29 January 2011
The State Bank of India and the Indian Army have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for offering a customized salary package to army personnel across India. The deal was signed at a formal function at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi today.
The MOU was signed by Diwakar Gupta, Deputy Managing Director & Group Executive (National Banking Group) representing SBI and Lieutenant General V K Chaturvedi, AVSM, SM, Director General, Manpower Planning and Personnel Services for the Indian Army.
Under the package army personnel will, among other things, get a unique lifelong account number which can be retained even on transfer or after retirement to draw pension. The bank also offers under the MOU, free Anywhere Banking and free additional ATM cards even for single account holders so that even family members can transact with the same bank account through ATMs when personnel are stationed away from home.
The package also offers automatic sweep to Multi Option Deposits that ensure higher yield on the salary savings as also free Personal Accident Insurance. Also offered are free drafts, free cheque books and free transfer of funds.
The SBI is also offering under a unique and innovative initiative, training facilities to defense personnel in learning centers in the bank. The concept called ''Educate a Thousand, Empower a Million'' would equip army personnel with knowledge on banking, investment opportunities and also impart ''hands on'' training for alternate banking channels like internet banking.
The bank in various tie ups with manufacturing majors like HCL Infosystems, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, Tata Motors etc will offer attractive schemes with sizeable discounts, free foreign trips and free maintenance warranties. All these would be available with loans at attractive interest rates.
Other initiatives under the package include installation of Point of Sale machines at CSD Canteens. These can be accessed free of cost. New ATMs, multi function kiosks and branches to suit the needs of army personnel in the remotest places would also be set up.
Thank you
With regards,
Col JC Narula (Retd)
SBI signs MoU with Indian Army for offering customized salary packages
Showing posts with label e Governance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label e Governance. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
All Officers shortlisted for CVC tainted- Who heads dishonesty?
CVC drags Govt deeper
February 03, 2011 11:57:16 AM
Abraham Thomas | New Delhi
Reveals that all 9 officers shortlisted for CVC’s post were tainted
Raising a serious question mark over the procedures followed by the Centre in the empanelment of IAS officers from States, CVC PJ Thomas on Tuesday revealed that all the nine officers who were empanelled with the Centre in 2008 — including him — were chargesheeted or had complaints pending against them. Singling him out as a “unique case” was not proper, he pointed out.
The charge made by Thomas in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court has put a question mark on the whole empanelment process which allows any officer to move from States to the Centre and occupy an important position in the Union Government.
The Government had claimed that while empanelling Thomas as Central Government officer in 2008, CVC clearance was obtained and this was held out to be a certificate of his “impeccable integrity”.
The disclosure comes ahead of the Thursday hearing in the Supreme Court when the court is to take a final call on the suitability of Thomas to continue as CVC in view of a pending charge-sheet against him in the palmolein import scam, which dates back to 1991-92 during his tenure as Food Secretary with the Kerala Government.
In his affidavit, Thomas said, “Virtually every single officer in the zone of consideration (for empanelment at Centre) had complaints or chargesheets pending.” Besides him, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) prepared note with regard to eight other officers, who had far more serious charges of corruption, misappropriation and embezzlement listed against them. Except one, all other officers got cleared.
Relying on the data collected from the Department of Personnel and Training, Thomas said, “An impression has been created that my case is a unique one, and that I alone suffer some taint against my name. Clearly, it is routine for officers in the discharge of their duties to have cases slapped against them, many of which are trumped up or politically motivated.”
Defending others of his like who were chargesheeted, the affidavit added, “In an environment where a bureaucrat bears the brunt of protests against governmental action, it is necessary that an objective view be taken of how we officers function.”
But a look at the charges leveled against the officers defies all imagination of how these could be politically motivated. One of the cleared officers BR Kundal has been chargesheeted for misappropriation of sale proceeds of essential commodities. VS Dhumal, another officer whom CVC cleared, faces a complaint of immovable property acquired disproportionate to known sources of his income.
Tejinder Kaur is a unique case who got clearance despite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recommending action for transfer of 15 acres of Government land to a cricket association, a matter which is sub-judice. There is also one Ashok Kumar, who got cleared despite a complaint pending against him of misuse of office and corrupt practices. Also, one Brajebeharaj Mahapatra survived the CVC scrutiny in the face of a chargesheet regarding wrongly claiming reimbursements and penalty of reduction to lower scale of pay imposed. There is a separate complaint of corruption pending against him in which the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended punishment.
