'one-rank, one-pension' still a distant dream for Jawans

Govt enhances pensions of retired soldiers, 'one-rank, one-pension' still distant Rajat Pandit, TNN | Sep 24, 2012, 11.05PM IST
NEW DELHI: Faced with huge discontentment among military personnel over their long-standing pay and pension grievances, the government on Monday finally announced an annual Rs 2,300 crore additional pension package for ex-servicemen but stopped short of granting them full one-rank, one-pension (OROP).
The government also maintained silence on the fate of the five main demands of serving officers and jawans, who contend they were given "a raw deal" in the 6th Pay Commission as compared to their civilian counterparts.
Their demands, which were also considered by the high-powered committee led by cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth, ranged from common pay scale for junior commissioned officers/other ranks (JCOs/ORs) and enhancement of grade pay to placing all lieutenant generals in the HAG + (higher administrative grade-plus) scale and grant of non-functional upgradation to armed forces personnel.
But the 23 lakh ex-servicemen, many of whom have been holding regular rallies and returning their medals as a mark of protest for the last four years, have something to cheer about. For one, the Union Cabinet approved the "bridging of the gap" between the pensions of the JCOs/ORs who retired before January 1996 and those who superannuated after that date.
It was also decided to increase the "weightage of qualifying service" for pension by two years in the ranks of sepoys, naiks and havaldars for both pre and post January 1996 retirees.
Moreover, the pension of pre-January 1996 retired officers will also be stepped up "with reference to the minimum of fitment table for the ranks instead of the minimum of pay band" as it exists now. Officials said these steps "are expected to largely meet" the demands of ex-servicemen for OROP, which incidentally has been promised by virtually all political parties over the years.
For another, the government has approved enhancement in family pension, allowed dual family pension (where the pensioner was drawing pension for military service as well as civil employment) and family pension to mentally challenged children of armed forces personnel even after they get married.
"But all this is modified parity and not the OROP we have been demanding," said a retired major general. OROP basically implies that uniform pension be paid to the personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any further enhancement in pension rates be automatically be passed on to past pensioners.
The argument is that unlike civilian government employees, who retire at 60 years of age, military personnel retire by rank at comparatively younger ages. "All jawans retire in their mid-30s, all JCOs in their mid-40s and the bulk of officers in early-50s to keep the armed forces from greying. Only a handful of officers like lieutenant generals serve up to 60 years," said an officer.
"Since the date of retirement also determines the quantum of pension, with each Pay Commission every 10 years, the military veterans who retire early receive lesser pension compared to those who retired later with the same rank and service," he added.
But the defence ministry in the past has contended that full OROP is not financially, legally or administratively feasible. Full OROP implementation would mean an annual outgo of another Rs 1,200-1,300 crore, apart from payment of arrears in the range of Rs 4,000 crore.
Govt enhances pensions of retired soldiers, 'one-rank, one-pension' still distant

IAS Officer wants the military command and control chain to be tinkered constantly by bureaucrats

Ref: Making A Public Issue Of Demands by Ashok Kapur IAS
Ashok Kapur, IAS (Retd): Who was he?
A former bureaucrat, he served as Director, Central Vigilance & Jt Secretary, Govt of India, Chairman, Drafting Committee of UN Disarmament Conference on Biological Weapons, Geneva, among other postings. Following retirement as Principal Secretary, Govt of West Bengal, he did MICA and FICA. Currently he is Secretary General, Institute of Directors (an NGO) and Arbitrator, Member, Board of Governors, International Academy of Law, headed by former CJI, Justice Bhagwati. A post-graduate from Delhi Univ, he joined the IPS and stood first in all-India, 1966 and joined the IAS in 1967. He is an LLB from Delhi Univ and has a Ph.D in Urban Planning from NIUA, Delhi & appointed as Associate Prof (Urban & Environmental Planning).
Ashok Kapur favours corruption as against Lokpal Bill- Under the guise of a basic postulate of the rule of law is that all laws placed on the statute book must conform to the Constitution
Please don’t pass the Lokpal Bill
Comment: Bureaucrats have turned India into a den of thieves- It is now a safe haven for thugs and culprits. Thanks to IAS! Ashok Kapur should, after retirement, confine his expertise in Urban planning in all Metros which is now barely livable.

The article by Mr Ashok Kapur, a former IAS officer- Click Here
It needs a rebuttal. Matter of fact. Unemotional. Contesting the vast number of irrelevant, misinformed points raised by him.
It is fortunate that we now know how the Bureaucratic mind works. Transparent in this spiteful article, the contents reflect the sort of conversation that obviously takes place behind closed doors and minute sheets in MOD and other closely confined decision making bodies.
Few observations I have on this are:

Inadequate research, ie statements unsubstantiated by facts.

A desperate bid to counter the COS appointment being currently talked about,

Mistaking Civil Control as control by Bureaucracy- that, as he says, needs strengthening,

Need for Parity in Pay and Pensions with civilians- he forgets that the parity in pay and even status has been tinkered by civil services even after Pay Commissions gave an award,

He forgets that we don't have representation on Pay commissions and so an 'unscrambling of the omelette' has to take place when there are anomalies introduced surreptitiously even after the finalization of the CPC report.

