Whispers Forum

DEBATE
‘Babu’, in popular culture, implies a government worker who is lazy, incompetent, deliberately delays processes and enjoys life at the cost of public money. The term that reeks of the colonial era has been rightly stuck with civil servants and other government officials ever since only because of their attitude. Irrespective of the usage of the word ‘Babu’, more important is that it is the ‘Babu culture’ that needs to be changed.
Manish Singh
“Ineffective, unassertive, Lokpal is irrelevant”
The concept of anti-corruption national ombudsman is relatively new in India. It represents public interest. Corruption is rising exponentially due to Criminal mafia - politicians- bureaucrats-police nexus. The law makers must strengthen Lokpal by according it Constitutional status. The amendment bill introduced in the past for making the Lokpal a constitutional body, was defeated in the house. Reasons were obvious: Self-preservation and survival instinct of law makers.
Come to specifics. Lokpal, a full-time functional body was mandated to present annual reports on work done by it to the President. The report is caused to be laid in both Houses of Parliament. Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was appointed as chairperson of Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman which started functioning with eight members, in March 2019.
As per media reports about 1500 corruption complaints have been received by the Lokpal alone, since inception, against several Union ministers, top officers , MPs and other public servants. Strangely, no annual report has been presented by the Lokpal to the President. This is disturbing. One wonders whether any interim report was presented for clarifying reasons for non-submission of annual report.
The Lokpal is an independent, statutary body. Its annual report constitutes an important tool to assess its performance by the Parliament with regard to investigations and prosecution of public servants. This assumes importance especially when union ministers, former or serving , MPs and officers are named in the complaints.
The lawmakers must empower the Lokpal by according it Constitutional status. Let it submit its annual report to the Parliament on the analogy of C&AG , CEC.
Why urgency?
Elections are due in several States in succession. Several politicians would be contesting the elections especially those against whom complaints could have been received. Checking their credentials before accepting nominations,is the responsibility of the Election Commission.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

DEBATE(1)
Babu culture is a constitutional arrangement. If Modiji tries to disturb the IAS hierarchy only he would be sufferer. Bureaucrats work under established culture and power given to the by the constitution. They are not at the mercy of anybody.
Girja Shankar
CIC’ orders contradictory
The CIC has been giving a spate of orders which are contradictory, some are actually against the letter and spirit of the RTI Act. This is one such order which shows utter ignorance of the Information Commissioner. The RTI Act only mandates that the applicant should be a citizen of India which is not disputed in this case. Only because the person uses the letterhead of an organisation or is a Manager in a company does not mean that he ceases to be a CITIZEN of the country. I wish that a public test of the Information Commissioners be held to know their knowledge of RTI Act, 2005. A significant number of the Information Commissioners are bound to fail as is depicted by the quality of orders passed by them. Anyway, their only qualification to become the Information Commissioner was the fact that they have served as Bureaucrats and not either their knowledge of the RTI Act or the fact hat they are pro-transparency. I wish someone may show the mirror to those who are entrusted with the implementation of the RTI Act.
Neeraj

DEBATE (1) BABU WORD
PM Narendra Modi blasted the 'babu' culture in the country but it shows his arrogance of power.
B D Pani
Ms. Aarti Khosla appears to be connected to Civil Services. If her assertions are taken on face value, why has the Country not progressed to the level, it should have been: if the civil servants were so efficient. Her statement that Civil Servants become specialists of the subject they handle, is no less than a joke. Will she like to be operated upon by the IAS Jt. Secretary of the Ministry of Health as according to her, the JS is a specialist? Such impressions have been created for the Civil Servants and they have also started considering themselves as God. Time has come to give Professionals their due. PM has kicked them hard at right place & at right time. Someone had to ring the bell and it has been done now. Country needs Specialists. Professionals now to zoom into 21st century. PM's statement will hurt few but why to ignore the talent available elsewhere, away from the "elite" group.
BOSIDINI
Support for illegal Temple structure in Chandni Chowk
It is a matter of shame that both AAP and BJP are supporting the erection of an Illegal Temple on the middle of the road in Chandni Chowk Delhi.
An illegal Hanuman Temple which was on the middle of road in Chandni Chowk was removed by North MCD on the directions of Delhi High Court few days back. Now suddenly a new temple has emerged on the central verge of the busy road in Chandni Chowk !!
Strangely, both BJP and AAP who otherwise keep fighting over every issue, are supporting the continuation of this illegal structure. Delhi High court should take suo-motto action in the matter and direct both Delhi Government and North MCD to remove this structure .Otherwise it sends a wrong message to people of Delhi that you can do illegal things and get away with it.
S. Gopal

