Whispers Forum

A state information commissioner is resigning to join as advisor to CM Uttarakhand. And Chief ICs of states usually join after retiring as chief secretaries. What harmonious existence between Government & information commission - great for its autonomy.
Yashovardhan Azad.
Former IPS officer and former CIC
Nationalization of private hospitals will lead to fall in standards of health
Harish Kumar by suggesting nationalization of all private hospitals is taking back the nation to old age of caves wherein in the Government servants will grow, misuse office perks & facilities, take their due leaves, reservation in medical services at the cost of quality, promotion of mediocrity and as result cause huge loss to exchequer & falling standards of health in the country.
Anurag Srivastava

CSS Forum is the association of the Central Secretariat service officers working in various ministries/ Departments middle to senior level the central government. For any queries, feel free to contact us on cssforumofficial@gmail.com
Gomesh Paramuval
Pricing of Sputnik vaccine
The firm which will manufacture the Russian origin Sputnik vaccine has priced it at Rs. 995 a jab- a marketing stroke. When people line up to get vaccinated the person at the counter will say no change Sir/Madam and people in a hurry to get vaccinated will forego the change, resulting in an additional gain of Rs. 5 per jab! Wonderful.
Lakshman

Group of Indians and friends from AU, US and India sourcing medical aid
We are a group of Indians and friends from AU, US and India sourcing medical grade oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other oxygen equipment from across the world, shipping these to India and distributing last mile to underserved rural districts. Since our launch 10 days ago, we have raised $900,000 from some of Australia's largest technology startups etc; sourced and secured 150 oxygen concentrators and 50 ventilators from China and US, shipped them into India and deployed across 4 underserved districts. We have line of sight on another 300+ concentrators and 150+ ventilators to be distributed to 15+ districts to save 10,000 lives over the next 3 months. We are providing these units to districts that don't have the resources to deal with the crisis. Would love to speak help in any way we can with more concentrators that are becoming available to us over the next one week.
Anish Sinha

The appellant sought information regarding deployment of army men to other country (UN & Bhutan) for specific mission like the certified copy of the instructions on the basis of which unit sends its army men to other country, the number of times the army men employees have been deployed to other country since January 2005, the list of Army men who were sent to other country, the criteria fixed for selection of Army men etc. The reply was delayed and not proper. The CIC held that the RTI application was handled very badly and it shows that the RTI matters are being handled in a very negligent manner. The CIC expressed its extreme displeasure at the conduct of the respondent organisation as a whole for showing such laxity while handling the RTI applications and the correspondence related to it and to the then CPIO for being negligent in handling the RTI application. The CIC directed that the Bombay Engineering Group & Centre, Kirkee office needs to evolve a system to ensure proper receipt & dispatch of the RTI correspondence by the CPIOs/Deemed PIOs/FAAs and maintain a proper record of every RTI application received and replied to by the organisation.
Comments
For timely discharge of duties mandated under the RTI Act, the dak management system of the public authority should be proper. All public authorities should maintain a proper record of each and every RTI application received in the organisation, to whom it is marked for action to prevent misplacement and mishandling of RTI correspondence. If an organisation needs to organise training programmes for the CPIOs and the deemed PIOs to familiarize them with the provisions of the RTI Act, they should contact proper trainers so that mistakes do not happen.
Citation: Gurmeet Singh v. Bombay Engineering Group & Centre, Kirkee in File no.: - CIC/IARMY/A/2019/111340, Date of Decision: 04/03/2021, 26/03/2021, 23/04/2021
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

DEBATE
It was not at all justified to hold political rallies and religious gatherings when the Corona pandemic was staring at us. Kumbha Mela could also have been held symbolically. The government could have allowed only the priests and the ‘Akharaas’ if they insisted and stopped general public from participating in the Kumbha. But large religious gatherings at the Kumbh Mela and politicians, cutting across party lines, have been addressing huge rallies. Now the second wave has hit us so severely only because of our stupidity.
Poonam Pathak
No one is interested in improving things
Fully agree with B B Shrivastava. No Politician or Bureaucrat(s) is interested in improving things. They benefit from Status-Quo and take no action. Hope the Government(s) take note of the recommendations and take immediate action to prevent chaos in future.
S Gopal

