FIR, FIR game is on in Karnataka

In Karnataka, FIR, FIR game is in full swing. After the High Court's order,  the state Lokayukta filed an FIR against the CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA case. To teach a lesson to the opposition, the Congress government filed an FIR against union minister HD Kumaraswamy  in an alleged corruption case, which is related to the 2020 Covid period. Recently, another FIR was lodged against his family members of union minister Pralhad Joshi for allegedly soliciting money in exchange for a BJP ticket. Congress demanded resignations from Kumaraswamy and Joshi.

Congress likely to fight Maha polls around 100 seats 

In Maharashtra, Congress is likely to fight Assembly election on 100 seats. Uddhhav Thackeray party may get around 75 and Sharad Pawar led NCP may be settled around 55-60 seats.

About four or five  1991 and 1992 batch IPS officers are likely to be empanelled to the rank of DG in the Government of India during the review soon.

As per indications, the govt may appoint the new DGCA  after the Deepawali. Sources said that a panel  of 3-5 officers is being prepared.

Chief General Manager (CGM) posts have been created in five more nationalized banks: Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank and UCO Bank.  Prior to this, CGM posts were available in six out of eleven nationalized banks.

The longest serving term of Deependra Singh as Chairman-cum-Managing Director, IREL (India) Limited, is coming to an end in November. Singh, who joined IREL in December 2015, is ending his tenure in November, 2024.

Rajiv Kumar, Director (Finance), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, appears to be eligible claimant for the post of Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.

Satendra Vikram Singh, Chief Commissioner, Delhi Customs (Prev), Zone, has been appointed as Member (Technical) in Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).

The central deputation tenure of Ms Rohini R Bhajibhakare working as Joint Secretary, Department of Rural Development, has been extended for a period of two years beyond November 27, 2024. She is a 2008 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.

Former 1988 IAS officer Rajesh Khullar has been appointed Chief Principal Secretary to the Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini. His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the CM.

As many as 11 IAS officers have been given new assignments in Chhattisgarh. Accordingly, Janmejay Mahobe has been assigned an additional charge of Director, Women & Child Development, while Jagdish Sonkar was made Joint Secretary, Secretariat and S Jaivardhan is now Collector, Surajpur. Similarly, Vijay Dayaram K has been assigned an additional charge of MD, National Rural Health Mission; Ravi Mittal gets additional charge of CEO, Samwad & Project Director, Chirag Project; Mrs Tulila Prajapati as Collector, Mohala-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki; Rohit Vyas as Collector, Jashpur; Ms Pratishta Mamgai as CEO, Zila Panchayat, Bastar; Kumar Bishwaranjan as Deputy Secretary, Secretariat and Jayant Nahta was made CEO, Zila Panchayat, Dantewada.

Mayank Shrivastava, Commissioner, Public Relations, has been repatriated to his parent cadre: Home in Chhattisgarh. He is a 2006 batch IPS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre.

Dr Ravi Mittal has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Chhattisgarh Public Relations. He is 2016 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre.

Four IAS officers have been given new postings in Bihar. Chaitanya Prasad has been appointed as Chief Inquiry Commissioner, GAD, while ACS Pratyay Amrit will be posted as Development Commissioner, Bihar and will be relieved of the additional charge of ACS, Road Construction. Similarly, Mihir Kumar Singh has been posted as ACS, Road Construction and Narmadeshwar Lal was appointed as PS-cum-Mining Commissioner, Mining & Geology Department and assigned additional charge of MD, State Mining Corporation and MD, State Mineral Corporation.

Seven senior IPS officers have been given new assignments in MP. Umesh Joga has been appointed as ADG, Ujjain Zone, while Rakesh Gupta is now OSD, Chief Minister and Santosh Singh joins as Commissioner Police, Indore. Similarly, Aditya Singh has been posted as AIG, PHQ Bhopal; Jagdish Dabar as SP, Barwani; Sampat Upadhyay as SP, Jabalpur and Punit Gehlot takes over as SP, Dewas.