DEBATE (1) BABU WORD
I reckon that the bureaucrats are suffering more humiliation of being criticized in public and meetings than previous governments. The bureaucrats, who joined central and all India services, are being hurled abuses by third rate politicians. The officers can do nothing except following business rules.
Sunil Kumar
“Most reprehensible”
Apropos to WIC’ news dated Feb 22, about mouthing four letter words to a Secretary to GoI by a Member of Parliament of the ruling dispensation, I would say, the uncouth behaviour smacks of law maker’s arrogance of power. The revelation must have jolted the conscience of all civil servants across the country, serving and retired. The MP must be named and shamed by the media.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

DEBATE(1) BABU WORD
Of course the word ‘babu' used for the civil servants is derogatory. It is used contemptuously by those who hate the civil servants. The general public may be disliking bureaucrats for redtapism, corruption or lack of empathy to use such terms for them. But coming from the Prime Minister it is really insulting and humiliating. It only shows, he has no respect for the civil servants even though they are made to slog. It also reveals traits of arrogance and sway he holds on them because of his authority. His remarks that babus cannot be doing everything from civil aviation to environment to fertilizer to agriculture is also misplaced. They have done everything. IAS may be a generalist service but they become specialists in every field they handle. What to talk of IAS, even others who got into the specialized field like Accounts, the two Revenue services, Railway services like Traffic or Personnel when getting a chance on deputation to any department have shown exceptional performance. I think PM's remarks are more out of his Govt. decision to get more civil servants through lateral entry marring the chances of many for promotion. Moreover, if some work demands a background in that field then how come a politician without the knowledge of that field can handle that Department or even multiple departments as many of the ministers are holding several portfolios each. It would be in the interest of work that civil servants are given respect by politicians as our old leaders like Sardar Patel did rather than browbeaten by such contemptuous terms.
Aarti Khosla

An application was filed under the RTI Act by Shri Shankar Khalid, Director for Shivani Flexipack Ltd. seeking certified copies of E.R.1s electronically filed by them and related information. The CIC observed that there is nothing on record which shows that the RTI and second appeal has been filed by a ‘citizen’ as per Section 3 of the RTI Act and by the applicant. Information should have been sought by the same citizen in his individual capacity at the time of appeal. In the present case, the appellant has nowhere mentioned that he/she has sought information in his/her individual capacity but as legal entity. The appellant has also not proved his/her identity or given any of his identity proof to show that he/she was seeking information in second appeal in his/her individual capacity. The CIC held that the appellant is a company but not an individual and therefore, the RTI application/appeal of the appellant is not tenable as per Section 3 of the RTI Act.
Comments
As per the provisions of the RTI Act, only a citizen has the right to obtain information from a public authority and to file appeal. In many cases the CIC has held that if a verifiable name is there is an application, it is can be taken as an application filed by that individual who also happens to hold a position in a company.
Citation: Shivani Flexipack Ltd. v. CPIO, O/o. The Assistant Commissioner Central GST, Division-I, Satara in Second Appeal No. CIC/CCSTM/A/2019/104058, Date of Decision: 27.01.2021
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(1) Babu
I don't agree with A K Saxena's view that Babu is a derogatory term. It is a generic term to describe the Civil Servants in India. While Political bosses take the final decision but the facts and suggestions are put up by the Babus !! They can twist/manipulate facts etc. which is difficult for Political bosses to understand . In many cases they do these to please their Political bosses. That is the reason why ordinary people despise Babus and they link it to redtapism/corruption in the system.
Subramanian Gopal

DEBATE (1) Babu
Babudom is a very unpleasant term. Traditionally it denotes sloth, inertia, apathy and lack of any progress. To a great extent, Indian bureaucracy signifies - where the vested interests of bureaucrats and Netas combine, there will be rare wellness all around society because efforts will be directed to fulfilment of those vested interests. There is no doubt that IAS consist of some of the best talent and intellect in the country but they cannot solve all the intricate problems of society. PM has rightly remarked that from aviation to agriculture, politics to morality, Education to other fields of activity, IAS just can not handle effectively all of this. Hence it requires ‘amool chool poribartan’.
S M Shukla
CGHS reimbursement
Reimbursement of bills in CGHS specially in Delhi is so bad, it is very difficult to find the at what stage bills are pending. It is harassment to the pensioners as serving officials get reimbursement from respective departments generally. The bills submitted in July 2020 of OPD medicines purchased during Covid-19 pandemic still pending. These OPD medicines were allowed to be purchased through special dispensation and order issued. The great part is no body is responsible or accountable for such delay. Wellness centres are taking their sweet time to forward the MRC form to respective zones. CGHS should take the lesson from recent SC judgement and observations made. CGHS to find immediately, why the bills are pending and issue directives to clear all the cases of OPD medicines purchased during Covid-19 pandemic and ask the respective zones to indicate the status of all pending cases with reasons. The status should also be intimated to respective wellness centres so beneficiaries can find the status of their own case. Even CMO In-charge is ignorant of the case. Some technical points are being raised to stop the reimbursement as MRC forms are received late, Specialist prescription not valid etc. This can easily be verified by the medicines issued before purchase and after purchase. In case same treatment is continuing then payments should immediately be released before another case goes in SC for their considerations. CGHS should help the beneficiaries in time of financial disaster.
Naveen

