Tamilnadu in the Flag Day Fund Collection Overdrive?

From: Mrs. Usha Sundar, W/o Lt Col CR Sundar (Retd) dated 01 Nov 2012 from Chennai
To: The Collector, Kanchipuram District.
IRREGULARITIES IN RESPECT OF FLAG DAY FUND COLLECTION IN REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICES (RTO) OF TAMIL NADU
Sir,
1. I have attached herewith a copy of an article published in the popular Tamil Weekly ‘Anandha Vikatan’ dated 24/10/2012.
2. There are serious allegations against all RTOs of Tamil Nadu in the said article. As per the article the RTO’s are indulging in a ‘collection spree’ called ‘flag charge’. Instead of the stipulated Rs 36/- they extort Rs. 250/- for a two-wheeler and Rs. 500/- for a four-wheeler. For grant of ‘fitness certificates’ (FC) the rate is Rs. 500/- for medium sized vehicles, Rs. 750/- for buses and lorries and Rs. 1,000/- for heavier vehicles. These rates are for non-defective vehicles. Defective vehicles are charged double.
3. As a member of the public I am very concerned. But as the wife of a retired Army Officer I am pained and angry.
4. Flag Day Fund was set up in 1949 by the Defence Minister’s Committee. In 1993 the Defence Ministry of India consolidated all related welfare funds into Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. Its purposes are Rehabilitation of battle casualties, Welfare of serving personnel and their families and Resettlement and welfare of Ex Servicemen and their families. Fund collection is managed throughout the country by the local arms of Kendriya Sainik Boards (KSB).
5. RTOs of Tamil Nadu are not collection agencies. But they are collecting huge amounts throughout the year and misusing the funds.
6. You as the collector are aware that Ex Servicemen are a deprived lot, and find it very hard to survive in the civilian world.. Every year 7 Dec is commemorated as ‘Flag Day’ and certain formalities are conducted in every DSSA Board in the state .Money is collected in their cause but one never gets to hear anything about the amounts collected, or the ways in which these funds were distributed (if at all) among ESM. We request you to verify the report and take necessary action against the culprits involved.
7. Ex Servicemen are treated with the highest honour and respect elsewhere in the world.. Here in India, especially in Tamil Nadu we are told that State- run offices and officers are looting the general public in the name of those Veterans who gave the best years of their life in the defence of their motherland. It is the ultimate treachery.
8. The ‘Serving Fraternity of officers and the Ministry of Defence’ and the Retired Generals living in Tamil Nadu must work together to stop this sort of Disrespect and Dishonour to the Ex Servicemen and their dependents and widows. Thank You,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/- (Ms.Usha Sundar)
Copy to:
1. The Asst Dir, DSSA Board Tambaram.
2. The AFA, Air Force Station Tambaram.
3. GOC, ATNK&K Area Chennai.
4. The Editor, Anandha Vikatan, Chennai.
Comment: Thalsidar Offices who hand out death certificates are also involved in this racket. There is no control over these State Agencies who are in the money spinning mode and cheating the poor citizens of India into believing these funds are helping Ex Servicemen!

Chennai leads in Fakes

CHENNAI, January 31, 2012
Gang arrested with stash of fake certificates, seals
Washermenpet police on Sunday busted a four-member gang that made fake government certificates, ration cards and school mark sheets. Over 800 certificates, government seals and screen printing boards were seized.
According to Washermenpet police sources, those arrested were Jayaraman (64) and Perumal (74), both from Royapuram and Duraipal (50) from Ponneri and Moorthy (48) from Tiruvottiyur. Duraipal and Moorthy who have screen printing expertise used to forge all kinds of government certificates, including Community, Birth and Income Tax certificates, and also Standard 10th and 12th mark sheets.
Jayaraman and Perumal used to hang around government offices and target people who came to obtain government certificates, sources added. “The two men would offer to get the certificates for the victims in a few days after collecting the details. Duraipal and Moorthy would then print the necessary certificate at a screen printing press in Tiruvottiyur or their homes and hand it over to Jayaraman and Perumal. They would in turn sell the fake certificates as real for a price ranging from Rs.500 to Rs.1,000 each,” said T. Veera Kumar, Inspector of Police, Washermenpet.
Following information provided by Arun Kumar (28) of New Washermenpet, regarding two men offering to get a birth certificate outside the Corporation Zonal office in Basin Bridge, a Washermenpet police team arrested Jayaraman and Perumal.
Duraipal and Moorthy were also arrested and more than 800 fake government certificates, 28 seals with government stamps of various departments and schools and 19 screen printing boards used to make the certificates were seized, police added.
The men were remanded to custody and sent to Puzhal prison on Monday. Police are identifying those persons who purchased the fake documents from the gang
Gang Arrested with stash of fakes and seals

IAS Officer of 1976 Batch fine tunes corruption in Tamilnadu

The Hindu: CHENNAI, January 14, 2012
TNPSC Chairman quits over graft charges
Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission Chairman R. Sellamuthu, who is facing allegations of corruption in recruitment of candidates, has submitted his resignation to Governor K. Rosaiah highly placed sources said.

