The much awaited appointments of Secretaries in the Government of India are likely to take place after the winter session of Parliament is over. About half a dozen posts of Secretaries are vacant.

All eyes are on the appointment of new Chief Secretary in Andhra Pradesh as the incumbent Neerabh Kumar Prasad is retiring on December 31, 2024.

G Anantha Ramu appears to be a strong contender for the post of Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh. He is a 1990 batch IAS officer of AP cadre.

Subodh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministry of Steel, has been repatriated to his parent cadre on the request of the State Government. Singh, who belongs to the 1997 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, is expected to be installed as Principal Secretary to Chief Minister.

Ms Yogita Rana, Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, has been given premature repatriation to her parent cadre. She is a 2003 batch IAS officer of Telangana cadre.

As many as 17 officers working from Joint Secretary to Deputy Secretary level posts on lateral entry on three years contract in their respective Ministries and Departments have been given extensions.

The tenure of lateral entry posting of Balasubramanian Krishnamurthy working as Joint Secretary, Department of Revenue has been extended up to January 16, 2027 after the completion of his three years initial posting.

The tenure of lateral entry posting of Samuel Praveen Kumar working as Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Coop & FW, has been extended up to December 30, 2026 after the completion of his three years initial posting.

The tenure of lateral entry officer Manish Chadha, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce has been extended up to January 6, 2027 after the completion of his three years initial posting.

A total of 225 IPS officers are in positions in Bihar cadre against a total authorized strength of 242. There is a shortage of 17 IPS officers in the cadre.

Trailukya Borgohain, CGM, OIL has been appointed as Director (Operations) of Oil India Limited.

As many as 12 candidates have been shortlisted to be interviewed for the post of Director (Engineering, Research & Development), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

S M Ramanathan, ED, Bhopal Unit of BHEL, is in the race for the post of Director (Engineering, Research & Development), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). A vacancy of this post is arising on January 1, 2025 with the expiring term of incumbent Jai Prakash Srivastava on December 31, 2024.

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) is holding interviews for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) on December 18, 2024.

M P Barwal, GM, SAIL is in the race for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, HLL Lifecare.

Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary in Government of India, has been selected for the post of Director (Marketing & Corporate Planning), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC). As many as 11 persons were interviewed for the same.

Janab Jubair Ansari, ACIT, Ranchi, has resigned from the Indian Revenue Service of Income Tax (IRS-IT).

Three IAS officers of 1995 batch belonging to Bihar cadre have been promoted to ACS Grade. The officers are: Arvind Kumar Chaudhary, Vijaylaxmi N and Dr B Rajender.

Two IAS officers of 2000 batch belonging to Bihar cadre: Prem Singh Meena and N Sarvana Kumar have been promoted to Higher Administrative Grade.

Vijay Khatwa, formerly Deputy Electrical Engineer (DEE), Traction Distribution (TRD), Mumbai Central Railway Station (BCT), Western Railway (WR), has been granted an extension in his deputation tenure as Deputy General Manager (Train Operation) with National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) until December 5, 2029. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

RL Suresh Nimmana, formerly Deputy Electrical Engineer (DEE), Traction Distribution (TRD), Vijayawada Junction (BZA), South Central Railway (SCR), has been granted an extension in his deputation tenure as Deputy General Manager (Electrical-OHE) with National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) up to tenth year, which is until January 19, 2030. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Rahul Chouhan has been posted at the LP wing of DoT HQ. He is an ITS officer.

Suneet Kumar Tomar, AD, DoT HQ, has been given the additional charge of the OSD to Secretary, Telecom. He is an ITS officer.

Two officers of 2021 batch ITS- Rajat Jain and Praveen Kumar Mishra have been posted to DoT HQ.

The DoT has issued the offer of appointment to newly selected 13 Junior Telecom Officers (JTOs) of ESE-2023. They have been asked to report by December 30, 2024 positively.

Assistant Commissioners Parmar Punabhai M and Chandrasekharan B Nair have taken VRS from IRS(C&IT).

Two IDES officers will superannuate in May next year. G S Rajeshwaram and P. Deniel will retire in the same month.

Alok Kumar Choudhary has been appointed as Member of Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds (ABBFF) by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). He will serve the post till August 2025.

Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL) has invited applications from SAG/SG officers for the post of Chief General Manager (Electrical), Mumbai.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has advertised for the post of Senior Consultant (Legal). Application must be sent via online mode on or before January 5, 2025.

The Ministry of Textiles has invited applications for the post of Consultant (Legal) on contract oasis for PSU Division. Retired persons of the rank of Under Secretary/ Deputy Secretary, Director can apply for the said post.

Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), has invited applications for the post of Consultant- Programme for Prevention & Control of Leptospirosis (PPCL), New Delhi, applications must reach on or before January 7, 2025.

Post of Regional Director, Staff Selection Commission (SSCL), Southern Region (SR) Chennai has been advertised for Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on deputation basis. Applications reach before January 17, 2025.