The bottom line seems the aim to stop COS as a concept, and to introduce methods to strengthen the Civil Services. I am working on and would be responding. Other Veterans may do the same. As they say, One good deed deserves another. Please don't restrict your response to Veteran circles.
With Warm Regards,
Veteran Col RP Chaturvedi

Govt to retire non-performing bureaucrats

Tuesday 04 September, 2012.DD News
In order to maintain a high standard of efficiency in governance, the Centre is reviewing the performance of all-India service officers and has asked the state governments to carry out similar exercises so that non-performing officials could be retired from services.
Assessment of the performance of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers, who have completed at least 15 years of service, has already been started, a Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) official said.
"DoPT has begun review performance of IAS officers and also asked the state governments to do so. The aim behind this exercise is to check on non-performing officers and guard departments against the operation of the 'Peter Principle'... The states are given a maximum of six-month time to carry out this exercise," he said.
The 'Peter Principle', coined by psychologist Laurence J Peter and Raymond Hull in 1969, is a belief that in an organisation where promotion is based on achievement, success, and merit, the employees there will eventually be promoted beyond their level of ability. In common parlance, the principle is also phrased as "employees tend to rise to their level of incompetence".
In January, the Centre had amended Rule 16 (3) of all- India services rule which allowed a performance review only after completion of 30 years of qualifying service.
The new rules gives powers to the government to give retirement to these officers in "public interest" after at least 15 years in the job.
The government can again carry out such review after the officer completes 25 years of service or attains the age of 50 years.
"The Centre may also hold a meeting of state governments after the review to decide on the fate of the non-performing bureaucrats," the official said, adding that the detailed modalities on the exercise will be worked out in coordination with Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Union Public Service Commission.(ST-03/09)
Govt to retire non-performing bureaucrats

Loud Mouth Brajesh Mishra Brags

More Dope on Loud Mouth Brajesh Mishra
by K. Gajendra Singh
An extract from my article
Decrepit Publicity Hog BC Mishra Spouts Nonsense
Now former National Security Advisor, a decrepit Brajesh Mishra has been brought out of the dead cobwebs. He told Karan Thapar on TV that he held both the minister and the general responsible for not taking action on the bribery allegation but wanted Gen V K Singh to be sent on forced leave. "My view is that both the minister and the Army chief are responsible for not taking action," he said commenting on the allegations by Gen Singh that he was offered a bribe of Rs. 14 crore for clearing a contract for trucks and had informed the Defense Minister about it.

Asked whether the army chief should be sacked or sent on compulsory leave, Mishra told Karan Thapar on the Devil's Advocate programme that "If he is sacked, then something more may happen. If he is sent on compulsory leave, he is not being sacked. He should be told that enjoy your two months’ vacation with government salary and then take pension and go home."

How very considerate but trite of Mishraji. A former Indian diplomat Mishra was removed in 1980 as Indian Envoy from his New York post for not following the policy on Afghanistan of the newly elected Indira Gandhi govt in1980. He was adopted by Washington and given a cushy job in UN.

Son of formidable senior Congress leader late DP Mishra, Brajesh soon came close to AB Vajpayee and became his evening companion. Power and publicity hungry, he was National Security Advisor and defacto PM as Principal Sec to PM Vajpayee. He tried to run MEA too. He was stopped from hogging publicity by his detractors in BJP. The job of Principal Sec to PM is rightfully for a senior IAS officer. An expert on multilateral diplomacy i.e. fighting over commas and full stops, Mishra had little experience or expertise in administration and finance. IAS officers in PMO ran circles around him, enriching themselves and letting their friends and patrons, India’s emerging robber barons loot the exchequer. This was later described as India Shining era. The BJP was ousted from power. How the corporate robber barons thrived when Mishra was de facto PM needs investigation and a serious case study. But similar policies have continued.

Karan Thapar’s TV interview was a trite. It was pathetic and unbecoming performance by Mishraji brought out from the cobwebs to tarnish an upright and honest Army chief.

Sometime ago Mishra had rightly opposed the Indo-US Nuclear agreement, from which India has gained little and lost very much. But Mishra soon changed sides merely to remain in limelight and be on the US high table (dinner!).

I am disappointed that anchor Karan Thapar has changed sides. He should know how his own father the Army Chief was humiliated and removed for mistakes committed by those appointed to senior command posts by interfering and scheming politicians and self-serving civil servants.

On Mishra’s connection with Zionist lobby and Neo-Cons, who planned and executed US led illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003, which strategically and historically can be compared with Nazi Germany‘s invasion of the Soviet Union in WWII .The sacrifice of Israeli resistance and people has destroyed the US army, i.e. its ground forces leading to US hyper power’s decline and likely fall sooner than later.
More Dope on Loud Mouth Brajesh Mishra
Comment: A pathetic interview indeed. Will go down in history as to what type of Scumbags a few bureaucrats are... truly are after retirement- what limelight for their misdeeds?

2G Scam: Presidential Reference for clarity on scams?

Click Link: 2G case: Government files presidential reference in Supreme Court
Reported by Sunil Prabhu | Updated: April 12, 2012 16:59 IST
Comments

Chellappa Narayanan
Govt is to be blamed for not following transparent policy by inviting open bids/ tenders in selling scarce national resources. Now the Govt is referring through President to Supreme Court seeking clarifications. Supreme Court has given a landmark judgement in 2G scam which has instilled more confidence to public about judiciary. Political class must realise that they are to serve the people and not themselves. Will the Govt now realise and take corrective action?

Amit Srivastava 2 hours ago
Money talks , look at the high speed with which the government machinery is moving to bring relief to big players, faster then 4G :)

Shilpa Manocha 4 hours ago
What govt is doing is correct but why does such a process take such less time to complete than any other bill or case. This gives rise to other questions as to whether the pressure is being built up by the politicians who had were involved in this scam or not.

The Big Fight: Is our defence well prepared?