Railway Board has decided that from the year 2025 onwards, officers will be recruited to 8 sub-cadres of Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) both through the Civil Service Exam (CSE) as well as Engineering Service Exam (ESE) as per the amendments in the recruitment rules of IRMS. So far as the three batches of officers recruited/being recruited to the IRMS through the CSE-2022, 23 and 24 is concerned, theses probationers will be given a choice to opt for either of the three sub-cadres of IRMS i.e. IRMS (Traffic), IRMS (Personnel) or IRMS (Accounts).

Union minister for civil aviation K Rammohan Naidu is also in the list of ministers who are yet to get a PS.

Nitin Agrawal, who reported in the cadre on repatriation from central deputation, has been appointed as Road Safety Commissioner in the DGP level, an ex-cadre post created in this grade. He is a 1989 batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre.

The DoT has transferred six SAG level P&TAFS officers. Accordingly, Asha Rani Rungta has been posted as GM( Finance) BD & Parcel, DoP HQ, Delhi, Kalpana Singh, DDG, (F&PAA) DoP HQ, Sanjiwan Sinha, Jt Administrator,  DBN, Dr Kamal Kapoor, DDG, NCA, Finance, Preeti Mehto, DDG( E&T), DoT HQ and Raj Karan Verma, CCA, J&K.

Abhinave Gupta will join the GST Council Secretariat as Joint Secretary on deputation basis for a period of five years. He is a 2004 batch IRS(C&IT) officer.

Amit Patel has been posted at West Central Railway (WCR) on returning from deputation to Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai has reconstituted the Internal Complaint Committee under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redresssal) Act 2013. According to it, Dr Jaya Mukherjee, Outstanding Scientist, is the Chairperson while the members are Dr Shewli Kumar, Dr J M Rajurkar, G Naveen Kumar, Ms Meena Anil, and Ms Shobha Prasad and Ms Nirmala Sankhla is the Member Secretary.

M Sankaranarayanan has been appointed to the post of Assistant Director (Vigilance) in the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Chennai on deputation basis for a period of three years. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Chief Vigilance Inspector, Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

Vijay Prakash Saraf, who is presently posted in Eastern Railway (ER), has been transferred to South Eastern Railway (SER) and posted as Chief Electrical Engineer (Project). He is an Indian Railways Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Ram Ashish Choudhary, who is presently posted in South Eastern Railway (SER), has been transferred to Eastern Railway (ER) and appointed as Chief Electrical Engineer (EEM). He is an Indian Railways Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Om Prakash has been appointed as Assistant Director (Vigilance) in Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Delhi.

Two officers of the Indian Postal Service (IPoS): Ms Radhika Chakravarthy of 1996 batch and Ms Swati Madhukar Pandey of 1997 batch, who are presently on deputation, have been granted proforma promotion to the Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) of IPoS.

Railtel Corporation of India Limited (RCIL) has advertised for the posts of Manager, Deputy Manager, Assistant Manager (Tech) for Chennai Territory (Southern Region) on deputation basis.

Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitaraman has approved the creation of Chief General Manager post (CGM), below board level, in five more nationalised banks. These banks are: Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank and UCO Bank. Prior to this, CGM posts were available in six out of eleven nationalised banks. Finance Minister has also approved the increase in the existing number of CGMs in the banks that already have CGM level posts. This step will significantly enhance the administrative structure and efficiency of banks.

National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, (NIFTEM) Kundli, Sonepat has advertised for two Assistant Professors for Interdisciplinary Sciences Department (IDS), Food Science and Technology Department and Food Business Management and Entrepreneurship Development Department (FBM&ED). Applications must reach on or before November 10, 2024.

A total of 237 candidates have qualified the Combined Defence Services Examination (I) 2024. The examination was held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in April 2024.

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has invited applications for the posts of Lead Consultant Engineer, and Associate Consultant Engineer. Applications must reach on or before November 11, 2024.

