Whispers Forum

DEBATE (1)
Getting so many outsiders as joint Secretaries through lateral entry is not a good idea.It deprives the direct recruits of career promotion opportunities by filling so many posts by those who have not gone through the rigours of Civil Services Exam and intensive training in LBSNAA and in the field to learn the ropes of Administration. How these nine persons selected now are real specialists as they do not seem to have worked in their respective field for which they are chosen. No details about their qualifications have been given barring a perfunctory information on the basis of which one cannot make out how much specialisation they have in the field they have been chosen for. How does a person working in FAO become a specialist in Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare ? Similarly, how a person running a business in the field of wind energy becomes a specialist in all aspects of Non-Renewable energy. A civil servant though a Generalist does acquire specialisation when working in a particular field for a number of years. The arrangement of having outsiders occupying such senior level posts would definitely create relationsip problems between juniors and seniors which ,apart from lack of motivation is not conducive to good governance.
Any way only time will tell whether this experiment will lead to any improvement in governance. On the face of it this fiddling with the civil services at this level appears to be a disturbing proposition. Getting well groomed specialists with impeccable credentials at Secretary level as in the past is another matter. Persons like Manmohan Singh, MS Swaminathan and a few others showed their worth and usefulness when inducted in Government Of India at that level. They were the real specialists in their respective fields. In any case we should not call these recruits as Lateral IAS or LIAS as one Prof who bragged about his being the author of this proposal by including it in BJP manifesto for 2014 election calls them as per his article in The Economic Times of today(22.4.2019) which I just happened to read. How this academician is an expert on administration and what gives him an authority to add this new service to the list of services we already have. The problem is that we pick up suggestion from casual sources without examining the pros and cons.
Aarti Khosla
No one is above criticism
It is surprising that several IPS officers have criticised Sadhvi Pragya for being critical of Karkare. Are they saying that he is above criticism because he got an award ! Where was their concern when some CBI officers, Verma et al had harassed and tortured Mani of MHA and Rajendra Kumar, a fellow police officer in Ishrat Jahan case! Our PM has given an apt reply to those who criticise her for being made a candidate , while on bail! Well the game of these elements of criticising the NDA on any ground, and turning a blind eye or having selective amnesia to the atrocities of UPA, is exposed as people have now seen through their game and these elements have absolutely no credibility. Next they will perhaps criticise the EC for having transferred some IPS officers in Bengal? The ECI was recently criticised by a bunch of bureaucrats, who feel that they still run the show, and have not reconciled to the fact that their days of patronage are over. I am sure we will get to see their impotent rage, on a whole lot of ther issues till the elections are over. Afteral they have to ingratiate themselves to their former masters, lest they be left out if their former masters come back to power, howsover remote and distant it may look.
S Chatterjee
Eight former DGP’s condemn Pragya’s remark
Bold gesture. They would do better to insist on EC taking serious action against the lady.
Paarth

DEBATE (1)
Instead of lateral entry, government should go for retirement age at 58 years instead of 60 at present straightaway. Also fix responsibility for efficiency, say like posts for Sr.PPS and PPS which has been increased recently after cadre restructure, i.e. they main responsibility should be that they have got to be in office before their officer come and leave only after their officer leave office. Apart from this the train given to them by DoPT like presentation, taking verbatim of meetings(important) should be performed by them. Important dictations should be given to them by their officers. Recenlty, they are simply doin supervisor work and leaving these important works to their subordinates like Steno and PA or PS. And they also leave office around 6 PM except very few.. At present the work which they are doing can be easily performed by a DEO recruited from outside. Also it would better to revert back to 6-day week that was existing until 1985, i.e. 10.15 am to 5.15 pm with second saturday only being holiday.
Brig Hoshiar Singh (Retd)
IAS Association also condemns statement on late Hemant Karkare
The Associations need to do something concrete against the candidate and not be satisfied with a a disapproval.
Paarth
Is there any decorum left
Fielding of Sadhvi Pragya as a Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal is the last nail in the coffin of decent electoral practices. Only goal matters. Means can be any. After what she said of Hemant Karkare who was killed by terrorists on 26/11, she does not deserve to be an M.P. what with all her background of yet not being cleared of the Malegaon case. But then who cares. Election Commission has called for her statement as if they could not hear it in TV. Punishment if at all will be 'ban on campaigning for 12 hrs' or may be 48 hrs. Is that enough ?
Aarti Khosla
Why are IAS and IPS officers Association selective ?
IAS and IPS officers Association has condemn the statement of Sadhvi Pragya on Hemant Karkare but they did not even bother to notice the rubbish statement of Azam Khan that after his win in election he will ask officers to clean his shoes. The silence of both Association indicates that they are ready to clean.
Chetan Naira