The Big Fight: After the Army Chief's letter to the Prime Minister was leaked earlier this week, causing a major controversy, we on The Big Fight discuss whether we are letting our soldiers down and whether there is a shortage of equipment?
Uploaded by ndtv on Apr 1, 2012

Bribe row: Army chief targeted for not toeing govt line, says Team Anna

Bribe row: Army chief targeted for not toeing govt line, says Team Anna
Published: Thursday, Mar 29, 2012, 18:22 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI
Team Anna on Thursday extended full support to Army Chief VK Singh, alleging that he was targeted for not "toeing" the government line on issues.
Activist Arvind Kejriwal alleged government has killed almost every institution by "planting its loyals".
"Those who refuse to toe govt line, like army chief and CAG, are targeted. We fully support army chief's struggle. We are proud of him," Kejriwal wrote on micro-blogging site 'Twitter'.
He said government appeared to be at war with the armed forces and the people of India.
Referring to the remarks against the army chief, he said, "Politicians, rather than discussing precarious security preparedness of India, are playing politics."
Another Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said it appeared that the Army Chief was surrounded by "senior officials with doubtful integrity".
"Had evidence but did not know how to fix it? Now he has! Laws of nature work when nothing else does. Trust in nature. Those riding on corruption and abuse of power will see their end sooner than later," she tweeted.
The comments came following Singh's remarks about him being offered a Rs14 crore bribe by a lobbyist to clear the sale of a tranche of 600 'substandard' Tatra trucks for the Army and his letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh giving a grim picture of the country's military preparedness.
Bribe row: Army chief targeted for not toeing govt line, says Team Anna

Gen VK Singh is a hero for fighting the Enemy Within
by Venky Vembu Mar 29, 2012
For sure, Gen VK Singh has gone rogue. But I say: more power to you, Gen Singh. Even if, as some have suggested, you are doing it only for megalomaniacal reasons — or out of a sense of pettiness. Even though I can’t quite understand why you waited until now to say these things, I’m just plain glad you are saying them at least now.

Any self-respecting civilian government or military force or civil society ought to be celebrating Gen VK Singh for being a true warrior and taking on the Enemy Within. The problems that he highlights are our collective problems. Those problems have turned us into a banana republic far more than anything Gen Singh has done in severing the cosy, comfortable, clubby relationship between the military and the civilian administration.

If what it takes to get us even talk about the colossal mess we are in is for him to shake the government and our civil society out of our stupor, more power to you, Gen Singh.
Click here to read more

Super Power Bureaucrats of India

Dear All,
In his Book "SUPER POWER-'The Amazing Race between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise' Raghav Bahl gives this very apt description of how Indian bureaucrats function, by and large!
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

The Indian civil servant is enormously intelligent. He is amongst the brightest in the land. He gets it quickly. He is usually articulate and accessible. He can see thru a problem and understand solutions. His instinct is to push a decision, not take it. But he often lacks the gumption to ‘just do it’. He is trained to see the glass as half empty, never half full. His instinct is to push a decision, never take it. He is a champion of the ‘middle route’, the ‘golden mean’. He stays clear of anything that is even remotely controversial, breakthrough or bold. He uses ‘consensus’ and ‘consultation’ as a shield to ‘protect his backside’. His favorite phrase is that ‘government decisions are a process-not result oriented’. Of course there is that exceptional officer who goes against the grain, who innovates and takes risks, but to borrow another favorite phrase, ‘by and large’ these guys like to hedge their bets to the point of inaction.

Antony, General Singh blame Army for the age row

As the Supreme Court gets ready to hear the Army Chief age row, both Defence Minister AK Antony and Army Chief General Vijay Kumar Singh on Tuesday blamed the Army for the mess. Both Antony as well as General Singh said that the Army sat on the problem for 36 years and that the problem should not recur.

Antony said that the Supreme Court verdict on the controversy surrounding the date of birth of Army Chief will be final. Refusing to see the controversy as a civil-military conflict, Antony said that people responsible for maintaining the records will take the decision on General Singh’s date of birth.

“It’s gone beyond the government. Let’s wait for the Supreme Court decision. That will be final and nobody can question that,” said Antony in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“There are people responsible for that, (and) they will take the decision. At this stage it won’t come to me,” said the Defence Minister.

Antony pointed out that the controversy was not new and it had been festering for over 36 years.

“It’s been 36 years but the government was not in picture. It was only known to the Army. In 2006 the Army noticed two dates of birth, then it went to the level of Army Chief in 2006. The government of that day took a decision and recommended it to the Army. Where is the civil-military controversy? In 2008 it was another Army Chief and then the recommendation was sent to the government and the government accepted that,” he said.

Reacting to the Defence Minister’s statement, Genral VK Singh said, “Yes, this problem has been within the Army. It shouldn’t have happened, but has continued for 36 years, and this problem will not recur ever again.”

“The letter from the Defence Ministry to the Adjutant General’s branch is being studied and reply will be given in due course,” he said.

“There was some problem in coordination between the branch that keeps all the service records and other branches. Now a system has been put in place to resolve the coordination problem. As a result, such problem will never recur,” General Singh said.
Antony, General Singh blame Army for the age row
Highlights of the sidelights
Indian Army’s dignity in danger

Veterans' Rally 0n 28 November at Jantar Mantar to fight injustices

Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
Press release issued by IESM on 23 Nov 10, is reproduced below.
Best way to reach Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, is to catch the Metro Train from anywhere in New Delhi/ Delhi and get down at Patel Chowk Metro Station, near Connaugt Place. From Patel Chowk Metro Station start walking towards Jantar Mantar – you will find the Veterans’ Rally Site within 300 metres. Essential adm arrangements are being made at the rally site.
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.