The Ministry of Coal organised the Star Rating Award Ceremony on October 21, 2024 at SCOPE Convention Centre, SCOPE Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi with  Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy as the Chief Guest and Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey as the special guest. In the event, 4 mines of SECL were given Star Rating Awards for outstanding performance on various parameters related to coal production. In the event, SECL's Haldibari UG Mine (SECL Hasdeo Area) was awarded the first prize, Bhatgaon Colliery (SECL Bhatgaon Area) was awarded the second prize and Khairaha UG Mine (SECL Sohagpur Area) was awarded the Achiever Award in the underground category, while SECL's Gevra Mine was awarded the Achiever Award in the opencast category. On this occasion, in the august presence of Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt, Additional Secretary Smt. Vismita Tej, Additional Secretary Smt. Rupinder Brar and Coal India Chairman PM Prasad, SECL CMD Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra, Director Technical (Project & Planning) N Franklin Jaikumar, and Area General Managers received the awards. The Ministry of Coal has launched Star rating of coal mines to promote green, safe and sustainable mining practices with the help of technology. Coal Controller's Organisation, Ministry of Coal gives star ratings to coal and lignite mines across the country based on the performance of mines in complying with different rules & regulations relating to mining operations as well as in areas relating to safety, environment, rehabilitation of project affected families, welfare of workers etc.

Union Cabinet will now meet on Thursday. The day has been changed  due to PM's visit to Kazan

SEBI Chief Madhabi Buch will depose before the PAC tommorow.

Barenya Senapati has been appointed as the Director (Finance) at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) today. He is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and has 31 years of post-qualification experience in the field of Finance.

The operational Mines of NLCIL have been accorded the prestigious 5 Star and 4 Star ratings by the Ministry of Coal at the National level.  The awards were presented by the Union Minister of Coal & Mines, G Kishan Reddy and the  Union Minister of State for Coal & Mines, Satish Chandra Dubey, at the Scope Convention Centre, Scope Complex, New Delhi, on 21.10.2024. The awards were received by Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD, NLC India Limited and Dr. Suresh Chandra Suman, Director (Mines) & Director (P&P) AC along with the heads of the respective mines. The Star Rating Policy of the Ministry of Coal is a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing the performance and sustainability of coal and lignite sector entities. By establishing a comprehensive framework for evaluating and rating Mines based on various parameters, the policy promotes transparency, accountability and competition among Coal/Lignite producers, while championing best practices in environmental management, safety and operational efficiency. To recognize outstanding performance and foster competitiveness, the Ministry conducts star ratings for all operational mines. This assessment includes operational efficiency as well as crucial environmental and sustainability metrics. Mine owners self-report their performance through a dedicated portal called Star Rating Portal, with validation from the Coal Controller Organization (CCO). For the Financial Year 2022-23, the ratings were conducted between June 2023 and February 2024, with results announced in April 2024. Out of a total of 380 mines which participated, 43 achieved Five-Star Rating. Remarkably, 80% of the operational Mines of NLC India Limited, specifically Barsingsar Lignite Mine, Lignite Mine IA, Lignite Mine I, and Talabira II & III OCP received this prestigious accolade. The Lignite Mine-II received the 4 Star rating. It is also worth mentioning that Barsingsar Lignite Mine secured the second position nationally, while Lignite Mine IA ranked seventh, highlighting their commitment to excellence in the industry. The 5 Star and 4 Star ratings achieved by NLCIL Mines at the National level are a testimony to the commitment of NLCIL to operating efficiency and sustainability initiatives.

Nivedita Prakash Mehta, Prafulla Surendra kumar Khubalkar, Ashwin Damodar Bhobe, Rohit Wasudeo Joshi and Advait Mahendra Sethna have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court, for a period of two years.

Inter cadre transfer of Ms Kaanchi Singhal from Tamil Nadu to Haryana has been approved on the grounds of her marriage with IPS Harshit Goel. She is a 2022 batch IPS officer.