DEBATE (1)
Bringing experts from outside domain of Civil services are not new and the previous inductees have proved their worth. An IAS may feel let down and chances of ego clash is also not ruled out but why to take all the decisions taken out of the box be treated in negative perspectives only. An IAS is treated as "Master of all trade" because he/she proves his worth at entry level and get selected from lakhs of aspirants but definitely lack the trick when technical skill is more important than administrative skill. In present case selected 9 have been brought from different field and going to add new dimensions to the thought process. Having read background of some of them, it is certain that they have been getting remuneration far more than what they will get as JS which proves that they are committed too. In my opinion, a very good move and moreover they are only nine among probably hundreds of Joint Secretaries in GoI or in states.
V K Pandey
BBB wants to be allowed to assess performance of PSB WTDs
Performance of all bank employees should be linked with the financial performance of the bank. The salary of every employee ie even the peon of a branch should have a fixed component and performance linked ie profit of their branch/Region/Zone. This will lead to better customer service and every employee striving to make their branch attract more customers, deposits and other businesses leading to more business per employye
COL Ashok Kumar Pandey
Non- IAS officers not allowed to join Chintan Shivir ?
Look at your own site- its dominated by news of IAS officers. Clearly that is the reality today- merit counts only once - at the time of the civil services exam.
Suhas Joshi

DEBATE (2)
If they can work under politician (minister) ,then why not under these officers. At least new officers can deliver their best based on earlier experience and compel others to do so.
Tez
Veteran officers want retired Lt Gen rank officers as Addl Secys in MoD ?
I differ. Most of them have restricted knowledge matter that is purely military.
Ashok Kumar Pandey
Karnataka cadre IAS officer suspended arbitrarily
This appears to have been an arbitrary decision by the ECI. Justifiable reasons for this action appears to be absent since the Circular relied on by the ECI does not specify any such condition. How does his attempt to search the craft / vehicle illegal?? So much for transparency & level playing field.
Tridiv