DEBATE(1)
Infact word of committed bureaucracy started from the days of Indira Gandhi and now the same tradition is there. Officers may not like to be called “Babu”.
T C Sharma
Yes it's correct to use Word Babu
As most of the policies and instructions passed is on papers and after certain number of service they became file pushers.
Avi Liesha
GM posts in Railways not deputation posts
GM posts in Indian Railways are not deputation posts ! However there is no bar on Railway officers to apply for deputations advertised by other organisations!
Neeraj Dinkar

DEBATE(1)
The word “Babu” is a derogatory, colonial slang with pejorative connotation. Its abuse by present day politicians and the media, is disdainful. Ironically, Sardar Patel called civil servants, the steel frame of India.
In his Parliament speech on Feb 10,2021, PM Modi came down heavily on India’s ‘babu culture’. His “Sab kuch babu hi karenge” jibe is insulting, smacking of arrogance and authoritarianism.
Neither the serving, nor the re-appointed civil servants could question Head of Government. Spineless, compromised “ babus”
But, who made the civil servants ‘babus’ in the first place ? Guess, who benefits the most from the so-called ‘babudom’ ? It is the political class. And, PM knows it well.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)
Injustice meted out to Promotee ACs of 2014 Batch
I have been regularly following the issue of Promotee ACs of 2014 Batch, belonging to CBIC. Grave injustice is being done to them as their Direct Recruited counterparts Batch till 2016 have already been promoted. CBIC needs their valuable services, yet disown them. Is it their fault that they were promoted against temporary vacancies? Even Supreme Court in many of its judgments has stated that any temporary vacancy being continued for more than an year can't be treated as temporary and any AC who has completed 4 years of residency period in JTS, should be upgraded to STS, irrespective of temporary, ad hoc or regular. CBIC has already issued an order no. 07/2021 dt: 14/01/2021, in which even Commissioners promoted in 2012 have been shown as ad hoc promotees. CBIC has deliberately not included these vacancies in Recruitment Rules of Gr. A Services due to its partisan attitude towards Promotee ACs, who have been rightly termed as beast of burden by Gopal Reddy. The Directorate of HRD is defunct in CBIC and needs to be re-organised. The Chairman is well aware of this issue, but not at all interested in sorting out this issue. Will Revenue Secretary, FM and PMO intervene in the matter to grant NFU in the grade of STS as DCs ? The Promotee ACs of 2014 assure the PM that they will walk extra mile to increase revenue realisation for nation building.
Neeraj Kumar Dutt

DEBATE (1)
Babus will be Babus, the remnant of Colonial era, till the time they become public servants in the true sense instead of working as servants of the ruling dispensation.
Paarth Garg
DEBATE (2)
PM's statement on Babudom has a loud message : The motion of thanks to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha has a clear message to Babus. Power galleries are also interpreting the PM's speech in their own way. But one thing is for sure that the govt is not going to tolerate those babus who are non- performers.
A Chaturvedi
CBDT has many challenges
Chairman, CBDT has made significant contribution in the budget 2021-22 proposal now it is the time for its implementation. Pre-filled ITR forms with addition of dividend income and LTCG will also be available. It is forward step towards success and making tax compliance tax payers friendly. Apart from this most important is to make ITR filing truly online from e-filing website i.e. making filing without generating XML and uploading. It will be really ease the problem of ITR filing without any compatibility issue of software. It will lead to easy, seamless and painless ITR filing. Tax compliance will be higher and increase tax revenue. We have best software experts and no problem making ITR filing truly on line from e-filing website. CBDT has to reorient the officers and making them available for this innovative work instead of doing non-productive work. CBDT should close all old cases older than 3 years where no tax liability has been fixed and are not in any dispute. Such message or directives should go to field units. Such cases where only letters have been issued for trifle matters. This can be started with Sr. Citizens specially house-wives. It will save man power and time. This will avoid VIVAD. Another important thing how to reduces excess cash transactions in any agreement and make truly digital. Let us hope for moving towards easy, seamless and painless tax compliance system in addition to faceless.
Naveen