Aware of the Centre’s stand in trying to distance itself from the controversy and the subsequent pressure on him to resign, Thomas stood his ground in the affidavit highlighting his merits --- being the senior-most among the serving cadre of Secretaries, and holding experience in administration, vigilance and policy making posts. Making out a case that the palmolein “taint” against him was political, Thomas said, “I have been held out to the public as a tainted officials. This is rather tragic as my record during 37 years of service has been without blemish.”
Tainted Thomas
•Singling him out as a ‘unique case’ not proper, says Thomas
•Allegations could be politically motivated, he submits in court
•Thomas lists his merits as ‘senior-most among the serving Secretaries, and holding experience in administration, vigilance and policy-making’
•Another empanelled member, Tejinder Kaur, got clearance despite CBI recommending action for transfer of 15-acre Govt land, he says
•Brajebeharaj, who had also been empanelled, survived CBI scrutiny despite being indicted by UPSC
•The disclosure comes ahead of the Thursday hearing in the Supreme Court when the court is to take a final call
CVC drags Govt deeper
Corruption disgraces India: PM
New Delhi: Corruption dents India's image, hampers good governance and needs to be tackled "boldly and quickly", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday.
"Corruption strikes at the roots of good governance. It is an impediment to faster growth. It dilutes, if not negates, our efforts at social inclusion," Manmohan Singh said, two days after former communications minister A. Raja was arrested for his suspected role in the 2G spectrum scam, billed as the country's biggest to date.
"It dents our international image and it demeans us before our own people," the prime minister said, addressing the second annual conference of chief secretaries of states here.
He said the challenge of corruption needed to "be faced frontally, boldly and quickly".
Corruption dents India's image, tackle it boldly- Read more
February 03, 2011 11:57:16 AM
Abraham Thomas | New Delhi
Reveals that all 9 officers shortlisted for CVC’s post were tainted
Raising a serious question mark over the procedures followed by the Centre in the empanelment of IAS officers from States, CVC PJ Thomas on Tuesday revealed that all the nine officers who were empanelled with the Centre in 2008 — including him — were chargesheeted or had complaints pending against them. Singling him out as a “unique case” was not proper, he pointed out.
The charge made by Thomas in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court has put a question mark on the whole empanelment process which allows any officer to move from States to the Centre and occupy an important position in the Union Government.
The Government had claimed that while empanelling Thomas as Central Government officer in 2008, CVC clearance was obtained and this was held out to be a certificate of his “impeccable integrity”.
The disclosure comes ahead of the Thursday hearing in the Supreme Court when the court is to take a final call on the suitability of Thomas to continue as CVC in view of a pending charge-sheet against him in the palmolein import scam, which dates back to 1991-92 during his tenure as Food Secretary with the Kerala Government.
In his affidavit, Thomas said, “Virtually every single officer in the zone of consideration (for empanelment at Centre) had complaints or chargesheets pending.” Besides him, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) prepared note with regard to eight other officers, who had far more serious charges of corruption, misappropriation and embezzlement listed against them. Except one, all other officers got cleared.
Relying on the data collected from the Department of Personnel and Training, Thomas said, “An impression has been created that my case is a unique one, and that I alone suffer some taint against my name. Clearly, it is routine for officers in the discharge of their duties to have cases slapped against them, many of which are trumped up or politically motivated.”
Defending others of his like who were chargesheeted, the affidavit added, “In an environment where a bureaucrat bears the brunt of protests against governmental action, it is necessary that an objective view be taken of how we officers function.”
But a look at the charges leveled against the officers defies all imagination of how these could be politically motivated. One of the cleared officers BR Kundal has been chargesheeted for misappropriation of sale proceeds of essential commodities. VS Dhumal, another officer whom CVC cleared, faces a complaint of immovable property acquired disproportionate to known sources of his income.
Tejinder Kaur is a unique case who got clearance despite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recommending action for transfer of 15 acres of Government land to a cricket association, a matter which is sub-judice. There is also one Ashok Kumar, who got cleared despite a complaint pending against him of misuse of office and corrupt practices. Also, one Brajebeharaj Mahapatra survived the CVC scrutiny in the face of a chargesheet regarding wrongly claiming reimbursements and penalty of reduction to lower scale of pay imposed. There is a separate complaint of corruption pending against him in which the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended punishment.