DEBATE (1)
I reckon that an infusion of highly qualified specialists is required to meet the desired objectives in the Government. Induction of Joint Secretaries from non-AIS on lateral entry mode into Government will help the country in taking right decision instead of monotonous regularities.
Sunil Kumar
“ Good Governance : The Mission Impossible in India ”
The Good Governance Day is celebrated every year in India on December 25 to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The day was established by the Union Government in 2014 to honour him by fostering awareness about the importance of Accountability in government .But, impressions are out-of-sync with ground realities.It sounds all very fine. But, due to lack of political will, persistent manipulation of pliant bureaucracy and deep nexus with builders-criminals mafia, this will remain a pipe dream in India for years to come. Caught in a Chakravyuh. A vicious circle. Wheels within wheels. Let us analyse further and have a closer look.
Pursuing Good governance will always remain a weak link in our search for equity, economic upliftment and political stability in the country. Corruption is India’s enemy number One. All pervasive, impacting all departments of life including Judiciary. Ironically, The CBI and the CVC have been wasting considerable time in seeking prosecution sanctions from competent authorities in respect of delinquent civil servants of the level of Joint Secretaries and above. But, without success.
As per the latest media report, the CVC and the CBI are awaiting sanctions for prosecuting 79 corrupt central government officers including an IAS officer, for over four months from different oganisations. Of these, nine cased are pending with the Ministry of Personnel, the nodal department for anti-corruption matters besides eight pending with UP government. Further, four cases involving 13 bankers are pending with the State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Corporation Bank and IDBI. Besides these, three cases involving corrupt officers are pending with Union territories, two each with the ministries of Defence, Food and Supply, Health and Family Welfare and Urban Development, among others.
As per prescribed rules, sanction for prosecution has to be decided within four-month time. The above cases are pending sanction of prosecution for more than four months. Shameful indeed.
What message is sought to be conveyed to the public-at-large.
Why are the Centre and State governments averse to granting prosecution sanctions for punishing the delinquent civil servants ?. Reasons are not far to seek.Fear of letting the political class exposed.
Worse still, the administrative ministries pay little or no attention to complaints received by them. Actionable complaints are being abruptly closed without carrying out verification. While,the potentially corrupt officers are getting protected, the innocents are being harassed.
Several departmental CVOs are under cloud. The CVC is a toothless tiger, eager to be over-ruled by the departmental heads.Sadly, while the bad governance is the norm in India, good governance is a rarity.
Whom to blame for the prevalent mess? Obviously, the outcome of cumulative failures of successive political dispensations during the past seventy years. To put it more bluntly, the laidback and opportunistic bureaucracy in collusion with the political Executive.
Public institutions with large public interfaces, fail to perform public duties and manage public funds honestly. Decision-making is slow; implementation still slower. Consultation with stake-holders is absent. Public needs receive tertiary importance. Accountability is altogether missing.
Against this backdrop, one wonders, how far hiring professionals from the private sector into government stream ( by way of lateral entry) will provide solutions to all ills ?
Let us carry out the reality-check to the notion of Good governance in the country in term of certain essential elements.
Transparency : People can question the authorities,only when there is transparency. it should be for the welfare of the people. There should not be any hidden motives of the govt. Transparency means that the criteria, process of decision-making are all kept in the public domain for scrutiny and questioning by the public. Right To Information Act set the stage for transparency in the functioning of the government and its various agencies. Access to information from a public agency is now the statutory right of every citizen. The general complaint is that the system of government in India is so impervious that ordinary people do not have idea about how decisions are taken and how public funds are utilized. The RTI Act is a window for greater transparency about the manner of functioning of public agencies. But, it faces road blocks. For instance, the political parties and the Judiciary are exempted from sharing information with the inquisitive public under the Act.
Honesty and Integrity : The Government is expected to be be honest and ethical in its functioning.Only an honest and hard working Government can bring about Good governance.
Responsiveness: Public servants should heed to the complaints and feedback of the governed in a timely responsive manner. Delay of justice is as good as denial of justice.
Equity and Inclusiveness: This is to ensure that all members of society without discrimination from the grass root levels are taken into consideration in policy formulation. Everybody should be included in Society and nobody should be alienated from it.
Accessibility: The public servants should be accessible to the public. This keeps them attached to grassroots and their problems. It helps in getting feedback from the aggrieved about unethical practices prevailing in the services providing departments.
Effectiveness and Efficiency: More efficient and effective ,the system of governance, easier it would be for the public to participate in the government - steered schemes.
Accountability : Public servants must be held accountable for their wrong actions and misconducts. In all government bodies, vertical accountability is the norm. Answerability to the designated boss in the departmental hierarchy has to be ensured. All government systems and agencies have elaborate practices and procedures for such upward reporting in performance of designated tasks within the time and available budget resources . Besides the upward vertical accountability, all government agencies have systems of horizontal accountability to ensure checks and balances.Every one is under watch by the peers and even subordinates.
Rule of Law : Good Governance must ensure equality among the citizens and Rule of Law to the Authority. The doctrine of “ Be you ever so high, the Law is always above you “, is the rule. Every one is subservient to Law.
Welfare of minorities: The public servants are required to strive for the protection and betterment of minorities along with the majority.
Women empowerment : Policies must be formulated to ensure empowerment of women
Environment friendly : Environment is an area that is impossible to ignore due to recent calamities across the world attributed to climate change.
Decentalization : This is imperative in the effective implementation of policies.
E- governance: This is considered extremely important for good governance by bringing transparency into the system.
To conclude, compliance of the above requirement is considered the sine qua non for ensuring Good governance and human rights in a liberal democracy like India.
The governance movement will encounter several roadblocks. Poor governance is being increasingly regarded as the root causes of all corrupt practices in society. Every liberal democracy is wasting national exchequer on a massive scale for mitigating corrupt practices. But, the outcome has been elusive. Introducing the concept of Integrity Pacts in public contracting is an innovative step that has started giving dividends. Giving excessive discretionary powers in the hands of official machinery especially at the lower echelons needs drastic curtailment. Their misuse is playing havoc with the aggrieved public that visit government offices, agencies, local bodies, police, lower judiciary etc for redressal of grievances.
All attributed to absence of transparency and accountability. The system is flawed and deficient. I wish the new Government –in- power after the general elections 2019 or a new avtaar of present dispensation, address these concerns on priority for improving the quality of life of Indian citizens.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