To fight against injustice is to WORSHIP GOD. So kindly be there for MILITARY VETERANS’ RALLY, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 28 Nov 10, from 10.00 AM to 2.00 PM to fight against Injustice being done to Defence Services of India.

DATED: 23 NOV 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Dear friends,
1. Press Release dated 23 Nov 2010 regarding a Big Rally by the ESM will be held at Jantar Mantar New Delhi on 28 Nov 2010 from 10 AM to 2 PM. and depositing of medals and submission of memorandum signed in blood by the ESM to the Supreme Commander on 28 Nov 2010 is circulated. Maximum participation of ESM is requested.
2. You are requested to circulate it to the maximum ESM. Translation in the local languages may please be carried out and the same may please be got published in local media.
With Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Mobile: 9312404269, 0124-4110570
Email : satbirsm@yahoo.com

DATED: 23 NOV 2010
PRESS RELEASE
ARMED FORCES GRIEVANCES REDRESSAL COMMISSION AND ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE BY EX SERVICEMEN

Dear Members of the Media,
1. The formation of the Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commission, “Suo Moto” could not have occurred if particular segments of our polity had not bear sensitized on OROP and other veterans issues. The Hon’ble Judge Sh.Markandey Katju even quotes Chankya and NDTV show, apart from medals return and burning of artificial limbs. Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM) which has brought about this landmark (almost revolutionary) occurrence, with the judiciary virtually divesting (albeit for a good cause) the executive of its basic function of governance- all these years past, no one else has been able to move the establishment one wee bit.
2. The Supreme Court has taken the historic step to constitute Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commission, where besides two retired judges of the Supreme Court and two senior retired Defence Officers (Gen Ved Malik, Former COAS and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, Former VCOAS). However, the commission is only a recommendatory body and not adjudicatory body. Hence, it is open to the Govt to accept or not to accept its recommendations. Though, the court has directed that since such recommendations will be coming from high powered body, the Govt must give due weightage to the same. It is here the doubts arise in the minds of Defence Personnel and the people of India that since the recommendations of the commission will be reviewed by the bureaucrats whose track record for the past six decades has not been to give fair justice to the Defence Forces, it is yet to be seen if any positive outcome would be achieved.
3. It is pertinent to mention that strong recommendations to grant OROP by All Parties Parliamentary Standing Committees on Defence have not been accepted by the Govt; the latest being the recommendations made by 31 MPs of the Parliament headed by Sh. Satpal ji Maharaj a Congress MP on 07th May 2010 and again repeated on 27 Aug 2010 whereas Mr. AK Antony the RM recently in the Parliament quoted recommendations of Jul 2009 by a Committee of bureaucrats. The larger question here is the civilian control of Armed Forces which actually means control by the elected representatives of the people and not the bureaucrats. It is a common knowledge that the Ex Servicemen have been forced to launch a Movement to express their anguish is the result of the injustice heaped on them. The bureaucrats all along have been treating the military unfairly. The resentment has been increasing by the day. Downgradation of their status and unfair compensation package of emoluments by the 6th CPC have further intensified the resentment.
4. Under the circumstance, the ESM have decided to continue their struggle till all their demands are accepted. To highlight all these issues to the people of India, a Big Rally by the ESM will be held at Jantar Mantar New Delhi on 28 Nov 2010 from 10 AM to 2 PM. After the Rally, delegation of ESM will go to Rashtrapati Bhawan to deposit medals and memorandum signed in blood by the ESM with the President. They have also decided to enlist the support of other segments of the society, all political parties, MPs, CMs, MLA and have written to them regarding their demands and sought their help to raise these issues in the Parliament to press the Govt for early acceptance of these demands.
With Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Defence Minister A.K. Antony said in reply to a query in Rajya Sabha: "NO" to OROP- click here

Delhi Dashes Dreams of Military Career

My Army Life 1977-2006
I Love the Indian Army – but I must leave Now!
I stumbled into the Indian Army in the late seventies. The School which admitted us mid-session, when we returned from Singapore, where my father had a brief teaching stint at the Singapore University, was The Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan. With teenage sons of Army officers as friends, it was natural to apply to join the National Defence Academy. A friend filled my form and even paid the application fee. I wasn’t serious at all of pursuing a career in the military – much like Hrithik Roshan in Lakshya. I saw a movie with my friends, after each of the four NDA entrance papers, and argued with my father when he questioned me on my lack of commitment to the exam.
Surprisingly, I qualified on the Service Selection Board standing 19th in the Army all India merit list. I then chose to join the National Defence Academy, as a career was assured at such an early age.
Astonishingly, within a few days of joining the NDA, at pristine Khadakwasala, I began my life long affection and admiration for the Indian Army. The NDA was awesome and I took to it as if the place was always meant for me. It was, and probably still is, a remarkable institution where everything works like clockwork, and boys transform into enthusiastic, self confident young men with fire in their belly and an idealistic vision to contribute meaningfully to the security challenges that India would face in the future.
Three years later at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun, I learnt that toughness and fitness was not just about well developed physical abilities, but also as much about mental strength, and that the IMA motto of ‘Service before Self’ was not some Gandhian mumbo-jumbo, but the very edifice of life in uniform as an officer.
The many years in my Infantry battalion were even more memorable. Not a day was spent as “work”. Every day was enjoyable with a huge family of 800 men; the love, respect and camaraderie was astonishing especially in this day and age. A life of great honesty of purpose; lived simply and with great pride, respect and honour.
I had a tour of duty in Kashmir in every rank I have held. As a Lieutenant in Baramulla before the militancy, as a Captain in the Siachen Glacier at 20,000 feet, as a Major and company commander in Kupwara fighting terrorists, and as Lt Col as second-in-command of my unit in Badgam in a counter insurgency deployment on the outskirts of the Srinagar airport. Finally as a Colonel and Battalion commander, I had three different innings in the Kashmir Valley, first as part of the offensive plans during OP PARAKRAM in 2001, then fighting militants in Anantnag during the 2002 Amarnath Yatra and during the state elections, and finally on the Line of Control in high altitude in the majestic Gurez Valley.
Interspersed between these challenging times was an opportunity to serve with the United Nations in Iraq-Kuwait as a Military Observer where I saw closely officers from 34 different nations from around the globe and learnt from them about their militaries and the relationship between the State and the soldier in other countries.
I also had instructional assignments at the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun and at the Infantry School teaching young infantry officers. I then had an enriching year at the Army War College at Mhow during the Higher Command course in 2004-5, learning the art of higher command in the military and traveling to every corner of the country, expanding knowledge, visiting not just our various military headquarters, but also the citadels of economic power of our nation.
After the one year sabbatical at Mhow, I moved, in Apr 2005 to a dream job, to the seat of power of the Army in Delhi – the Army Headquarters with an office in South Block and an appointment in the personnel Branch of the Army dealing with postings and promotions of officers of our Army... Read More from Gopalkarunakaran's Blog: click here
Posted on August 29, 2010 by gopalkarunakaran