Aware of the Centre’s stand in trying to distance itself from the controversy and the subsequent pressure on him to resign, Thomas stood his ground in the affidavit highlighting his merits --- being the senior-most among the serving cadre of Secretaries, and holding experience in administration, vigilance and policy making posts. Making out a case that the palmolein “taint” against him was political, Thomas said, “I have been held out to the public as a tainted officials. This is rather tragic as my record during 37 years of service has been without blemish.”
Tainted Thomas
•Singling him out as a ‘unique case’ not proper, says Thomas
•Allegations could be politically motivated, he submits in court
•Thomas lists his merits as ‘senior-most among the serving Secretaries, and holding experience in administration, vigilance and policy-making’
•Another empanelled member, Tejinder Kaur, got clearance despite CBI recommending action for transfer of 15-acre Govt land, he says
•Brajebeharaj, who had also been empanelled, survived CBI scrutiny despite being indicted by UPSC
•The disclosure comes ahead of the Thursday hearing in the Supreme Court when the court is to take a final call
CVC drags Govt deeper
Corruption disgraces India: PM
New Delhi: Corruption dents India's image, hampers good governance and needs to be tackled "boldly and quickly", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday.
"Corruption strikes at the roots of good governance. It is an impediment to faster growth. It dilutes, if not negates, our efforts at social inclusion," Manmohan Singh said, two days after former communications minister A. Raja was arrested for his suspected role in the 2G spectrum scam, billed as the country's biggest to date.
"It dents our international image and it demeans us before our own people," the prime minister said, addressing the second annual conference of chief secretaries of states here.
He said the challenge of corruption needed to "be faced frontally, boldly and quickly".
Corruption dents India's image, tackle it boldly- Read more
Thursday, December 9, 2010
CVC Citizen Digital Interface to Combat Corruption- "Vig-Eye"
Project Vigeye (Vigilance Eye) is a citizen-centric initiative, wherein citizens join hands with the Central Vigilance Commission in fighting corruption in India.
Project Vigeye is the platform through which vigilance information flows freely through common public, the government agencies and the vigilance commission, making it possible to achieve a step jump in improving the corruption index of the nation.
You can send an empty SMS or "VIGEYE" to 09223174440 to get an SMS containing the registration link in your mobile. The important features of Project Vigeye are:
Citizens have multiple channels to air their grievances and complaints to CVC
a) Through their mobile phones: by downloading the mobile application from the CVC website. The complaints can be better articulated with additional data like audio/ video/ photo evidence from their mobiles directly.
b) Through the internet: by filling up the complaint form online they can attach audio/video/photo evidence.
c) Through telephone: help line have been setup
The entire complaint processing is done online, in digital form, enabling fast and accurate processing of complaints.
The concerned CVO will interact with the complainant directly over phone/email or in person, as the case may be, to take it forward
Status of the complaint is communicated back to the complainant - the communication loop becomes complete
Vig-Eye: click here
09/12/2010
Upload videos, audios to expose corruption on CVC's 'Vig-Eye'New Delhi: In a unique move, the Central Vigilance Commission on Thursday launched an exclusive website for people to upload videos, audios and lodge complaints exposing acts of corruption in government departments.
According to an anti-corruption watchdog official, Vig-Eye (an acronym for vigilance eye), provides a more user-friendly platform for interface between the CVC and the citizens who may have suffered at the hands of corrupt officials and who want to disclose information about such illegal activities.
"The advantage of Vig-Eye includes simplified process of filing complaints and it will provide authentic identity of the complainant. Vig-Eye would be completely digitised and it will give online access to vigilance information," Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas said while inaugurating the web portal.
"Efforts at modernising the vigilance framework are underway which include development of new models of preventive vigilance, adoption of risk management approach and aligning the vigilance function with the corporate governance framework," he said.
The CVC said that preventive and punitive approaches to addressing corruption need to complement each other. The Commission has adopted a strategy of leveraging technology and has been persuading the government to adopt e -governance measures.
"The aim is to use technology in activities vulnerable to corruption in order to reduce human intervention," he said. Thomas said that the Commission has undertaken a campaign aimed at creating awareness about corruption and inculcating ethics on good governance. The campaign would help reduce people's tolerance for corruption.
The Commission has also recommended to the government to include ethics education in the school curriculum, Thomas said. Thomas was speaking during a seminar 'Empowering citizens to combat corruption' organised at Vigyan Bhawan here on International Anti-Corruption Day. The seminar was aimed at deliberating and recommending proactive and participative measures to combat corruption.
Introducing the Vig-Eye, Vigilance Commissioner Srikumar said that it will help build up the vision of proactive and predictive vigilance. The VC said that people can use mobile phones and web based technologies to lodge complaints or grievances using mobile phones with a software application specially designed to file complaints.
