Thursday, February 27, 2014

Secretariat, Raipur

After joining the service in 1971, I entered the state secretariat for the first time on January 1, 2001 as the Principal Secretary in General Administration Department of Chhattisgarh Government. I had the dubious distinction of serving under a senior officer of 1965 batch Mr Arun Kumar as the first chief Secretary of the new state. He was an easy going officer enjoying the perks and privileges of the offices wherever he was posted. I remember him working as the Collector of Raigarh district in the erstwhile Madhya Pradesh government in 1974-75 when I was the Sub Divisional Officer of Jashpurnagar. He was fond of playing cards in the rest house during his tours. It was a shocking event for a person like me who abhorred the idea of wasting time in such a way while in service. In the newly formed state there were very few officers and the staff well-versed in rules and procedure to be followed in the Secretariat. Since it was my first posting in the secretariat I had a tough time with this gentleman who was not willing to work hard and guide the subordinates. Rather he used to be rough with those who didn't toe his line and look after his mundane interests. I was literally shocked at his routine in the secretariat. He used to read magazines like Femina, Stardust etc during office hours. Files used to get piled up on his desk for days and months together without disposal. The only files that were cleared promptly were the ones dealing with the tour programmes sent by the secretaries from time to time. All other important files were untouched and returned to me in G.A.D quietly in person one fine morning after about two-three months without any noting or decisions on them. Sometimes the files meant for the Chief Minister too were returned without action. The slow disposal of files continued till the end of his tenure despite rebuke from the active chief minister Mr.Ajit Jogi. His style of non-performance was duly reflected even in his posting as the Advisor for.Administrative Reforms, a post created to accommodate him after his retirement after much persuasion from many quarters. Not a page of noting on reforms was produced at the end of his tenure of one year or so. But one would be surprised to see his ACRs written by his superiors including some chief ministers in glorious verbiage. I am not surprised why the working of governments in this country has not improved and ensured development in the last six decades after independence. It is also true that a small percentage of officials at the top are laborious and sincere although the output is not up to the mark in quality and quantity. Many a time the postings and promotions of officers have ended up with round and square pegs and holes in a mismatch. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ex-top official takes fight for retirement benefits to tribunal

K.Ashok Vardhan Shetty an I.A.S officer of 1983 batch of Tamil Nadu cadre has sought the intervention of Central Administrative Tribunal (C.A.T) Chennai Branch for directing the state government to release his retirement benefits by accepting the resignation letter. Probably he is aggrieved by the state government’s order transferring him to a lackluster post namely Special Commissioner of Archives and historical Research last May by the new dispensation. It is a part of the game in today’s system. One has to have a big heart and tide over the situation unless he has an alternative avocation readily available for engagement. As usual the government will take revenge or try to teach the person a lesson by starting an enquiry to gain time and harass the individual as much as possible. In this case the officer served three months notice on September 8, 2011 for voluntary retirement under Rule 16(2) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules 1958 but the VRS was rejected and a vigilance enquiry ordered just seven days before the expiry of the notice period i.e December 9, 2011. The immediate provocation may be that the person was close to a politician in the previous regime and tried to implement the schemes of the government in all serious ways. When a person wants to retire peacefully one should be allowed to do so by setting a good precedent unless a strong and compelling reason like embezzlement of funds exists or is caught red-handed in office. The act of Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption is at times not above board like in the case of CBI at the Centre. Anyone can be taken to task for anything he has done in the career. Motive behind such vindictive actions should be flawless and purely on merits. Otherwise civil services would be totally ruined and society would stand to lose an impartial and efficient administration. I am doubtful whether this officer would get justice in the hands of C.A.T. After all it is headed by our brethren having less and less courage to question the wrong doings of the system or the set-up. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Undue Delay resulting in commuting death penalty to life sentence

Once the Apex court clears the death penalty after the duly conducted review, there is no question of second review at the executive level except in rarest of rare cases where extreme cases of passionate grounds exist. Commutation should not be ordered on political or extraneous grounds. It is also very strange and pathetic that the apex court is once again forced to go through the records and adjudicate. It is not a good development under any circumstances. Discrimination in such cases would certainly set bad precedents and the citizens forced to lose faith in the Constitution and the laws made under it. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Breakdown of Police Intelligence

How much alert or sensitive is our police to the events happening around is evident from the reaction of police to the 268 houses and scores of vehicles of Dalits being torched in three colonies by a mob of some 1800 people on November 7, 2012 near Dharmapuri. An inter-caste marriage between a dalit boy and a non-dalit girl resulting in the suicide of the girl’s father is reported to be the cause of a holocaust delivered on these hapless citizens of the State of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu police, otherwise known for its efficiency, failed to gauge the seriousness of the situation and take preventive steps needed for the occasion. What happened to the trained manpower, latest gadgets & top class vehicles kept at the disposal of the police force in the state? A sincere and serious enquiry needs to be taken up immediately so that such things don’t occur so easily and people don’t have to move PILs in the High Court for suspension of District Collector and S.P on the ground that it was an organized crime against the dalits, as claimed by the Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Who is to compensate the loss of properties owned and enjoyed by the dalits? -- certainly not the State but by the perpetrators of violence so that non-dalts think twice before indulging in such criminal activities and atrocities on dalits. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Tamil Nadu's growth

Tamil Nadu's GDP has been dropping for the past few years. It's growth rate rose from 10.8 per cent in 2009-10 to 13.12 in 2010-11. Since then it has been downhill -- 7.42 per cent in 2011-12 and now the drop to 4.14, below the national average in 2012-13. This is also the lowest rate the state recorded since 2005-06. agriculture slowed with a negative growth rate of 12 p.c and manufacturing fell to - (minus)1.3 p.c. What a progress despite the hard work put in by the present chief minister in the last three years? Look at other states vis a vis this state! Bihar. -20.8 per cent in 2011-12. 24.9 p.c in 2012-13 Maharashtra - 7.1 p.c. 7.1 p.c Punjab. - 5.9 p.c 5.2 p.c A.P. - 7.8 p.c. 5.0 p.c Power problem has affected the manufacturing and services sectors which are the backbones of the state. +++++++++++++++++++++

Prayer

Show me the right path ever, Let me remain positive ever, Let me lead disease-free life, Sustain five senses till death. The above is my daily prayer before The Lord of Universe. +++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Education loans for higher education

One should appreciate the efforts of Mr.P.Chidambaram, the Union Finance Minister at least on one score without any prejudice or criticism and that is the education loan to those students who wanted to pursue higher education in this country. The banks heeded to his advice and extended support to some 25 lakh students by sanctioning loans totalling Rs. 54000 crore so far. We are grateful to him on behalf of poor and less-privileged students in our society. +++++++++++++++++++++++x