Two officers have been promoted to the grade of Deputy Director (Purchase and Stores), in the Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai. The officers are: Ms Sarity N Mhatre and Ms Dhenuka D Mokashi, CPU, Mumbai.

As many as 13 candidates have been appointed to the post of Junior Telecom Officer (JTO) Group B in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on the basis of Engineering Services Examination, 2023 results. These officers are: Ashish Pratap Singh, Suchita Malviya, Abhinav Srivastava, Vidhu Shree, Aashok Bhardwaj, Kondekar Sourabh Shailesh, Abhilasha Verma, Aryan Yadav, Ashish Kumar, Balla Geetahnjali, Sachin Yadav, Mahaveer Singh, Shweta Mishra.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has invited SAG level Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officers  for the post of Director (Finance) at 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydropower Project, Bhutan. Applications must reach before December 20, 2024.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHW) has advertised for the post of Deputy Director (Administration) for Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh).

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has advertised for seven posts of Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP).

Three IAS officers have been given new assignments in Odisha. Bishnupada Sethi has been appointed as OSD, GAD & Public Grievance, while Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra will take over as PS, ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare on repatriation from Central Deputation. Besides, Manoj Kumar Sahoo is appointed as Special Secretary to the Chief Minister on joining the State Government on Inter Cadre Deputation.

Sanjiv Kumar Singh, Director (Mining), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), has been selected for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on December 18, 2024. As many as seven persons were interviewed for the same.

(We said this on Dec 14)

Birender Singh Yadav has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kyrgyz Republic. He is a 1997 batch IFS officer.

Arun Kumar Sahu, presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Bulgaria. He is a 1996 batch IFS officer.

Five IPS officers of AGMUT cadre, currently posted in Delhi, have been relieved to join their new assignments at different places. B L Suresh and Dr G Ram Gopal Naik have been relieved to join at Arunachal Pradesh, while Hareesh H P will join at Jammu & Kashmir and Rajneesh Garg was relieved to join in Ladakh. Besides, Manishi Chandra was relieved to join in Mizoram.

Pankaj Kumar, CVO, Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Ranchi, has been assigned an additional charge of CVO, Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Singrauli for a period of six months. He is a 2007 batch IRTS officer.

A distinguished delegation of eight officials from Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC), Bhutan, visited THDC India Limited’s (THDCIL) under-construction 444 MW Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project (VPHEP) in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, to gain insights into the project’s advanced engineering, environmental practices, and operational milestones. DGPC, Bhutan’s leading hydropower generation utility, is committed to leveraging international expertise in hydropower development. The delegation aimed to observe VPHEP’s state-of-the-art construction techniques, including its record-setting Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operations and innovative environmental management approaches. During their visit from December 15–18, 2024, After the presentation given on the different aspects of the project by THDCIL’s executives, the officials toured key project sites, including the underground powerhouse, headrace tunnel, and the dam site near Helong village. The delegation expressed admiration for the progress achieved despite the region’s challenging Himalayan terrain, stating, "This visit has been a great learning opportunity for our team, offering practical insights into the planning, design, and execution of large-scale dam projects. We have heard commendable reports about VPHEP’s progress and achievements from various sources, including officials from the World Bank. By visiting the project site, we have witnessed firsthand the exemplary work being done here, which sets a benchmark for hydropower development." The visit signifies VPHEP’s international recognition as a benchmark project in renewable energy development, fostering regional cooperation and knowledge exchange in hydropower. The delegation included: Ms. Phub Zam, Executive Engineer (Civil), PCD; Tempa Tshering, Executive Engineer (Civil), DGC; Dendup Tharchen, Executive Engineer (Civil), DGC; Pema Wangchuk, Executive Engineer (Civil), DGC; Ms. Ganga Gajmer, Assistant Engineer (Civil), DGC; Ms. Tshering Dema, Geologist, DGC; Ms. Sonam Tshewang Dema, Assistant Engineer (Civil), DGC and Ms. Dorji Dema, Assistant Engineer (Civil), DGC.

The additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), Hyderabad to Atul Jain, Chairman, KRMB, has been extended for a further period of six months.

Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board conducts various activities from time to time with the aim of promoting adventure tourism in the state. In this sequence, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board is organizing Acro World Championship and Aero Show 2024 from 19 to 23 December 2024 with the support of M/s Paragliding Mantra, Pune (Maharashtra) and District Administration with the aim of developing the Tehri Lake area as a hub of Acro Paragliding.   Participants hailing from 10 countries, including India, Turkey, United States of America, Czech Republic, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, France, Iran, Hungary, Albania etc. will grace the festival with their presence in which 30 Foreign Acro Pilots, 102 Indian SIV pilots, 25 Tandem Pilots and 05 BASE Jumpers have registered to participate in this Acro World Championship and Aero Show 2024 to be held in Tehri. Tourism Secretary/CEO, UTDB Sachin Kurve states, the tourism department is committed to promote Uttarakhand as a premier tourist destination, blending natural beauty, adventure, and cultural heritage, expresses its enthusiasm for this event. The Tehri Acro Festival not only promises an exhilarating experience for participants but also serves as a platform to showcase paragliding to the international community, firmly placing Tehri on the global paragliding map. He further stated that last year, the department organised a 5-day International Acro Festival at Tehri Lake, in which about 150 paragliders including 54 paragliders from 26 countries participated. In view of the immense success of the Acro Festival-2023, this year the Acro World Championship and Aero Show 2024 is being organised in Tehri on an even bigger scale. He further stated that in this event, along with the World Acro Competition, National SIV Championship will also be organized for Indian pilots. To make this event more attractive and to increase public participation in it, free tandem paragliding rides will be organized for the visitors and local people during the event, for which interested persons will have to register themselves free of cost at the venue. For the entertainment of the visitors coming to see the event, demonstrations of paragliding aero show and base jumping will also be organized. A total prize money of Rs 14.50 lakh will be given to the winners of the World Acro Championship and national level SIV competition.

The central deputation tenure of Vinay Kumar Prajapati working as Director in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has been curtailed. He is a 2006 batch IRSSE officer.

Rajdipkumar Gupta has been appointed as Managing Director of Route Mobile Limited.

Gautam Badalia has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Route Mobile Limited.

Avanish Ashvinkumar Chauhan has been appointed as an Additional Executive Director of Consecutive Investment & Trading Company Limited.

Hemant Sachdev has been appointed as an Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Singer India Limited.

Arun Gupta has been appointed as Additional Independent Director of Nazara Technologies Limited.

Abhishek Aggarwal has been appointed as Additional Independent Director of Shivkamal Impex Limited.

Nallepilly Ramaswami Parameswaran has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Independent) of Manba Finance Limited.

Ramesh Subramanyam has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Hindustan Construction Company Limited.

Big fan of NSG

My favourite security agency is National Security Guard (NSG) as well as Deepak Kumar Kedia sir, IG, NSG.

Mangesh Sonune

Investigation conducted following a complaint against the appellant

The appellant submitted that he had been serving as Branch Manager in the Vikas Nagar Branch (PNB) of Nainital for 6 years and a complaint was filed against him concerning a dishonored cheque. He further argued that an investigation was conducted in the complaint and despite being the aggrieved party, copy of the report was not shared with him. The PIO of Punjab National Bank submitted that an investigation was conducted in the complaint as per recommendation of higher authorities. However, the report contained details regarding certain commercial operations carried out by the respondent bank, hence, the report was denied to the appellant as per provisions under Section 8 (1) (d) of the RTI Act. The CIC observed that the information concerns the appellant and non-disclosure of the same would not only adversely affect the rights of the appellant being the aggrieved party, but would also amount to violation of principles of natural justice. While the exemption claimed under Section 8 (1) (d) of the RTI Act may be applicable to certain portions of the report, the PIO is at liberty to redact the said portions as per procedure of severability laid down under Section 10 of the RTI Act. The CIC directed the Bank to re-examine the matter and disclose a redacted copy of the averred report after blackening out details exempted under Section 8 and 9 of the RTI Act, if any, reflecting the broad outcome of the report to the appellant.

Comments

Ther have been many cases where an application has been filed under the RTI Act seeking copy of the investigation report. The application may be filed by the complainant, the accused or a third party and usually the public authority tends to deny the information.

Citation: Yogesh Kumar Goyal v. Punjab National Bank, Second Appeal No. CIC/PNBNK/A/2023/128777; Date of Decision: 06.11.2024

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

Dr. Suresh Mehrotra

Editor-in-Chief
mehrotra.suresh@gmail.com
suresh.mehrotra@yahoo.com

Rakesh Srivastava IAS (Retd.)

Group Editor & Country Head

Sapna Mehrotra (Magazine)

Chief Executive Officer 
mehrotra.sapna@gmail.com

Yogesh Joshi

Editor (Magazine)
a.editor.whispers@gmail.com

Sunil Salve

Editor (Digital)
sswhispers18@gmail.com
(Cell) : +91-9893512559

Harsha Bhatnagar

Associate Editor
harshabhatnagar@gmail.com

Luckysh Dubey
Chief Marketing Officer

communicationwhispers@gmail.com
  communications@whispersinthecorridors.com
(Cell) +919826024597

Barkha soni
General Manager (Marketing)
adsalewhispers@gmail.com
(Cell) +91-9171566711

whispersinthecorridors.com

A Unit of Arushi News Network
Corporate Office: E-19, 45 Bungalows T.T Nagar, 
Bhopal (M.P) India.
Phone & Tele Fax: +91-755-4221719

Dear surfers looking to an increased demand for latest news on your favourite website i.e. (https://www.whispersinthecorridors.com) we are nowadays updating it as and when the developments take place. Keep reading & wish you a happy browsing.

Share your information with suresh.mehrotra@yahoo.com & mehrotra.suresh@gmail.com.