IPS Kiran G Chavan is a 2018 Batch Officer of Chhattisgarh cadre and is currently posted as  Superintendent of Police in Sukma, one of the most Naxal-affected districts in Chhattisgarh.

 His Mission for the district is clear and ambitious - to eliminate Naxalism by 2026.

 “Sukma is a Naxal-affected area, and our major focus is on eliminating the Naxal problem,” Chavan says.

 To achieve this, a three-step strategy: security, development, and community engagement has been adopted.

 The first step is the security approach, which forms a major part of the mission. Under this, regular operations are conducted against Naxals to dismantle their networks and encourage them to surrender. “Some encounters also happen—Naxalites get killed. And unfortunately, we’ve also lost some of our jawans in the crossfire,” he explained.

 The second part of the strategy is the development approach. Under this, security camps are first set up in the interior areas of the district before initiating any development activities. “These camps not only provide operational support but are also being developed as integrated centers,” he said. Once these camps are established, the surrounding villages begin to receive access to basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water supply, schools, mobile connectivity and healthcare.

 “Earlier, the village was isolated from the mainstream, but due to the establishment of these security camps, all these facilities are now reaching them.” He quoted

 The third approach focuses on community involvement and engagement—winning the hearts and minds of the people. Once the camps are established in a particular area, “we start interacting with the locals and encourage them to give up the path of Naxalism and join the mainstream, where development and democracy can help them prosper,” Chavan said.

 With this Chavan is leading Sukma on a path of progress and better future. “It’s a gradual process,” he admits, “but through these three approaches, we are steadily working to eliminate Naxalism from the district.”

Interviews for the post of Members in the CBDT were held recently. Well placed sources said that 1990 batch IRS (IT) officers to be new Members.

After Punjab and UP, West Bengal would be the third state Government to amend the rules pertaining to the selection of the Director General of Police (DGP). The state Government has decided to introduce a committee for selecting the DGP that will not require the Centre’s nod. The TMC Government took the decision after almost one year after the AAP Government in Punjab introduced the new rule. BJP Government in Uttar Pradesh approved similar set of regulations for the selection of the State Police Chief bypassing the Centre last November. All the three state Governments brought in legislation to independently appoint the State Director General of Police without the Centre’s nod.

A Rajasthan cadre (2013 batch) IAS officer Ashish Gupta has been appointed as Joint Director in the National Testing Agency (NTA) under the Department of Higher Education, Government of India but he has not been relieved yet despite the fast approaching deadline. It is the second such incident in recent past, when any officer posted in the union Government on deputation has been relieved quite late. The deputation tenure is set for four years. The formal appointment order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), GoI on March 27, 2025 clearly stating that the officer should join the post within three weeks from the date of issue of DoPT’s appointment order, failing which the process of debarment from the Central Staffing Scheme shall be initiated. This three-week deadline is concluding on April 16, 2025. Despite the urgency, the Department of Personnel (DoP) in the Rajasthan has not yet issued Ashish Gupta’s relieving order. The matter is further complicated as April 14 is a holiday after Sunday. Another recent case involves IAS officer from Rajasthan, Prakash Rajpurohit. His relieving order was also delayed until the last moment.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar is due to retire on April 30. He is a 1989 batch IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre.

B N Krishnaiah has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty to H D Kumaraswamy, Minister for Heavy Industries. He is a retired IAS officer of Karnataka cadre.

This time UGC may see a long wait for its new boss to come. According to information, the ACC will finalize the name among the panel, it received from the ministry of education. It is said that the panel may have about half a dozen names. But the main question is- when will the panel be ready?

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) is holding interviews for the post of Director in-charge (Bhilai Steel Plant), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on April 19, 2025.

Vikas Mohan, CGM, ONGC Limited is in the race for the post of Director (Exploration), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC).

Awadesh Prasad,CGM, ONGC Limited is in the race for the post of Director (Exploration), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC).

Bikram Ghosh, Director Finance, WCL, appears to be a Board level contender for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Western Coalfields Limited (WCL).

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) is holding interviews for the post of Director in-charge (Burnpur and Durgapur Steel Plants), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on April 19, 2025.

Balaji Kari, AIGF, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), is assigned the additional work of AIGF, IRO, MoEF&CC, Gandhinagar in addition to his existing assignments. He is a 2009 batch IFoS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

Ms Meera Iyer has been appointed to the post of Director, Directorate of Forest Education, MoEF&CC, Dehradun on deputation basis under the Central Staffing Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change up to 14 March, 2026. She is a 2000 batch IFoS officer of MS cadre.

One vacancy for Assistant Engineer (Naval Quality Assurance)- Chemical post in Directorate of Quality Assurance (Naval), DGQA, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has been advertised. Applications must reach on or before May 1, 2025.

Seven vacancies for Assistant Engineer (Naval Quality Assurance)- Electrical post in Directorate of Quality Assurance (Naval), DGQA, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has been advertised. Applications must reach on or before May 1, 2025.

Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) has advertised for the posts of Assistant Professor posts for Polymer Science/Plastics/Polymer Eng & Tech; Mechanical/ Manufacturing/ CAD/CAM; Physics and Materials Science streams. Applications must reach on or before April 28, 2025.

Additional charge of S Murali Krishnan as CVO, C O Chidambaranar Port Authority (VoCPA), Thoothukudi has been extended. He is also serving as CVO, Chennai Port Authority (ChPA), Chennai. He is a 2005 batch IDAS officer.

A search for the successor to Ajit Kumar Saxena as CMD, MOIL Limited has begun with the Government of India seeking applications from the suitable candidates for the same. A vacancy of this post is arising on January 1, 2026.

Ms Inoshi Sharma has been empanelled for holding Joint Secretary or equivalent posts at the Centre. She is an IRS (IT) officer of 2002 batch .

Chetan P S Rao has been empanelled for holding Joint Secretary or equivalent posts at the Centre. He is an  IRS (IT) officer of 2002 batch.

Richa Gaharwar has been empanelled for holding Joint Secretary or equivalent posts at the Centre. She is an IRS (IT) officer of 2002 batch. 

Ms Shruti Agnihotriy has been empanelled for holding Joint Secretary or equivalent posts at the Centre. She is an Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer of 1998 batch.

Six IAS officers have been given new responsibilities in Bihar. Harjot Kaur Bamhrah has been appointed as Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Department, while Mihir Kumar Singh, ACS, Road Construction Department, will also hold the additional charge of ACS, Industries Department and Dr Safina A N is posted as Commissioner, Magadh Division, Gaya, with additional charge of Additional Director General, BIPARD, Gaya, Similarly, Prem Singh Meena will take over as Additional Member, Revenue Board, Council; Vandana Preyasi as Secretary, Social Welfare Department with additional charge of MD, Bihar State Women and Child Development Corporation and Kundan Kumar, Resident Commissioner, Bihar Bhawan, New Delhi with additional charge of Investment Commissioner, Mumbai, CEO, Bihar Foundation, MD, Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA), was assigned an additional charge of MD, Infrastructure Development Authority.

Debal Roy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), W Bengal, has been appointed as Principal Secretary, Forest Department and PCCF and HoFF. He is an IFoS officer.

Amit Radheshyam Tiwari has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Clio Infotech Limited.

Ankit Kumar Yadav has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Clio Infotech Limited.

Pradeep Ramjivan Goyal has been appointed as an Independent Director of Welterman International Limited.

Shankar Lal Agarwal has been nominated as Director on the Board of Punjab & Sind Bank.

Chakraworty Bansal has been appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of DB International Stock Brokers Limited.

Vinod Kumar Goyal has resigned from the position of Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Rudra Ecovation Limited with effect from April 30, 2025.

Dharmendra Bhaliya has resigned from the position of Independent Director of Wardwizard Healthcare Limited.

Ms. Rashi Saraf has resigned from the position of Independent Director of Teesta Agro Industries Limited.

Umesh Chandra Sahoo has resigned from the position of Executive Director of Teesta Agro Industries Limited.

Ms.Sridevi Putcha has resigned from the position of Additional Independent Director of DSJ keep Learning Limited.

Rakesh Mediratta has resigned from the position of Additional Independent Director of DSJ keep Learning Limited.

Ms. Rinkal has resigned from the position of Non-Executive Independent Director of Starlit Power Systems Limited.

Ms. Komal has resigned from the position of Non-Executive Independent Director of Starlit Power Systems Limited.

Constitution safeguards citizens of all persuasions

The Indian Constitution drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar safeguards the citizens of all religious persuasions and weaves them into the mainstream of the society. But some communal forces are trying to dismantle it in order to derive political mileage and lead the country astray and unrest. If the flow of communal forces was not stemmed timely to retain the secular fabric of the society then there would be a worst-case scenario in this country.

Mukesh Kumar

Justification for a change in the answer key

For the post of AHO Gr B under the Medical Dept of East Coast Railway Bhubaneswar, certain examination was done. The appellant submitted the representation towards Question No. 97, as the first answer key published the right answer was given option C and the revised answer key mentioned the right answer as option A. The appellant requested to provide a copy proof which justifies the answer A is correct and what is the existing practice in East Coast Railway for stores and works matters. The CIC observed that the reply provided by the Respondent is not satisfactory as the Respondent has not provided the documentary proof to the Appellant. The CIC directed the PIO-cum-Additional Chief Medical Director to provide documentary proof to the Appellant within two weeks.

Comments

The PIO is sometimes faced with a dilemma whether providing a “justification” amounts to creating an information and whether the same is covered under the definition of “information” as per section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005. This case law should be read along with Section 4(1)(d) of the RTI Act which reads, ‘provide reasons for its administrative or quasi-judicial decisions to affected persons.’

Citation: Kumar Swet Kamal v. Office of the Principal Chief Medical Director, Rail Sadan, Bhubaneswar, CIC/ECRBH/A/2023/652155; Date of Decision: 06.03.2025

Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com

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