Whispers Forum

Shaastra Poojaa Empowerment of an individual is possible only by Shaastra Poojaa and personal security is guaranteed only by Shaastra Poojaa. Why are people raising facile controversy on the issue? Nations too need the power of the Shaastra (books of knowledge) and Shastra (weapons). No person can achieve his goal in life without seriously pursuing his interests in Shaastra and Shastra in a knowledge society. It is the “worship’. It is no religious ritual. Culturally challenged persons may refuse to see things in right perspective. Isn’t Mahabalipuram a glorious legacy? It was executed with high knowledge and tools and protected by a mighty armed kingdom much before some of the world’s religions were even born. The significance of the word “poojaa” lies in exercising caution in the use of Shastra & Shaastra, since they enhance the power of the individual and the nation. Use of arms for any purpose other than public good is prohibited. What the terrorists are doing is showing disrespect for the Shastra. It may be noted that Shaastra Bal (knowledge power) and Shastra Bal (weapon power) has to be used cautiously like Dhan Bal (money power).
M L Gupta
Avoid nasty comments, especially on senior citizens
I disagree with Srivastava's comments as if they are Lord Almighty comments on 80 plus senior citizens who are seeing the doctors without any queue. I agree that as service personnel we may face some problems but that doesn’t mean they have to wait in the normal queue. We have to respect their age and we also one day attain that age. Will be happy if nasty comments, especially on senior citizens may be avoided.
Seth
In bad taste
The post on "Why Separate Line for Senior Citizens in Wellness Centres ?" is in bad taste.
Surinder Pal

NFU for HAG for all Group A services (of 1988 batch) is due from 09.04.2019 as IAS of 1990 batch have been promoted as Additional secretary wef 09.04.2019. DOPT is not issuing orders for reasons best known to them. Are they contemplating withdrawal ? Even if it is withdrawn will it be from back date ? Totally unclear.
Ramesh Kumar
Strange concept of seniority !
It is rather strange concept of seniority. One is on post retirement assignment, where seniority should not be a criterion, while the other is a serving Civil Servant. Therefore, the present parity should continue.
Sanjay

Some person has, the other day, written about bureaucratic reforms in Indian Express. When will these arm chair reformists have courage to speak the truth ?
1. Can you have a bureaucrat deliver when the Minister is corrupt/a criminal/a mafia don/a real estate dealer ? Will that minister ever like to have ANY good bureaucrat in his department?
2. Once, after the CM was impressed with my performance as Secretary, i told the CM that the DM of his district (his favourite ) was very corrupt and he should remove him immediately, he kept quiet. The DM continued for years. There are hundred such stories.
3. The ministers are chosen from amongst MPs/MLAs by the PM/CM as ministers. For the first time this PM has chosen domain experts like R K Singh and S Jaishankar. Unless electoral reforms are done ensuring that ONLY honest citizens who are dedicated to the nation (like Sri Modi himself) can win elections, bureaucracy will function at sub-optimal level.
4. If you don't have good ministers, frequent transfers will ensure that the officer would not get enough time to deliver to the people. I myself have had tenures of 7 days, 3, 4, 6( as District Magistrate ), 9, 10( as District Magistrate ) months. My charge as JS in one ministry was changed twice in a 9 month tenure in GoI. Isn't it height of misgovernance ?
5. Then there are false criminal cases filed against a bureaucrat, he faces false defamation cases, assaults, murder etc etc etc all because he/she tries to follow the Rule of Law.
6. You would have often heard " there is so much corruption in DDA/CPWD/ Registration offices etc , wonder why the IAS officers heading them don't take action?". Let me explain. The moment you think of taking action, the politicos create all kinds of hurdles. If you are stubborn, you proceed and issue the charge sheet. The employee immediately goes to CAT/HC/SC. And once lawyers get on with their job it could be years before any action can be taken. You would have left that post (or transferred out by minister for taking action against this crony ) or retired by then. Every government servant knows that ultimately no harm will come to him. He would get back his post, promotions, arrears of pay ( with luck also interest on delayed payments ). In fact, in my personal experience, I even got slapped with ridiculously false criminal/civil cases right from the days as SDM and upto the day i retired as Secretary in GoI. The money spent, the harassment and time wasted by me anyone can guess. So unless delivery of court orders are quick, you cannot discipline a rogue employee. Judicial reforms is thus the other urgent need of the hour.
8. Unless you have good ministers and quick disposal of DE proceedings in court, there is very little you can do to improve governance. Time and again it has been seen that once political leadership is good there is no issue with the bureaucracy. Look at the present PM and his bureaucracy. He never complains about his bureaucrats and gets numerous of his policy decisions very effectively implemented by this very bureaucracy. The steed is high breed. What the poor fellow needs is a good rider.
Jai Hind !
Vande Mataram
P K Basu IAS (Retd)
Former Secretary GoI
Former Member, CAT
Report judgements of common interests
It would be worthwhile to report C A T judgements and S C judgements of common interests to a large no. of officers.
S K Sharma