People can visit CVC's website (http://www.cvc.nic.in/) to access or get more information on Vig-Eye. The CVC acts as an apex anti-corruption statutory body mandated to fight corruption and ensuring probity in public life.
Source: Agencies
Upload videos, audios to expose corruption on CVC's 'Vig-Eye'
On second thoughts...
Can CVC Doubting Thomas be trusted?
Project Vigeye is the platform through which vigilance information flows freely through common public, the government agencies and the vigilance commission, making it possible to achieve a step jump in improving the corruption index of the nation.
You can send an empty SMS or "VIGEYE" to 09223174440 to get an SMS containing the registration link in your mobile. The important features of Project Vigeye are:
a) Through their mobile phones: by downloading the mobile application from the CVC website. The complaints can be better articulated with additional data like audio/ video/ photo evidence from their mobiles directly.
b) Through the internet: by filling up the complaint form online they can attach audio/video/photo evidence.
c) Through telephone: help line have been setup
Vig-Eye: click here
09/12/2010
Upload videos, audios to expose corruption on CVC's 'Vig-Eye'New Delhi: In a unique move, the Central Vigilance Commission on Thursday launched an exclusive website for people to upload videos, audios and lodge complaints exposing acts of corruption in government departments.
According to an anti-corruption watchdog official, Vig-Eye (an acronym for vigilance eye), provides a more user-friendly platform for interface between the CVC and the citizens who may have suffered at the hands of corrupt officials and who want to disclose information about such illegal activities.
"The advantage of Vig-Eye includes simplified process of filing complaints and it will provide authentic identity of the complainant. Vig-Eye would be completely digitised and it will give online access to vigilance information," Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas said while inaugurating the web portal.
"Efforts at modernising the vigilance framework are underway which include development of new models of preventive vigilance, adoption of risk management approach and aligning the vigilance function with the corporate governance framework," he said.
The CVC said that preventive and punitive approaches to addressing corruption need to complement each other. The Commission has adopted a strategy of leveraging technology and has been persuading the government to adopt e -governance measures.
"The aim is to use technology in activities vulnerable to corruption in order to reduce human intervention," he said. Thomas said that the Commission has undertaken a campaign aimed at creating awareness about corruption and inculcating ethics on good governance. The campaign would help reduce people's tolerance for corruption.
The Commission has also recommended to the government to include ethics education in the school curriculum, Thomas said. Thomas was speaking during a seminar 'Empowering citizens to combat corruption' organised at Vigyan Bhawan here on International Anti-Corruption Day. The seminar was aimed at deliberating and recommending proactive and participative measures to combat corruption.
Introducing the Vig-Eye, Vigilance Commissioner Srikumar said that it will help build up the vision of proactive and predictive vigilance. The VC said that people can use mobile phones and web based technologies to lodge complaints or grievances using mobile phones with a software application specially designed to file complaints.
People can visit CVC's website (http://www.cvc.nic.in/) to access or get more information on Vig-Eye. The CVC acts as an apex anti-corruption statutory body mandated to fight corruption and ensuring probity in public life.
Source: Agencies
Upload videos, audios to expose corruption on CVC's 'Vig-Eye'
On second thoughts...
Can CVC Doubting Thomas be trusted?
Saturday, July 10, 2010
RTI: Portal for knowledge and learning
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the RTI Act imposes new obligations on all stakeholders. The government is called upon to be more transparent and accountable in decision and policy making, and manage its records better. Addressing at the launch of “RTI Portal developed by Institute of Management in Government (IMG)” at Thiruvananthpuram (Kerala) today, he has said that the civil society is expected to be an informal clearing house for information to help common citizens understand and use this new instrumentality. This makes possible the participation of citizens in governance beyond elections.
Vice President launches RTI Portal Developed by IMG at Thiruvananthapuram
Institute of Management in Government (IMG) is the apex training institute of the Government of Kerala. It is situated in the heart of the capital city Thiruvananthapurm and operates from two training campuses, the Barton Hill training complex and the administrative/training complex. Strategically located in the heart of the city, it is at a stones throw from the State Secretariat and Legislative Assembly complex.
