Karnataka BJP feud intensifies, rival factions consolidating positions
The election for the State Chief’s post of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka is likely to be held soon but before the election, internal tussle has reached its peak. When the present State President B Y Vijayendra is meeting his supporters on February 12 to prepare a strategy, the rival faction, seeking his ouster, is camping in New Delhi and meeting senior party leaders to advocate their position. This camp has reportedly suggested the name of former Minister B Sriramulu as next Karnataka BJP President. Vijayendra is the son of former CM BS Yediyurappa. Efforts are on in both camps to consolidate support for their respective candidates.
WB Assembly polls next year: Why is RSS Chief’s 10-day visit to state is significant?
After Delhi, all attention is on the Assembly elections to be held by the end of this year in Bihar and then, next year in West Bengal. Similar to the last WB Assembly election held in 2019, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) can once again play a crucial role in wooing voters and pushing them towards BJP. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived in Kolkata for a 10-day visit. It is the longest duration he has ever spent in the state at a stretch. In Kolkata, the RSS Chief will meet people from the Sangh as well as its affiliated organisations. According to a senior Pracharak, Bhagwat’s stay is significant as Bengal needs many changes. Bhagwat will visit several districts, including Burdwan, where he is expected to hold his only public rally on February 16.
IPS Gaurav Toora is a 2014 batch officer of Punjab cadre and is currently posted as Senior Superintendent of Police in Kapurthala, Punjab. Committed to shaping a positive future for the district’s youth,his mission is to guide them in the right direction and keep youth away from negative influences.
“We want to motivate the youth towards sports and education,” he emphasized.
To make this vision a reality,collaborative projects are being implemented with various departments and NGO’s.Additionally multiple awareness campaigns- focusing on drug prevention and public engagement are being organised regularly.“I am personally going to these campaigns, speaking with people and interacting with them directly” Toora shares.
Recognising the importance of early intervention , school and college outreach programs have also been launched under his leadership "We visit educational institutions, communicate with students, and try to motivate them to make better choices." he adds.
Through these initiative, IPS Gaurav Toora aims to inspire Kapurthala youngsters, ensuring they have the right direction and opportunities to thrive.
In all probability Gyanesh Kumar will be the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).1988 batch Kerala cadre IAS officer Gyanesh Kumar is presently Election Commissioner.
After the retirement of Justice Hrishikesh Roy, now Justice Vikram Nath is the Member of the Supreme Court Collegium.
Inter cadre transfer of Ms Nisha from Bihar cadre to Uttar Pradesh has been approved on grounds of marriage to IFoS officer Himanshu Babal. She is a 2021 batch IAS officer.
Gurjinder Pal Singh has been promoted to Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in Chhattisgarh cadre. He is a 1994 batch IPS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre.
Ms Sawni Dikshit has been appointed as Joint Director, SFIO, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, New Delhi on deputation basis.
Rajendra Kumar Kumhar has been appointed as Director in the Ministry of Earth Sciences. He is a 2011 batch IOFS officer.
Pazhaniyandi Velayudhan Pillai has been appointed as Director in the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (EF&CC). He is a 2009 batch IRS-C&IT officer.
The post of Rahul Yadav has been upgraded as Director in the Department of Science & Technology. He is a 2011 batch IOFS officer.
Vijoy Kumar Singh, Chief Commercial Manager/Passenger Marketing (CCM/PM), Central Railway, has been appointed as Director (International Marketing & Operations), Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) for a period up to December 31, 2029. His resignation from Railway service has been accepted effective from the date of his assumption of charge. He is an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer.
Sanjay Chilwarwar, Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer (Project-1), South East Central Railway (SECR), has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), for a tenure up to his superannuation on August 31, 2029. He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) officer.
Three DG level IPS officers are scheduled to retire in Uttar Pradesh in May this year. They are: Prashant Kumar, DGP, P V Ramasastry, DG, Prison and Dr Sanjay M Tarade, DG Telecom.
The first Vande Bharat train in Kashmir valley is set to run this month. According to information , PM Modi may flag Off the train. The inaugural date is yet to be announced.
Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has invited applications for the engagement of Consultants on deputation basis. Details can be availed from the Ministry’s website.
Interviews for Faculty members at Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), New Delhi will be held on February 22, 2025. The post was advertised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Raghavendra Pal Singh has been relieved of duties from the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance to join as Director in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). He is a 2008 batch IRS-C&IT officer.
Amreeta Titus has been redesignated as Director (TRU-I) in the Revenue Department. She is a 2011 batch IRS-C&IT officer. She will serve the post till July 3, 2007.
Man Singh Meena has been transferred to Western Railways and posted in the cadre. He is an IRSME Northern Railway officer.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has invited applications from IRSSE and S&T department officers for the post of General Manager (S&T), Secunderabad on deputation basis.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has invited applications from IRSEE and Electrical Engineering Department officers for the post of General Manager (Electrical), Bhubaneswar on deputation basis.
The Ministry of Railways is seeking Deputy Commissioner of Railway Safety (Technical) Mech for Commission of Railway Safety (CRS), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA).
As many as 12 candidates have been shortlisted for 2 posts of Investigator Grade-I in the Labour Bureau, Chandigarh, Ministry of Labour & Employment. Interview dates will be announced shortly.
Manoj Kumar Pandey, formerly Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer (Sr.DEE) (General), Moradabad Division, Northern Railway (NR), has been given an extension in his tenure of deputation with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) as General Manager (Electrical) up to February 27, 2026. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.
Kuntal Ghosh, formerly Deputy Chief Electrical Engineer (DY.CEE), Traction Distribution (TRD), Headquarters, South East Central Railway (SECR), has been given an extension in his tenure of deputation with IRCON International Limited as General Manager (Electrical) at IRCON's RE Alipurduar Project up to November 30, 2025. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.
Baldev Ram, Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Operations), Ajmer, North Western Railway (NWR), has been selected for deputation to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) as Chief Project Manager (Civil) at Ahmedabad for a period of five years. He is an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.
Shailendra Kumar Rawat, who is presently Executive Director (ED), Quality Assurance (QA), (Mechanical), Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), New Delhi, has been transferred and posted as Chief Workshop Engineer (CWE), Northern Railway (NR). He is an Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer.
Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla has once again been honoured with the 'Best Port of the Year' (Non-Containerized) award at the 12th Edition of Gujarat Star Awards. B Ratna Sekhar Rao, Traffic Manager, received the award at the prestigious event organized by Daily Shipping Times in Gandhidham.
REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited (RECPDCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of REC Limited, the Maharatna CPSU under the aegis of Ministry of Power, handed over project specific SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) of ISTS Transmission Project under TBCB route viz, Lakadia B Power Transmission Limited to Reliance Industries Limited on February 14, 2025 at Gurugram. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) emerged as the Transmission Service Provider (TSP) through Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) process conducted by RECPDCL, the Bid Process Coordinator, for development of the transmission project on Build, Own, Operate & Transfer (BOOT) basis. The SPV was handed over by TSC Bosh, CEO, RECPDCL to N Vaidyanathan, Sr. Vice President, Reliance Industries Limited in the presence of Senior Officials of RECPDCL, Reliance Industries Limited and Central Transmission Utility of India Limited. The implementation period of the project is 24 months. The scheme covers augmentation of transformation capacity at Lakadia Pooling Station in Gujarat State for evacuation of Power from RE Power Generators. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs. 512.58 Crore.
Mrs Sima Sarkar and Subrata Biswas have been appointed as Senior Special Secretary, Agriculture Department in W Bengal. Both are 2012 batch IAS officer of W Bengal cadre.