Operation INX Media scam is subjudice ? Former FM P Chidambaram is cooling his heels in Delhi’s Tihar jail. All tactics to delay the proceedings have failed.
Prosecution sanctions has been granted by the Govt to CBI to proceed against four ex-officials of Finance ministry who are allegedly involved in the scam. The controversy suddenly took a curious turn creating ripples in bureaucratic circles. Reason ? A cabal of 71 ex-bureaucrats recently wrote to PM Modi expressing annoyance, displeasure against the ruling dispensation for granting prosecution sanctions. The protestors include, among others, former cabinet secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, former foreign secretary and NSA Shivshankar Menon, former Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and former DGP of Punjab Julio Riberio.
While expressing concern over prosecution of four former officials, the group of 71 ex-bureaucrats has sought to defend the accused by raising fallacious arguments. Briefly stated, some prominent arguments are : (a) Serving officials will be demotivated if diligent and honest officers are selectively targeted for punishment for no fault of theirs other than that they were implementing the policy decisions of the government of the day ; (b) It will not be surprising if civil servants procrastinate before processing and examining every proposal of importance, as they have no guarantee that they would not be implicated in criminal proceedings many years later; ( c) "selective targeting" of retired and serving officers, apparently for "gaining narrow political advantages”.
One is entitled to know the rationale behind raising simplistic issues. Did the ex-bureaucrats have access to actual records? If not, how could it pre-judge the case and give clean chits to the four accused, portraying them with same dirty brush ? How could the protestors attribute motives to the Government, accusing it of political vendetta? There is surely something more than meets the eye. Unholy nexus in a high profile scam involving a former union Finance minister of UPA vintage seems a certainty. The matter cannot be allowed to rest. Why not await court’s verdict on the charge-sheet framed by the CBI ? On what basis, is the court being brazenly influenced by extraneous considerations ? Some invisible political power is at work to protect the principle accused.
Recall the background of introducing prosecution sanction by competent authority. Taking prior sanction for prosecution of officers of the level of Joint Secretaries and above, was included to safeguard the honest civil servants and senior PSUs executives, who are engaged in rendering policy advice and taking commercial decisions. The requirement is mandatory under Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Art 197 of IPC. Further, CVC has also to recommend sanction for prosecution. The cabal of 71 ex-bureaucrats, has no business to interfere and vitiate the process of law. Only a special judge is competent to take cognizance of an act of corruption.
While , honest public servants do require protection, it is equally necessary to assure the public that provision was not meant to be misused as tools by the Government to protect its favourite public servants, who are otherwise corrupt. The sanctioning authority must have taken into account all facts and circumstances of the case before granting prosecutions sanctions.
The CVC has been regularly urging successive governments in its annual reports to expedite prosecution sanctions in several cases to facilitate investigation by the CBI. The CVC is furnishing statistics of cases pending prosecution sanctions cases by the Government. On the contrary, in present case, 71 ex-bureaucrats are questioning the issue of prosecution sanctions. Worse still, they are trying to obfuscate the government and the court rather than enlighten them by bringing in extraneous factors like ‘political vendetta’. Does this not attract the Contempt of Court ?
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

NDA Manifesto promised ' less government more governance' Time has arrived for implementation of that policy. Defence civilians is a bloated cadre and at 7th Pay Commission scales is hollowing out the Defence Budget. Time to phase out this cadre has arrived as Armed Forces need far better ' teeth to tail ratio' facing two hostile nuclear adversaries . - VRS of this cadre is recommended soon. - age of retirement needs to be 60 in all Central and State Governments. - No extensions policy to be implemented. - Young India to be given a fair chance to rise through their service cadres. - To make a lean government , officers and junior staff must accept multi-tasking in their employment profiles . - Better salaries , perks, and conditions of service comes with lean governance and digital format of working on a daily basis.
Devindra Sethi
Yes , it is true..
No DA being announced. Also, NFU for HAG is due for all Group A Services from 09.04.2019, but DOPT has not issued orders even after 6 months for reasons best known to them.
Ramesh Kumar

The Senior Citizens have a separate line in CGHS Wellness centre. The Senior Citizens are retired, they have no other work and hence they can wait for some time. The Central Government hospitals also have separate line for the Senior Citizens. In case of emergencies, the Senior Citizens can go to private empanelled hospitals. The Government is spending more amount as pensions in comparison to the salaries being paid to those in service. The Pensioners should not think that they are lord almighty and that they are entitled to fleece the Government unabated.
A Srivastava
Sharma and Bajaj may look after the job of Secretary in PMO
It shows that Government has intention to be dynamic. It acts as per demand of situation.
B Basak