Inter cadre transfer of Ms Bhaware Diksha Arun from Bihar to Uttar Pradesh has been sanctioned on the grounds of her marriage with IPS Bhosale Vinayak Gopal. She is a 2021 batch IPS officer.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, was presented a cheque of ₹397.88 crore by Sanjay Kulshrestha, CMD HUDCO, towards final dividend payout to Government of India, for FY 2023-24, in the presence of Katikithala Srinivas, Secretary, MoHUA, Kuldip Narayan, JS(HFA), Dinesh Kapila (EA), and HUDCO Directors M Nagaraj (Corporate Planning)and Daljeet Singh Khatri(Finance). HUDCO paid the highest ever total dividend of ₹830.79 crore (41.50% on Equity) to shareholders for FY 2023-24, as against ₹770.73 crore for the FY 2022-23, which is an increase of 7.80% compared to last year. The dividend paid this yearis ₹4.15per share. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with a 54.27% shareholding received a total dividend of ₹450.87 crore, while the Ministry of Rural Development with a shareholding of 20.73% received a total dividend of ₹172.22 crore for the year 2023-24. Retail investors with a shareholding of 25% were paid ₹207.70 crore in dividend.

Two IPS officers have been shifted in Tamil Nadu. Mrs Anisa Hussain has been posted as IG, Special Investigation Division, CB, CID, Chennai, while S Sarvesh Pal joins as SP, State Police Master Control Room, Chennai.

Parth Seth has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Orbit Exports Limited.

Birendranath Bandyopadhyay has been appointed as Additional Director, designated as Executive Director, of Orbit Exports Limited.

Parvez Mulla has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fedbank Financial Services Limited, effective November 11, 2024.

Mrs. Rupal Vora has been appointed as Chairperson of the Board of Saraswati Commercial (India) Limited.

Rakesh Jha has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors of ICICI Securities Limited. He succeeds Vinod Kumar Dhall, who has ceased to be Chairman and Independent Director of the company upon completion of his tenure.

Naveen Srivastava, Director (Operations) of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), has been entrusted with the additional charge of the post of Director (Projects).

Ms. Seema Modi has been re-appointed as Independent Director of Huhtamaki India Limited, effective January 1, 2025.

Ashok Kumar Barat has been re-appointed as Independent Director of Huhtamaki India Limited, effective from January 1, 2025.

Vijay Srivastava has been appointed as Chief of Operations and Whole-Time Director of Jubilant Ingrevia Limited, effective from November 1, 2024.

Chandan Singh Sengar has resigned from the position of Co-CEO and Whole-Time Director of Jubilant Ingrevia Limited.

Prasanna Balachander has resigned from the position of Non-Executive Non-Independent Director of ICICI Securities Limited.

Ms. Pallavi Jayshankar Mehta has resigned from her position as Independent Non-Executive Director of Panther Industrial Products Limited, effective December 17, 2020.

Mrs. Sujatha Mehta has resigned from her position as Non-Executive Director of Swashthik Plascon Limited.

IAS Savin Bansal driving advancement and development in Dehradun

Good measures are in his mind, may God bless him & strengthen him to translate these in results. These measures, on successful implementation, will ease the living of doonites.

Ravi

Payment of fee for application to be considered as valid

The PIO submitted before the CIC that the instant RTI Application was filed without payment of the requisite fee and therefore, the same was treated as incomplete. On being asked by the CIC to provide any proof regarding the fee paid by him towards the instant RTI Application, the Complainant failed to furnish any proof for the same. The CIC observed that the Complainant has lodged the instant RTI Application without payment of the requisite fee and the same has also been informed to the Complainant by the PIO. Hence, the CIC held that the present petition is not maintainable being infructuous.

Comments

An applicant must adhere to the essentials of the RTI Act and not only pay the required application fee, but also retain the proof of payment of fee.

Citation: Bhushan Kumar v. Office of the Commissioner of Customs (Export), New Custom House, Mumbai, CIC/CCUM1/C/2023/645312; Date of Decision: 06.09.2024

Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Visakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books, RTI Right to Information - Law and Practice and PIO’s Guide to RTI. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and Third party audit. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link www.rtifoundationofindia.com