DEBATE (1)
Lateral entry in the services will cause frustration among the merit holders.
Pukhraj Maroo (Ex IAS).
DEBATE (2)
I feel instead of taking 9 specialists from the Private Sector on 3 year contract, the best choice would have been to borrow the talent from Academic pool of universities, well experienced of 10 years specialization with a Ph. D degree on deputation basis, so that if do not deliver, they can be sent back. Appointing from the Private Sector leads to conflict of interest and may be security threat too. There is a possibility that these private sector people may not like to continue after three years. Having industry experience plus these three years Government experience will all make them competent for UN/IMF/WB/ADB etc. They have come only to add glory to their profile.
Harish Kumar

DEBATE (1)
Lateral entry in Civil Services will lead to clash of ego. Government will have another problem.
G Subramaniam
Your site should remain apolitical
I have been observing that some articles /comments which are political in nature are being published on your site. I think that your site should remain absolutely neutral and apolitical and discourage publishing any comment/s which are political in nature or criticising / lauding any particular political dispensation. You can imagine that if your site also gets politically aligned / identified with a particular dispensation, then the repercussions may not be favourable when the other dispensation is in power. You are into business of providing news / information on postings / transfers for so many years, therefore you should try to stick to your old USP.
Sanjay Jain

Are we not chowkidar of our house? Our property? Our cattle? Our crops? Our children? Isn’t the king a chowkidar of his kingdom? When the people fail to act 24x7 chowkidar, the chor/thieves strike with vengeance and dexterity. Itihas gavah hai, we lost our freedom in the past because we failed to perform our duty of citizen chowkidars. The European countries did not hesitate to inflict two world wars on the world as their primary objective was to watch their national interest or do their duty of chowkidar to their nation first before thinking of nobler ideas like peace or non-violence. They will not hesitate to do so again if their national interest so demands. They will not sit idle like a pahredar controlling only access & exit. The chowkidar keeps a watchful eye on everybody while the pahredar guards the door only. History is an impressive narrative of kings who disguised themselves only to perform their watchmen duty during the night. The felicity of the English language is clearer than Hindi since it has many synonyms for the word watch: oversight, vigil, survey, monitor etc. In Hindi, the word chowkidar carries a certain degree of contempt like the word “neech” used by a prominent English educated Congressman. Though, the cultural nuance is that it is a sign of extreme humility when a dignitary calls himself a chowkidar or a person holding a low rank! Just try to understand the nuance when a prime minister calls himself a chowkidar of the nation, people or assets of the nation. Only arrogant, empty-headed hate spouting persons deride such a person for calling himself a chowkidar. It includes a variety of chor or thieves, whose livelihood is the profession of chori or theft of the properties of others, including intellectual properties and Trade Related Intellectual Assets. But a chowkidar alone is the protector of lives and property of the people. The chowkidars of the democracy are required to watch the plunderers equipped to steal the result of the Lok Sabha Election 2019. Long Live The Nation’s Chowkidars! Long Live The People’s Chowkidars! Long Live The Democracy’s Chowkidars!
M L Gupta
IAS officer working in both govt & pvt sector
What about conflict of interest evident in such an arrangement ?
Subba Rao