DEBATE
Election rallies led by important political figures, as well as crowded festivals and religious gatherings no doubt contributed to the record resurgence of the new coronavirus. After quelling the first surge late last year, both leaders and people let down their guard. Allowing or even encouraging dangerous behaviour, they underestimated the virus, reopening the economy too fast and too broadly and now we are seeing the dance of death.
Sunil Sinha
India needs Indian medical Administrative service
I agree with views expressed by Mahender Goel. India needs a Indian medical Administrative service. The tests or competitive exams be conducted by ICMR or identical parallel body manned by seasoned doctors. Format, quality and standards should be in line with UPSC. This body should also be authorized to recruit all junior level supporting staff too so the best lot joins the system. Covid crisis has proved that health is far more important after education. State can too have similar bodies on same lines. In addition to that GOI should nationalize all private hospitals and with their fat assets create more and more quality hospitals on war footing. This is the need of the hour.
Harish Kumar

DEBATE
As the country battled a second COVID-19 wave and several states went for lockdown, election rallies and the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar clearly compromised efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 with the result that the second wave of the pandemic proved to be more challenging and aggressive than the first one which led to a nationwide 50 days lockdown in March last year. In four months into 2021, till the elections and Kumbha fair lasted, the daily cases not only surpassed the high reported in 2020 but more than tripled. The impact of the pandemic is clearly visible across the country with bodies piling up in crematoriums and long queues of ambulances outside hospitals with peoplpe running helter skelter for beds or Oxyzen or both for their near and dear ones.
Jeevan
DIET officers and employee's salary issue needs attention
Javdekar Sir, you are requested to look in the Maharastra’s DIET officers and employee's salary issue. They are suffering irregular salary issue in Covid situation because of the grant not being released by the centre ...Hope being ex minister of education you will look into the matter.
Yogesh Survase

DEBATE
Both religious and political events which have largely contributed to the ‘havoc’ in the country could have been stopped at one stroke of the pen. But the ruling party – and to be fair, all the political parties - continued with their large election rallies focusing on the election battles in five states and their outcomes. Neither did the central government immediately stop millions from congregating at the Kumbh mela, one of the largest religious gathering of people on the planet though they finally cut it short under pressure. But the damage was already done. The spike in cases, meanwhile, became a flood. The healthcare infrastructure across many states, which was already stretched, broke down completely with shortages in everything – beds, oxygen, doctors. Today the entire world is caught unaware on what has went wrong with India.
Girdhari
Two hoots for suggestions to effectively prevent outbreak/spread of epidemics
The Third report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission was on the subject of 'Crisis Management'. The Chapter No.10 of the Report is on the subject of 'Epidemics'. The following were the recommendations and accepted by the Government for implementation in the year 2008:- (i) To more effectively prevent outbreak/spread of epidemics, it is imperative that a comprehensive revised 'model' legislation on public health is finalized at an early date and that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare systematically pursues its enactment by the states with adaptations necessitated by local requirements. (ii) The Union legislation governing Public Health Emergencies be introduced for final consideration in the light of feedback received from the states at any early date. (iii) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has to ensure that requisite plans envisaged under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, are drawn up in respect of epidemics also and that the role of the district administration finds explicit mention in the Public Health Emergency Bill. The structure created by the Disaster Management Act, 2005, should be utilized for managing epidemic also. (iv) While surveillance and management of epidemics are the responsibilities of public health professionals, it is clear that a particularly severe outbreak could overwhelm the capacities of the 'line organizations'. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the State Governments must ensure that 'standard operating procedures' are devised to assign roles and responsibilities of agencies and personnel outside the line organizations wherever a situation so warrants. (v) State level handbooks and manuals concerning disaster management should have a chapter on "epidemics-related-emergencies". A model chapter may be circulated by the Ministry of Health & Family for guidance of states. It may be useful to document the past handling of epidemics like the Plague (Surat) and Japanese encephalitis (Easter UP) to facilitate standardization of response mechanisms. If relevant and timely had been taken by the selfish Central and State Government officials and Ministers, we would have not faced the present catastrophe of Covid-19 in such a miserable manner. The UPA Government did not do anything as they were busy in earning money. Mr. Modi with his 'mai' attitude put all the recommendations of the second administrative reforms commission into the garbage bag. A lot of tax payers money is spent on Committees/Commissions. The Committees/Commission make their recommendations. But the lazy government officials do not take any pains to implement the accepted recommendations. Everybody is busy is passing through his tenure without having had to put to hassles.
Bimal Bahadur Srivastava