Our petty little bureaucrats are a National shame

By T J S George, 28/08/2010
Our petty little bureaucrats
It is strange that 5000 years of civilisation have left many of us uncivilised. Stranger still that most of the uncivilised end up as government bureaucrats. And because the bureaucrats – unseen, unobserved and always thinking small – manipulate most decisions on behalf of the country, the country is force-marched from one national shame to another.
Read more...

MEA attempt to reduce corruption in the Passport Offices

Wednesday, August 04, 2010
The Government has launched the Passport Seva Project at four Pilot sites in Karnataka on May 28, 2010 under the jurisdiction of Regional Passport Office, Bangalore. This will be followed by launch at three Pilot sites (Chandigarh, Ambala and Ludhiana) under the jurisdiction of Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh. Following validation of the Pilot projects, the remaining 70 Passport Seva Kendras will be established across the country in a phased manner. Under the Passport Seva Project Scheme, the time target schedule for issue of passport under normal and Tatkal category is as follows:


This information was given by Shri S.M. Krishna, Minister of External Affairs, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
YSK:PM
Passport Seva Project

Pakistani spy had licence, voter ID and PAN card obtained with fake documents

12/07/2010
Pakistani spy had licence, voter ID and PAN card: police
Chandigarh: Kashif Ali, the suspected Pakistani spy who was arrested here two days ago, had duped government departments and banks during his over two-year stay here. He had a driving licence, voter ID card and even a PAN card - all procured on the basis of fake documents, police said Monday.

Ali's rented accommodation in Sector 44, from where he was arrested Saturday, was raided and police seized various documents and a digital camera. Ali, 24, a resident of Faisalabad in Pakistan's Punjab province, is suspected to have sent vital defence information from India to his country.

"We have recovered a driving licence that was issued by a New Delhi transport authority, a voter identity card with a Chandigarh address, PAN (permanent account number) card and a high school certificate issued by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB)," a police official said.

"We have also recovered a receipt of the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh. Ali admitted that he had entered India through Nepal. He had stayed in New Delhi and at Bikaner before coming to Chandigarh. He had bank accounts in Axis Bank and at Union Bank of India," he added.

The seizure of these documents highlights the loopholes in the intelligence wing of police in Chandigarh.

"We are looking into all aspects of this matter and trying to ascertain the links of Ali with other people in Chandigarh and in other states. We will also check how he managed to procure all these documents on the basis of fake papers," Inspector (crime branch) Amanjot Singh told IANS.

Ali, who was sent to police custody by a local court, had moved an application in court seeking permission to talk to his family through two Pakistan phone numbers. The court granted him permission to talk to his family members in the presence of the investigation officer and also directed police to record the conversation.

Police had also detained two of Ali's friends here - Santosh, 24, and Rajeev, 23, - who were in close contact with him. "We also questioned Ali's landlord about people who came to meet him. We have found that two women who are working in a beauty parlour here were coming to meet him at regular intervals. He did not talk to his neighbours and had told his landlord that he was into the real estate business," the police official said.

Inspector General of Police Pradeep Srivastava had earlier told reporters: "Ali admitted that he had taken weaponry training from Pakistan. He was collecting vital information regarding (the army's) Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir (in neighbouring Panchkula town) and the air force station here and was passing it to Pakistan." Source: IANS
Pakistani spy had licence, voter ID and PAN card: police
Comment
In India with fakes and bribes anything is possible!

Left wing extremism fast forwards the creeping bureaucracy

Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Ministry of Panchayati Raj asks States affected by Left Wing Extremism to ensure proper implementation of PESA Guidelines

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has asked all the States particularly those affected by the Left Wing Extremism to ensure proper implementation of Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Guidelines in their areas so that the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) could be made stronger enough. In a letter written to all Chief Secretaries of States to States the Ministry has urged them to take all necessary steps that are required to check the deepening and widening of extremism in PESA areas. The Ministry has also underlined the need to activate Gram Sabhas in a mission mode for resolving disputes, supervisining land acquition and assess the impact and delimitation of villages.

The advisory further details essential features of PESA that need to be complied with in relevant statutes/rules/guidelines and covers (a) Delimitation of Villages and Gram Sabhas, (b) Procedure to be followed for consultation with Gram Sabha for land acquisition and defining minor minerals and securing recommendation of Gram Sabha [Section 4(k)], and (c) Endowing Gram Sabhas with powers and authority under Section 4m (i) to 4m (v) relating to Excise, MFP, Land alienation, Village markets and Money lending.