South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary of Coal India under Ministry of Coal, Govt. of India, has approved ₹170 Crores for various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects in FY 24-25. These initiatives will significantly boost health, education and skill development infrastructure in the coalfields regions. This allocation surpasses SECL’s statutory CSR budget of ₹99.76 crores for FY 24-25, demonstrating the company’s dedication to community development. These projects will be implemented over the next 2-3 years as per respective agreements. These projects reflect SECL’s commitment to holistic community development. A key initiative includes a ₹48.19 crore MoU with the National Institute of Technology, Raipur, for the construction of a 500-beded ‘SECL girls' hostel’, fully funded by SECL. The foundation stone has been laid by Vice- President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar on January 21, 2025 at Raipur, CG. This will provide a safe and comfortable living environment for female students, promoting higher education among women. Recognizing the critical need for cardiac care, SECL has launched the second phase of its flagship project, “SECL ki Dhadkan” (an extension of Coal India ka Nanha Sa Dil). On February 14, 2025, South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) and Sri Sathya Sai Sanjivani Hospital, Raipur, organized the ‘Gift of Life’ ceremony on World Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) Awareness Day and Coal India Limited's (CIL) Golden Jubilee celebrations. The event, chaired by Biranchi Das, Director (Personnel) of SECL, highlighted SECL's CSR initiative, 'SECL Ki Dhadkan,' which has successfully performed 60 surgeries for children with CHD. With an initial assessment revealing 57 CHD cases in Balrampur, CG, SECL approved ₹4.71 Crore to treat next 300 children across Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. He highlighted that SECL’s aim is to treat every child with Congenital Heart Defects in the state of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. 13 children have already been treated under the 2nd phase of the project. The program ensures that financial barriers do not prevent children from receiving life-saving treatment. The initiative aims to expand to other regions with high CHD cases, making a significant impact on child healthcare in coalfield areas.
The Mining Engineers’ Association of India (MEAI), Hyderabad Chapter successfully hosted the first day of a two-day National Conference on the theme “Mining the Marvels: Way Forward Towards Atmanirbhar Viksit Bharat 2047.” The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers and experts to deliberate on the future of the mining sector and its role in India’s journey towards self-reliance. The inaugural session was graced by Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman-Cum-Managing Director (Additional Charge), NMDC Ltd., as the Chief Guest. Other distinguished guests included DB Sundara Ramam, Vice President – I, MEAI & Vice President, Tata Steel; Dr. NK Nanda, Former CMD (Additional Charge) & Director (Technical), NMDC Ltd.; B Veera Reddy, Former Director (Technical), CIL & Former CMD, CCL; G Dhananjaya Reddy, Vice President II, MEAI and Joydeep Dasgupta, Director (Production), NMDC Ltd. The event was presided over by Shri Vinay Kumar, Director (Technical), NMDC Ltd. and Chairman, MEAI Hyderabad Chapter. Delivering the keynote address on the theme of the seminar, Amitava Mukherjee, CMD (Addl. Charge), NMDC, said, “The role of mining in national development is crucial. He spoke about how the mining industry can bring social and economic impact in the communities. He emphasized the challenges of attracting young talent due to the remote nature of mining operations and urged MEAI to encourage students and professionals to consider careers in mining. Amitava Mukherjee also highlighted NMDC’s commitment to Responsible Mining and spreading smiles through its community initiatives, setting industry standards as a leader in sustainable mining practices. He also resonated that it would be imperative to have a long term perspective to gain significant goals in the mining industry as it takes more than a decade, globally, to set up and generate thought-provoking revenues. Mukherjee addressed policy challenges including India’s 100th ranking on the Fraser Index and the need for smoother policies to attract foreign direct investment. He stressed the importance of supporting local mining corporations to lower administrative costs and enhance resource utilization. Concluding his speech, he praised GoI's ongoing efforts to improve exploration in critical minerals and technological advancements in mining, emphasizing the need for sustainability and innovation in the industry.”