His resignation, submitted to the Governor on Thursday, came ahead of searches across the State by the vigilance directorate police on Friday at the residences of candidates allegedly recruited by corrupt means. The Governor's office is learnt to have referred the matter to the State government, and a formal notification will be issued after the resignation is accepted.

Mr. Sellamuthu, an IAS officer of the 1976 batch, was appointed to the post in January 2010, when the DMK government was in office. His term was due to end in June this year on his attaining the age of 62.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption had registered a criminal case against Mr. Sellamuthu and all the 13 Members of the TNPSC following allegations of corrupt practices in the recruitment of candidates to various posts, including Group-I Services. The case was based on a complaint by TNPSC Secretary T. Udhayachandran, who wrote to the Chief Secretary about certain irregularities. When investigators searched the premises of 53 candidates in 21 districts on Friday, a majority of them allegedly admitted to having paid huge bribes to TNPSC members to get full marks in the interview. “Many of the candidates are in Government service now. They gave details of the bribe paid to the members through middlemen. The searches were based on evidence that the candidates paid bribes to get full marks in various recruitments conducted by the TNPSC… candidates who paid bribes got 100 per cent marks in the personal interview,” an investigator said.

When the DVAC conducted searches on the premises of TNPSC members, officials and middlemen late last year, names, registration numbers or answer scripts of candidates were found. Some members even had unofficial copies of an unpublished list of selected candidates to various posts for which the TNPSC conducted the recruitment.

Cyber security experts of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Thiruvananthapuram, who seized the TNPSC server and other gadgets for analysis on December 13, are expected to submit their findings soon.

In a separate development, Nallathambi, an advocate of Madurai, lodged a complaint with the Police Commissioner here that he paid Rs. 67 lakh to one Uma Maheswari who, he alleged, had promised to get him the post of Member, TNPSC. However, she neither got him the post nor returned the money.

Nallathambi is the younger brother of former Assembly Speaker K Kalimuthu. Ms. Uma Maheswari, who also came to the Police Commissioner's office, maintained that she had never met the complainant. Commissioner of Police J.K. Tripathy said the matter was referred to the Central Crime Branch for investigation.
TNPSC Chairman quits over graft charges

Composition of TNPSC
Thiru R.Sellamuthu,I.A.S (Retd.) Hon'ble Chairman 044-28297765
Thiru M. Ramasamy Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.303
Thiru T.Sankaralingam Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.305
Dr.K.Lakshmanan Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.307
Tmt.M.Shobini Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.309
Dr.S.Xavier Jesu Raja Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.405
Dr. K. M. Ravi Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.409
Thiru. G. Shanmuga Murugan Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.402
Thiru. K. K. Raja Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92 ext.407
Dr. S. Panneerselvam Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92
Thiru V. Rathinasabapathy Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92
Dr. P. Perumalsamy Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92
Thiru T. Kuppusamy Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92
Thiru G. Selvamani Hon'ble Member 044-28297584-86,91-92

The Commission meets at frequent intervals and hands down necessary rules, policies, guidelines and decisions on various issues arising from time to time. The Secretary to the Commission holds responsibility of ensuring implementation of its' various decisions, besides handling day-to-day administration, departmental promotion committees, oral tests for recruitment, etc. The Controller of Exams is responsible for notifying and conducting recruitment and departmental exams.
Currently, the above posts are manned by:
Thiru. T.Udhaya Chandran, I.A.S., Secretary 044-28297767
Thiru. Anil Meshram, I.A.S., Controller of Examinations 044-28297768

Comment: All properties of Corrupt bureaucrats must be confiscated through court orders and converted to schools or libraries for benefit of citizens whose tax payers money has been squandered by IAS mafia.

Quantum hike in cash awards- PVC magnifies sixtyfold

The Hindu- The State government has increased manifold, the quantum of cash awards given to recipients of gallantry awards.

Considering the fact that the previous increase in the quantum was carried out 17 years ago, the government has decided that the recipients of the Param Vir Chakra would be given Rs.15 lakh against the existing Rs.22,500.

Those given the Maha Vir Chakra would get Rs.10 lakh (Rs.15,000); Ashok Chakra Rs.12 lakh (Rs.20,000); Kirti Chakra Rs.8 lakh (Rs.12,000); Vir Chakra Rs.7.5 lakh (Rs.7,000) and Shaurya Chakra Rs.5 lakh (Rs.5,000).

An announcement in this regard was made in the Assembly last week. — Special Correspondent
Quantum hike in cash awards