Accordingly, the States may take the following steps to operationalise PESA. In the mean time the M/o Panchayati Raj is separately examining the Central laws and policies related to Forest, Mining, R&R etc. for PESA compliance.

The States have been asked to adopt Model PESA Rules (available at panchayat.gov.in) circulated by MoPR with suitable modifications so that the field functionaries have a clear framework for implementing PESA. Amend State Panchayati Raj Acts for consonance with PESA. Particularly important here is the definition of ¡®village¡¯ and powers of the Gram Sabha. State Election Commission (SEC) could be given the responsibility of delimitation of Villages as suggested in Annex IV. They can amend laws, rules and executive instructions on Mines & Minerals, Minor Forest Produce, Excise, Money Lending etc. on the lines of Annex IV and Expedite comments on the amendments to PESA proposed by MoPR for removing certain infirmities (Annex V).

As per the guidelines the States have been also asked to empower the Gram Sabha as above and ensure its effective functioning. Follow the guidelines issued by MoPR on 2nd Oct., 09 in this regard. Undertake special programmes to acquaint the Gram Sabhas of their rights and duties. Develop appropriate training and informative material in the regional language. Identify, train and deploy a social mobilizer in each Gram Sabha for activating the Gram Sabha.

They have also been advised to Conduct regular training programmes on PESA for State and Panchayat functionaries (both elected and officials) to sensitize and educate them on PESA with focus on the role and conduct of the Gram Sabha.

With regard to Administrative Measures it has been made clear that since implementation of PESA involves several departments, the states should constitute a Committee headed by the Chief Secretary with membership of the relevant departments to review it every three months. Also Involve reputed Experts for getting another perspective, form similar committees in the districts and activate Tribes Advisory Councils & Tribal Research Institutes.

The States should also include a prominent section on the implementation of PESA in the Annual Governor¡¯s Report, as mandated in Schedule V and strengthen Administrative machinery in the PESA Areas through filling up all vacancies, creation of separate cadres, hardship allowance, preference in education, accommodation etc.

They should also create Information-cum-grievance redressal mechanisms at various levels where persons dissatisfied with the implementation of PESA may register their grievances and obtain advice/justice.

The Ministry has also asked States to urgently review the position particularly on the following issues for ensuring that the most important needs and concerns of the people are addressed:
(a) Mandate SEC to delimit villages.
(b) Activate Gram Sabhas in a Mission Mode and enable it to exercise its powers & functions including in relation to planning & implementation of Central/State schemes, grant of UCs and dispute resolution.
(c) Ensure that complete information about the land to be acquired and impact of the proposed project, is placed before the Gram Sabha and its recommendations are generally followed.
(d) Incorporate definition of MFP, as provided in the Forest Rights Act, 2005, in all laws and rules. Undertake management of MFP with the consent of the Gram Sabha and in case MFP is collected by a para-statal organization, the net income should go to the people.
(e) Enable the Gram Sabha, particularly women, to take decisions regarding the opening and continuance of liquor shops, sale of intoxicants, etc.
(f) Furnish information as per the questionnaire for ascertaining the current status of implementation of PESA and taking follow up action. ST/-
Ministry of Panchayati Raj asks States affected by Left Wing Extremism to ensure proper implementation of PESA Guidelines

Related Post
Is India a shining example of Democracy. What is bleeding/ killing Democracy?

India’s bureaucratic albatross

Tavleen Singh IE Posted online: Sunday, Feb 21, 2010 at 0233 hrs
Every time I deal with Indian officials I become so depressed that I almost need therapy. As a reckless optimist and a proud Indian, I keep hoping that I will one day go into a government office and notice the changes that are necessary if India is to drag herself out of poverty, illiteracy and corruption. Having just last week had dealings with officials in various government departments, I can only report the opposite. Our officials remain untouched by technology, modernity, national interest or higher ideals. So I endorse from the bottom of my heart a new report that concludes that our bureaucrats are the worst in Asia. The report is the result of a survey of 12 Asian economies done last year by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy based in Hong Kong, and although bits of it have found their way into Indian newspapers, there has been not nearly as much fuss as there should have been about a report that shames India.
The report blames India’s ‘suffocating bureaucracy’ for us falling behind countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar in providing our people with minimal standards of healthcare, sanitation and education. Examine just the sad fact that 43 per cent of Indian children under the age of five are underweight compared with 20 per cent in Vietnam and 14 per cent in Bhutan and you understand what we are up against. It is not because of a shortage of funds that millions of Indians are forced to live in conditions of shameful poverty and degradation. The Government of India spent Rs 4 trillion on various poverty alleviation programmes last year. The report points out that if even half this money had been distributed among our estimated 60 million poor households, they would each get Rs 80 a day and so rise above the poverty line. Our own Planning Commission pointed this out more than a decade ago but because there has not been the smallest attempt to get our babu-log to work more efficiently, nothing has changed.

The result is that our bureaucrats and the army of petty officials that work under them have remained mired in systems that make the simplest procedure into a long and difficult thing. One of the offices I had to deal with last week was the Regional Passport Office in Delhi. It was hell. There were queues for coupons that allowed you to join queues to enter the building, that led you to other queues that led to a maze of windows behind which sat bored officials. There was no system. If I had not had the help of a guide, I think I may have queued for days, as others do, and taken months to get my ‘tatkaal’ (at once) passport. My English brother-in-law did not even need to go to the British High Commission to renew his. He filled his form online and in three days he had his new passport.