Institutions for the welfare of underprevileged flounder
It is very surprising to see even the institutions set up for the welfare of underprevileged such as the National Commission for the SC not taking pro-active steps for the disclosure of information. I have been watching this column and have a couple of cases where it is seen that the National Commission has floundered. By not making suo-motu disclosure, they are failing in terms of their statutory duty as well as moral duty. It may not be an exaggeration to say that these Commissions have failed to bring out a real change and their action is restricted to merely making more sound and giving TV presentations.
Samar

Appellant had taken a home loan and asked the Bank why there is a difference of amount between OS (Outstanding Amount) and DP (Drawing Power) and a related question. The PIO informed that difference in drawing power and outstanding amount occurred on account of interest accrual over a period of time due to delayed repayment or due to interest rate change. The CIC directed the PIO to revisit the RTI application and provide revised information including copy of the calculation sheet of the appellant’s loan account.
Comments
The RTI Act includes providing the existing information and does not involve creating information. A citizen cannot expect a PIO to create a fresh information to satisfy his query.
Citation: K. Subbramaniyan v. State Bank of India in Second Appeal No. CIC/SBIND/A/2019/106076, Date of decision: 16.04.2021
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

DEBATE
How can you justify political rallies and religious congregations when there was life-threatening surge in the number of Corona cases, which is highest in the world. It has been substantially on account of a free run enjoyed by the super-spreading events including political rallies, religious congregations and festive events but the government remained callous.
Nadeem Ahmad
Pathetic medical Education in our country now exposed
Pathetic medical Education in our beloved country now exposed in corona crisis. Penny wise pound foolish approach by PMO by postponing the PG exams and putting graduating medical students to the corona management .
Our healthcare and it’s precursor Medical Education is convoluted and not convivial at all lacks erudite approach with attempt and intention to provide ephemeral relief only
Healthcare system continues to remain Achilles heel because of Leviathan of multilayers governance remaining immune to accountability, deterrent or punitive actions swiftness data than tour people native action with all clear lines of accountability blurring
we need a big number of doctors and need Indian Medical Administrative Service IMAS because hitherto strangulating approach of the crazy bureaucracy ruining the medical service has brought us to to such abominable situation.
There should be immediately in national medical administrative service which should be groomed to control the medical profession and not under the hands of Junior most bureaucrats who may not be even gain fully qualified to understand the basic corollary of medical system ,they should be insulated from the classes of the bureaucracy and for this The exam should be conducted by UPS Cto take it forward for the control of this medical profession
The other main cause of this pathetic situation particularly in government hospitals is because of the very low number of seats created for MBBSMDMSDMNMCH while students and doctors during the course of undergraduate who is graduating super specialization are subjected to the enormous pressure because of total mismatch of number of doctors versus the patients in flow besides living in the abject inhuman situation and many of times undergo various ailments like depression and disorientation because of the seamless posting for 30 to 40 hours while working in the abominable condition dealing with sputum and the excreta of the patients
The medical profession which is long drawn trajectory without any excellence of getting good jobs at any point of time is badly looked down by the society, that is the reason that the doctors and their family get frustrated because they’re only subjected to dirty environment pranks and sarcasm of seniors and most of the time getting assaulted by the attendants of the patients
Let us rise to the occasion make many more medical colleges so that the hospitals get respectable umber of supporting doctors as also nurses ,as per calculation of today need around to two Lakh nurses and 1.5 lakh of doctors to contain this corona crisis
While summing up ,it is requested that the Indian medical administrative service should be created at the earliest so that this medical profession is controlled legitimately by none other than the great doctors who know into the working of such complex field of medical science and they should not be subjected to the junior most Bureaucrats like the DM ridiculing the chief medical officer and under secretary of Health ministry ridiculing the medical superintendent, medical directors of the state of the art and the biggest hospitals which create dystopia in the minds of ablest doctors, this version is enacted keeping in mind existence of black sheep in this noble profession
Mahendra Goel