THDC India Limited achieved another milestone as its Corporate Bonds Series XII of Rs. 700 Crore which was oversubscribed by almost 8 times, highlighting its Financial success. R K Vishnoi, Chairman and Managing Director, THDCIL, expressed his appreciation to the investors for their ecstatic response to the Bonds issuance. He added that this is a testament to the confidence of investors in THDCIL’s financial prudence and its stellar operational performance over the years. He also highlighted that the market confidence has been further enhanced due to the monumental achievement of the announcement of the Commercial Operation Date of the Unit#1 of 1320 MW Khurja Super Thermal Power Plant on 25 January 2025. Sipan Kumar Garg, Director (Finance) and CFO, THDCIL while noting the tremendous reaction from the market informed that the issue comprises of unsecured, redeemable, non-convertible, noncumulative, taxable Bonds in the nature of debentures, with a base size of Rs 200 Crore and a green shoe option of Rs 500 Crore, i.e. total issue size of Rs 700 Crore, with a tenor of 10 years. He also informed that this series of debentures have been issued to partly meet debt requirements of ongoing and under-construction projects, including recoupment of expenditure already incurred and to refinance the existing lans. The Company is currently rated as “AA outlook Positive” from India Ratings and “AA outlook Stable” from CARE, emphasizing the company’s financial stability and strong credit profile. The bidding for the Series XII Bonds issue took place on February 14, 2025 at THDCIL’s Corporate Office in Rishikesh in the presence of A K Garg, GM, Himangshu Chakraborty AGM(Finance-Budget), Ms. Rashmi Sharma, Company Secretary, THDCIL and Ms. Hemlata Agarwal, BSE Head Northern Region, Fixed Income. The competitive coupon rate of 7.73% p.a. was discovered through bidding on BSE–Electronic Bidding Platform. The issue was oversubscribed by 8 times with competitive interest rate, which further reinforces the trust placed in THDCIL Corporate Bonds. As of present, THDCIL has issued a total of 12 series of Bonds and has successfully raised funds amounting to Rs. 9842 Crore from the corporate debt market. All of the Bonds issued by THDCIL have generated significant market interest, reflecting sustained market confidence in the company.
Pawan Kumar Agarwal has been re-appointed as Managing Director of Frontline Corporation Limited, effective January 20, 2025.
Gaurav Doshi has been re-appointed as Managing Director of Neogem India Limited, effective April 1, 2025.
Ronak Doshi has been re-appointed as Whole-Time Director of Neogem India Limited, effective April 1, 2025
Dr. T. Natarajan, IAS, has been appointed as Managing Director and Key Managerial Personnel of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited.
Pankaj Joshi, IAS, has been appointed as Director and Chairman of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited.
Ms. Rhea Shailesh Gandhi has been appointed as Additional Executive Director of Vadilal Dairy International Limited.
Ms. Neha Kargeti has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) of Golden Legand Leasing & Finance Limited.
Nayan Mirani has been appointed as Non-Executive and Non-Independent Director of Raja Bahadur International Limited.
Ms. Aishwarya Singhvi has been appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) of Rubfila International Limited.
Srikanta Barik has been appointed as Non-Executive Director of Shree Tirupati Balajee Agro Trading Company Limited.
Ms. Geeta Haresh Solanki has been re-appointed as Independent Director of Arman Financial Services Limited.
AAP loses Delhi due to negative politics
The AAP has lost Delhi. This is due to the negative politics of AAP and the corruption indulged in by the AAP. The middle class has abandoned AAP due to these reasons. The BJP's positive politics has trumped AAP. Now, Delhi will see positive development and a corruption free administration for the first time in 27 years.
Vijay Kumar
NOC from Parivahan website
The RTI applicant had applied online on the Parivahan website (parivahan.gov.in) for issuing an NOC. On not getting a response, he filed an application under the RTI Act requesting to provide two duly stamped hardcopies of the NOC through post. The PIO replied that the NOC is approved today and the applicant can download the NOC from the website. The CIC observed that the appropriate reply has been furnished by the PIO. Noting that the PIO had abstained from the hearing despite being served the notice, the CIC admonished the conduct of the CPIO for remaining absent during the hearing.
Comments
It is a typical case where a citizen has used the power of RTI Act to make a government official perform a specific function beyond seeking information.
Citation :Keshav Khanna v. Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, CIC/STAUT/A/2023/649724; Date of Decision: 14.01.2025
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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