Indian government departments have computers today and access to the Internet, but they seem not to understand that this should put an end to filling endless forms. And, other useless procedures. If things are bad in Delhi, it is hard to even begin to describe how bad they are in the provinces. I have been into provincial government departments and provincial courts in which they are still using ancient typewriters. Then, there are the filthy working conditions that get filthier in our state capitals. Rotting garbage, stray animals, dusty furniture, wires hanging everywhere and mountains of waste paper. The general impression is of a country falling to pieces and not one that harbours dreams of becoming an economic superpower.

The reason why this column bangs on and on about the need for urgent administrative reforms is because without them we can do almost nothing else. It is not just civilian government departments that are mired in 18th-century systems, but even those that deal with national security. Bad governance is a pernicious, pervasive disease. If you want proof, all you need to do is spend five minutes observing procedures in your nearest police station. That is all the time you need to discover that it is not just the absence of modern weapons that handicap our police when they are dealing with Islamist terrorists. It is incompetence enforced by convoluted and confused procedures.

Having covered governance and politics for more than 20 years, it is my humble view that India could become an economic superpower with clean air and water, magnificent new cities and a healthy, literate population, if we could make our officials do their jobs properly. Dr Manmohan Singh knows this and has been talking about the importance of administrative reforms since the first press conference he gave after he became Prime Minister in 2004. Why does he do nothing about it?
India’s bureaucratic albatross
Related links
Battling the babu raj
Leaving the IAS: Corporates buy officers’ contacts in government
The a to Z of indian bureaucracy
IAS: Indian Asphyxiated Service

MOD: Legal Pundits take the system for a ride?

A letter recently marked to the Defence Minster by a an ex-services welfare organisation aptly describes the rot :
“Lower staff at the Pension wing of the Defence Ministry is also known to prepare misleading and deceptive noting sheets which are put up to senior officers and even the Raksha Mantri, who in good faith affix their initials leaving the gallery open to such officers who then flaunt the said approvals by stating that the same have the sanction of the Defence Minister. It is also learnt that the officers in the Defence Ministry have asked Govt lawyers in writing to change their legal opinion when such lawyers had advised against filing of appeals.”

What is the game behind this, one may ask. Well, the govt is well aware that disabled veterans and poor pensioners do not have adequate financial back-up to defend their cases in the Supreme Court, so for the govt it is well worth taking a chance. I can only say that in the interest of equity and fair-play, we all must wake up before some officers take the entire defence services and the legal system for a royal ride. It is also time for senior staff of the Ministry and our uniformed officers to apply proper mind before they permit their subordinates to resort to unethical litigation against poor people who have served the nation to the best of their abilities. The hint of my call is particularly directed towards the upper echelons of Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare in the MoD and the Personnel Services Directorate in the Army Headquarters. The tendency to view poor litigants as ‘Enemies of the State’ must also change.
Read the full article:
The game plan of legal pundits: The govt sleeps while sadists take the system for a ride
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 5:38 AM

No Character Certificate required for His Excellency Gen SF Rodrigues

Dear friends,
I am replying to this because my views have been sought. I have very high regards for His Excellency Gen Rodrigues as he has been a great general, a thorough gentleman and now a proven epitome of excellence as a truly apolitical Governor and an Administrator par excellence. The allegations and mud-slinging aimed at him is, however, not something in which he would need external support to fight and defend himself. In corruption ridden Indian polity today these are the inevitable concomitants of public life. A blot on a clean white shirt strikes the eye sharply. That's why incredible stories and scandals make striking headlines and sell well in the media.

Nevertheless, the accompanying mails are overly emotional. Giving character certificates to personalities like Gen Rodrigues is actually dwarfing his stature. Such emotional outbursts serve little purpose - nay, they antagonise the right thinking people and make them suspect our credentials.

As a trend seen in the recent past, almost all of our communications seem to be focused against the IAS, Babus or Bureaucrats. Unfortunately, in blaming them for all our problems, we do not make exceptions for even those who are a good lot among them. The truth is that, although their number is small, but there are good, honest and laudable Babus in India too. There have been a number of whistle blowers among the bureaucrats who have not bothered about their career and, in some cases, even risked their life. In UP, it is because of a good lot of bureaucrats that the black sheep within their own flock have been listed and exposed on the Internet.

Goodness is always in short supply. This is true of humans as well - be they bureaucrats, policemen, politicians and - let's face it - even soldiers! We know it there are good officers and bad officers in the Armed Forces. Fortunately, however, our judicial dispensation system is such that the 'bad' are sorted out well and proper faster than their likes in civil services. Despite this, there are often embarrassing aberrations involving even some very senior military officers.

Somehow, we have become too touchy. Any criticism, comment or a joke in the media is enough to put us off. One sees a spate of letters to the 'erring' Newspaper editors reprimanding them for their audacity to raise a finger at us! We make a laughing stock of ourselves! The nation holds us in high esteem even today. But of late we are seen only talking about ourselves and not for the serious problems they expect us to rise and speak up. National security, corruption, terrorism, widening communal/ regional divde, increasing number of criminals into Lok Sabha and state legislatures (they were 123 in the previous Lok Sabha, now they are more han 150 of whom 73 are with serious charges!). The day these issues are addressed, all problems of ESM would be solved and SOLDIERY will redeem its lost sheen and honour.

We write a lot of English loaded with unseemly anger and abuse hurled on the entire lot of bureaucrats from time to time. This time it involves a high dignitary (Gen Rodrigues) but without touching any facts of the case or issues involved. By raising the decibel level and kicking up a lot of dust achieves nothing good for us or for His Excellency. On the contrary, our outbursts might be embarrassing him. It is not only unnecessary but also goes to lower our credibility as responsible citizens imbued with integrity and fair-play.