The British had nationalised the salt industry in India. The people were deprived of an essential commodity of their daily diet. Even the Raja, Maharaja, Nawabs were brought under the control regime. It gave birth to the maxim “huzur, aapkaa namak khaya hai, khaal kheech lijiye uf tak nahi kahenge” vividly used as Namak Halaal or Namak Haraam. This text was used by the Indian theatre till 1980s and Hindi films too. It was so because all the princely states were under Treaty arrangement with the British where they were granted a meagre but fixed quantity of salt annually for their personal consumption. We don’t throw salt on the ground even today as a conviction. But Gandhi rejected salt nationalisation and de-nationalised it by his Dandi March. He turned it into the most powerful weapon of revolution called only “satyagrah”! Gandhi asked people to make salt for their consumption free. His birthday is celebrated annually but without the real salt of satyagrah. The market sells spurious edible table salt today, priced unethically high and making absurd claims of enrichment by 80 minerals without any authority of law. The full-page advertisements display the face of the Chief Ministers in bigger size than that of Gandhi. Can they make available certified salt on Gandhi Jayanti in India? For the village industries, they must sell high quality Gur/jaggery, which is another essential item on the menu of the aam aadmi (but strongly recommended even for those not-so-aam-aadmi). What is KVIC doing? What are KVIBs doing? Can we remember the Messiah of Satyagrah in this way, generate employment of millions of hours and provide opportunity for lawful additions to income?
M L Gupta

The appellant had filed a complaint vide letter dated 09.06.2017 addressed to Hon’ble HRD Minister and sought an action taken report in regard to above said letter under RTI Act. The PIO, MHRD submitted that the said complaint dated 09.06.2017 was forwarded to UGC vide letter no. F.No.5-4/2017-U.II dated 30.06.2017 and the appellant was informed accordingly on 10.01.2018. The PIO, UGC submitted that an appropriate reply was given vide letter dated 09.02.2018 stating that the said complaint dated 09.06.2017 was not received by them. The appellant submitted that he did not receive any relevant information from the PIO. The CIC observed that both the PIOs, UGC and MHRD, have handled the RTI application very poorly. Both the PIOs are required to provide information as per the availability of record. Hence, the CPIO MHRD should provide complete notings in respect of the processing of the complaint dated 09.06.2017. Moreover, the CPIO UGC should also re- examine the records and provide the present status of the complaint dated 09.06.2017. In case no action was taken a categorical reply should be provided.
Comments
If an appellant seeks the action taken report under the RTI Act in respect of the complaint filed by him, the same should be provided in the form of file notings or correspondence made. The inspection of the respective file should be provided rather than sleeping over the letter.
Citation: Sanjay Sharma v. CPIO, Ministry of Human Resource Development and CPIO, University Grants Commission (UGC) in Decision no.: CIC/MOHRD/A/2018/119376/01617, Date of Decision: 13/09/2019
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. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: - Right to Information Act 2005- RTI Foundation of India

If DA is going to be delayed or stopped for employees, it is sure that their increments will also face the same fate. In the previous budget, government had given tax relief upto Rs.5 lakhs to traders, though they are very well off, again a sop upto Rs.10 lakhs will be given to them. This will bring thee salaried class in the category of hand to mouth existence and thus bringing them at the mercy of traders and business class.
Brig Choudhary
Loss of Department of Posts increasing consistently
The loss of Department of Posts is increasing consistently every year ! The loss in 19-20 has increased by Rs 3000 crores over the previous year ! This is after the operation of India Posts Payments Bank ! While earnings are not increasing the expenditure has almost doubled . The increase in Expenditure needs to be examined and steps taken to streamline the working of the Department.
vox populi

Digital media has been at its jingoistic worst ! All TV channels are jubilant at the arrival of PM Modi from US. What an ostentatious, flamboyant reception organised to greet PM Modi at Delhi airport and beyond. All at cost of taxpayers’ money.
Full marks to Modi for diplomatic achievements. However, was that the occasion for celebrations in the present scenario. An undeclared war with Pakistan is raging at the LOC and IB. The country is passing through grave crises due to unprecedented floods. All this calls for strict measures to arrest the slowed-down economy.
However, on the contrary, the need for taking austerity measures is being totally ignored, especially so at a time when our Jawans are being martyred and injured every day due to terror attacks in Kashmir. Public is hugely outraged by such premature show of extravaganza.
It cannot be negated that leaders’ first priority lies in earning political brownie points. Their priorities are wonky, crooked, not public-friendly. They survive on sycophancy and ego massage, their staple diet.
Against this background, was organising a mega event like the one arranged for PM Modi justified in the present circumstances ? The job in Kashmir is still incomplete. Forcible occupation of POK by India's Armed Forces, remains. Pakistan will not offer it to us on a platter.
The public has lots of expectations from PM Modi. Much still remains to be completed.
One trusts, such non-events are not celebrated, in future, out of sync with ground reality.
I would urge PM Modi to issue standing instructions to the cheer leaders, sycophants including partymen, council of ministers and bureaucrats, not to waste time.
Only a few top ministers, Cab Secy and Principal Secretary to PM could be present. Presence of party functionaries must be totally banned. PM Modi must look different from UPA era.
Another noteworthy point. How did the Intelligence Bureau in the light of grave threat perceptions, give security clearances for such a mass gathering of 30,000 people ?
As per Media reports, both PM Modi and the NSA are under target of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists ? Are media reports fabricated, one wonders ?
A K Saxena (A former Civil Servant)