The Modi sarkar, it appears, is debating not to form any pay commission for increasing salaries and allowances of Central government employees in future. Apparently, this proposal has been placed before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to take a policy decision in this regard. Those in the know say that the proposal is based on the […]
In his second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware of the high expectations from his government. Passing the buck to the UPA era (or even further back to Nehru) will not cut ice. He will eventually need to show performance and efficiency. Known to rely heavily on the bureaucracy, Mr Modi is likely to […]
The recent circular issued by Tamil Nadu chief secretary K Shanmugam to make babus more responsive has met with a decidedly mixed response. It was certainly not the response he would have expected from the district magistrates and collectors in the state. Sources say that Mr Shanmugam has spelt out a 10-point plan to improve […]
‘Dicky’ was Sheila Dikshit’s husband who passed away too young. This column can now reveal (given that both the wonderful elements of that power couple have passed on) that he was, during his days one of the best sources you could find on the inner workings of the Indian bureaucracy. Belonging to the Uttar Pradesh […]
Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer and whistle-blower Sanjiv Chaturvedi prevails again! His RTI application seeking details of corruption complaints against Union ministers has got a sympathetic hearing at the Central Information Commission (CIC). The 2002-batch IFoS officer had filed an RTI application in 2017 seeking this information, which the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) denied. Against […]
The Centre’s policy to induct talent in the bureaucracy from the private sector has been hailed as a major much-needed administrative reform. But the lateral entry move has been criticized by several Dalit IAS officers as legally untenable as it does not extend the reservation law on such recruitments. Earlier, in April, the government had […]
A notable feature of the Modi government’s first term and which has spilt into the second term is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s firm belief that, in some instances, experienced bureaucrats can do the job better than even seasoned politicians. In the past, under other dispensations too, there are several instances of babus making the transition […]
In 2014, the Modi sarkar had decided that civil servants after serving as personal secretary (PS) and officer on special duty (OSD) to ministers could not be given the same role again. At the time, it was interpreted as a move to ensure that ministers refrained from choosing officers on their own. Now that NDA […]
They say the ship of state is the only ship that leaks at the top! Concerned about its sleuths leaking sensitive information about ongoing investigations to the media, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued an order that virtually gags its officials at its headquarters. ED Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra has reportedly directed his officers to […]
It says something about the high confidence of the Modi sarkar in its returning to power. Sources reveal that the Niti Aayog held interviews to select incumbents for five positions of Adviser (JS level) and Senior Adviser (Additional Secretary level) to look after sectors like Economics, Transport, Energy, Human Resources etc. These posts were advertised […]