board meeting held on Saturday, May 9, RBI has decided to redraw its fiscal year w.e.f. April 1 2021. The fiscal year 2020 will start on July 1, 2020 and end on March 31, 2021. RBI's decision to adopt the fiscal year from April 1 to March 31 is a welcome move. But it is not known why it took 70 years to introduce this change.
It should be mentioned that the foundations of revenue administration in India were laid by Sher Shah the Persian Emperor who introduced the ryot wari system of land administration. Sher Shah fixed the fiscal year from July 1 to June 30 which was called Fasli, a Persian word. In fact Fasli, Firka and Tehsil are Persian words. Raja Thodarmal during Akbar's rule brought some refinements based on the foundations laid by Sher Shah. Even today the Fasli is from July 1 to June 30 to coincide with the agricultural operations.
Dr Sitharam Gurumurthi IAS (TN 72) Retired
Former Member State Planning Commission &
Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu (Retired)
What to do with ITOs?
The Association of IRS (Income Tax) officers has become a laughing stock. Even their own members are unhappy with the absurd proposals made by their colleagues to restart the economy. The association is not a think tank; few, if any, of its members are economists. The proposals are a simple ruse to increase the powers of ITOs. There is not a single proposal to check misuse of these powers. Such misuse has become more lucrative with a growing economy.
Since 1948, the first choice of entrants to the civil services has been IFS or IAS, the other of the two ‘Category 1’ services being the second. Third choice was IAAS, Railways, IPS, Customs, Income Tax etc. Last year 3 of the selected candidates gave first choice as Income tax. Why? The common perception that young people join the civil services to make money is wrong; 3 is a small number. There is a need to keep a watch on such officers. If CBDT is unable or unwilling to do it, the IRS (Income Tax) Association could do it and redeem its reputation.
M.P.Bauer
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner
Need help for reaching out to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation / Commissioner for getting CORONA breeder spots blooming at Bimanagar, Ahmedabad. All my emails to commissioner and his team since April 10, 2020 have gone ashtray. CORONA keeps spreading allaround. The subject is serious and crucial.
H S Parekh (hsparekh@gmail.com)
Relief and Rehabilitation Secretary, Maharashtra
Sir I am Feroz khan from Colaba Sunder Nagri. This is a humble request to provide us our basic requirements of medical, food and emergency situation exit in this total lockdown in our area
Feroz khan (dearferoz2002@yahoo.co.in)
Additional Chief Secretary in Karnataka
Sir, Please mujhe Ghar bhej dijiye main bahut Pareshan hun. Mere pass paise Nahin Hai. Mera room malik Paisa mang raha hai. Please Sar my help RD807S200116416 Mera registration code I hai.
Mithilesh (mithileshyadav273212@gmail)
M B Rajesh Gowda appointed as MD, BESCOM in Karnataka
Inflated bills for April in Bangalore. Hope you are aware. My account number is 2295308
Ravinder Sagar (rvndrsgr@gmail.com)