I wish Gen Rodrigues a great innings full of honour and esteem as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh.

I request you all, my friends, to avoid muddying the matters any further. I hope I have not stepped on some one's toes. If so, I tender my apologies.

Regards,
Col Karan Kharb (Retd)

When overcharged with emotion, we run the risk of missing our focus - OROP and other demands for the ESM.

Good Governance: Can IAS Officers meet the National aspirations?

Friends,
The write up below is good one. The need of the hour is Administrative Reforms, if India is to make better progress in all area and realize its full potential.

We need IAS and they have good material. However, their thinking and way of working has to change for the future of the Nation.

Will the politicians bite this or the citizens would have to rise?
Best wishes.
Harbhajan Singh
Lt Gen (Retd)
IAS Officers need to Introspect

Our corrupt babus

June 8th, 2009
A Hong Kong-based political and economic risk consultancy, which conducted a survey of 12 Asian economies recently, says that Singapore’s civil servants are the most efficient among their Asian peer, though they tend to clam up unhelpfully when things go wrong.

The survey ranked India’s “suffocating bureaucracy” as the least-efficient. The appraisal said that working with Indian civil servants was a “slow and painful” process. That the bureaucrats are a power-centre in their own right, at both the national and state levels, and are extremely resistant to reforms that affect them or the way they go about their duties. The survey’s ranking in descending order of efficiency was: Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia and India.

This is in conformity with the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2008, prepared by Transparency International, which ranked India as the 74th most corrupt country among the 180 countries of the world.

The government is by far the biggest culprit and contributes a large part to the staggering backlog of civil suits, over 10 million at last count, clogging the courts. The Centre, states and public sector companies determinedly appeal every adverse verdict despite winning only a small minority.

The extent of government involvement in litigation was acknowledged by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a conference of chief ministers and Chief Justices in 2004. He revealed that a sample survey conducted in Karnataka found that in 65 per cent of civil cases, the government was a litigant, sometimes on both sides, and that “government litigation crowds out the private citizen from the court system”.

The Prime Minister, in the same speech, also confirmed that the Karnataka survey found that most of the government’s litigation was in the form of appeals and that 95 per cent of government appeals fail. He observed: “In a way, they are appeals that shouldn’t have been made in the first place”.

There is little reason to assume that things have changed since then. In fact, the Chief Justices of India themselves have drawn attention to government litigiousness on numerous occasions.

Incidentally, the Law Commission also observed nearly three decades ago that there was much avoidable litigation by the state. It exposed many instances where the judges found that citizens were compelled to litigate because of the “utter indifference” of the government, where government pursued litigation on “frivolous” grounds, as a “matter of prestige” or with an attitude of “vengeance” or “callousness bordering on vendetta”, displaying “arrogance and a superiority complex”. About the officials responsible for avoidable litigation, the Law Commission said that “the lack of accountability of the officer in whom the power vests to initiate litigation or perpetuate the same by preferring appeal, is largely responsible for mounting litigation ...cases are not unknown where corrupt motives may be at the root of the tendency to continue litigation so as to exhaust the other side in the fond hope that he/she may, out of exasperation, be willing to grease palms”. There is a third independent cause generating this tendency to initiate or perpetuate litigation and that is to avoid taking decisions.

But, regrettably, even after such an incisive report, there does not seem to be any change in the profligacy of government litigation. India has seen major transformations in many areas during these years. But few of these changes have been in the government itself, and the colonial mindset that set the bureaucracy apart from and above the ordinary citizen still continues.

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by Union minister for law and justice M. Veerappa Moily, observed that bureaucracy in India is generally perceived to be “unresponsive, insensitive and corrupt” and a common complaint against it pertains to excessive red-tapeism.

It’s not that there is a lack of data or inputs as to how to make the bureaucracy more effective and responsive. It is because there is so much over-protection in the law that we seem to have reached a dead-end. It is not that the government does not know how to deal with the deadwood. It is just that it won’t. The government has the absolute power to sack anybody. But there is not a single case where an inefficient or a corrupt official has been shown the door. Everybody wants a government job, as it gives lifelong job security, whether you work or not. At the end, you get pension for life.

This is apart from the corruption which a vast majority of bureaucrats indulge in. As per the statistics, 24,130 cases, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, were pending trial in Indian courts at the end of 2007. A large number of them range between 15-20 years.

Incidentally, 153 of the newly-elected MPs have criminal cases pending against them. Rajiv Gandhi once said, “Only Re 1 out of Rs 10 allocated to the poor is reaching them”. His son Rahul Gandhi, just before the 2009 elections, had said, “Only 10 paisa out of Rs 10 allocated to the poor is reaching them”. No amount of tall talk or big schemes is going to ameliorate the lot of the poor if all this money is to end with middlemen, bureaucrats, in a nexus with corrupt politicians.

The present laws have failed to either deter or prevent corruption and make India’s bureaucracy effective in its delivery system. The leaders should govern well and the lethargy and corruption should be weeded out by it, instead of waiting for the court judgments to come.

The government should put its own house in order before it can put the country in order. It should end the reign of clerk-o-cracy and substitute it with develop-o-cracy.
By Joginder Singh
* Joginder Singh is a former director of the Central Bureau of Investigation
Our corrupt babus

Comment: Many Pension Parity cases won in courts by Military personnel- but corrupt babus prolong the cases for decades. Joginder Singh has rightly inferred that 75% court cases are litigation perpetuated perpetually by the State on its citizens. Prudently the courts should be safeguarding the citizens from corrupt babus and statistics should be reversed ideally.