Now that AAP has decided against the alliance with congress, AAP has already gifted 3 sets for BJP even before the poll. Now there is no point in talking that they are against BJP.
Pankaj Kumar
A ploy by the lootyen"s group!
Who is this Namit Verma and wherefrom did he get this news, not seen by others! Seems like a ploy by the lootyen"s group! just like the letter by retired armed forces, which turns out to be a fraud and sham. It is also intriguing that a bunch of retired bureaucrats have written to the President criticising the EC. Earlier the more or less similar bunch had been writing against the intolerance etc. They were of course very content with the tukde tukde gang , as it was an expression of FOE! The government should not only treat this letter with the contempt it deserves, and throw it in the dustbin, but should also enquire into the antecedents of each of these individuals. This will reveal how many of them have amassed fortune disproportionate to their income, how many connived and acted actively or passively in the corrupt activities of the previous government, and how many grovelled before the corrupt ministers for plum postings Their conscience were not stirred during the anti Sikh riots of 1984, or the massive corruption of the previous government! Most of them were beneficiaries of largesse and thought themselves to be entitled to government benefits for enter life. Their dreams shattered, they are suffering from impotent rage. This is possibly their last attempt to ingratiate themselves before their former masters so that they can again be entitled to the comforts of Government patronage, should their former masters somehow come back to power!
S Chatterjee
Ms Gargi Kaul is an excellent choice !
Ms Gargi Kaul is an outstanding officer and an excellent choice for the assignment. There is no doubt that she will fully live up to the very high standards of competence, uprightness and probity in this assignment too.
Surinder Paul

The imbecile takeover of the political system is destroying the country. The goal of according equal rights and empowering unthinking, undisciplined riff-raff in the name of democracy and human rights, despite their envy and vengeful motivations, despite their refusal to acknowledge any duties, even embracing their incapacity to perform any duties, is a high ideal: this is indeed necessary and laudable; it is also the beginning of every downward spiral in the history of human civilization. Vacuous leadership across the political spectrum guarantees the onset of the dark ages. Let us strive to somehow avoid the disaster which threatens to engulf our beloved country and civilization.
Namit Verma

Leaks about double printing in VVPAT machines with eyewash fast-fading-thermal-printing for viewer verification and auxiliary printing on reverse of slip by fixing algorithm has unnerved the Modi-BJP government. It is flabbergasted now that it knows that VVPAT fixing details are out and this new mechanism is too obtuse to escape detection if others know about it. The fair election without EVMs has the BJP top brass hitting panic buttons, not very wisely. Significantly, targeting senior Congress leaders whom the US is uncomfortable with, as that party emerges as the obvious beneficiary to harness the forthcoming demonetisation sting-ops and EVM-VVPAT Exposes and the anti-Modi juggernaut which is snowballing into a landslide anti-BJP verdict, is aimed at empowering a Manmohan-type stooge PM choice and boxing Rahul Gandhi in the midst of Uncle Sam's men.
Namit Verma
First time, Rivals using same slogan
First time in Indian elections, both the parties are campaigning using the same slogan.
"Congress ko vote doge, to Rahul PM banega !!"
JS