The Institute of Management in Government, Thiruvananthapuram was established as an autonomous body under the auspices of the Government of Kerala in 1981 with the objective of developing managerial skills, organisational abilities, leadership qualities and decision making skills among different categories of employees of Government, Private and Public sector.
e-Learning
As part of the RTI Knowledge Portal the Institute has initiated the work of preparing a bi-lingual e-learning module wherein any stakeholder including the government officials and the general public can register and get certified online. Trainers undergoing this course may have to qualify an additional chapter The contents have been organized in user friendly manner and there shall be interim quizzes and tests in each section and the learner can proceed to the subsequent chapter only after scoring 80% or above in each chapter. As part of this we also plan to create video lectures by setting up mechanism for lecture capturing in classroom and then creation and authoring of video lectures with course materials as well as the facility to archive and stream the synchronized videos on demand.
Please visit : rti.img.kerala.gov.in
RTI Index
RTI India Forum
Vice President launches RTI Portal Developed by IMG at Thiruvananthapuram
Institute of Management in Government (IMG) is the apex training institute of the Government of Kerala. It is situated in the heart of the capital city Thiruvananthapurm and operates from two training campuses, the Barton Hill training complex and the administrative/training complex. Strategically located in the heart of the city, it is at a stones throw from the State Secretariat and Legislative Assembly complex.
The Institute of Management in Government, Thiruvananthapuram was established as an autonomous body under the auspices of the Government of Kerala in 1981 with the objective of developing managerial skills, organisational abilities, leadership qualities and decision making skills among different categories of employees of Government, Private and Public sector.
e-Learning
As part of the RTI Knowledge Portal the Institute has initiated the work of preparing a bi-lingual e-learning module wherein any stakeholder including the government officials and the general public can register and get certified online. Trainers undergoing this course may have to qualify an additional chapter The contents have been organized in user friendly manner and there shall be interim quizzes and tests in each section and the learner can proceed to the subsequent chapter only after scoring 80% or above in each chapter. As part of this we also plan to create video lectures by setting up mechanism for lecture capturing in classroom and then creation and authoring of video lectures with course materials as well as the facility to archive and stream the synchronized videos on demand.
Please visit : rti.img.kerala.gov.in
RTI Index
RTI India Forum
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Governance: Finance Minister to dedicate IT CPC to the Nation
The Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will dedicate the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) of the Income Tax department at Bengaluru to the nation today on 29th May 2010.
The Income Tax department has set up the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) at Bengaluru for bulk processing of income tax returns. The CPC will process all electronic tax returns of the entire country, and physical returns of Karnataka and Goa regions. It is equipped with a dedicated call centre, where taxpayers can enquire about the status of their returns and refunds, and also has a remote record storage unit, which would reduce congestion in the IT offices.
The CPC is a flagship e-governance project of the Government of India. It promises to significantly improve delivery of citizen-centric services in line with best international practices. DSM/BY
FM to Dedicate I-T Department’s CPC at Bengaluru to Nation
The Income Tax department has set up the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) at Bengaluru for bulk processing of income tax returns. The CPC will process all electronic tax returns of the entire country, and physical returns of Karnataka and Goa regions. It is equipped with a dedicated call centre, where taxpayers can enquire about the status of their returns and refunds, and also has a remote record storage unit, which would reduce congestion in the IT offices.
The CPC is a flagship e-governance project of the Government of India. It promises to significantly improve delivery of citizen-centric services in line with best international practices. DSM/BY
FM to Dedicate I-T Department’s CPC at Bengaluru to Nation
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
India Corruption Inc: IAS Officers steal the show
2 NHAI officials charged with graft
TNN, May 26, 2010, 01.51am IST
NEW DELHI: At a time when awarding of national highway projects is back on track, corruption charges against two top NHAI officials has come as a big blow to the authority's claim of following transparent norms in the bidding process.
On Tuesday, CBI registered a case of criminal conspiracy and corruption against two senior NHAI officials — a chief general manager and a general manager. The agency also slapped similar charges on two senior executives of a Delhi-based road construction company.
The CBI raids on Tuesday came only a few days after the ministry managed to convince a construction major to withdraw cases against NHAI in Delhi High Court, in which it had alleged that the authority had rejected its bids on frivolous grounds in four cases. The next date of hearing in this case was June 26. The CBI said the modus operandi of NHAI officials was to eliminate all potential contenders on one pretext or the other and favour the accused company ensuring huge financial gains to it.
Sources said the two NHAI officials — S K Nirmal and Nitin Jain — conspired with the managing director of Oriental Structural Engineers Pvt Ltd, K S Bakshi, and another senior executive S K Dixit and awarded the contract of four-laning of Nagpur-Betul section of NH-69. Sources said the investigation could even involve a top-ranking NHAI official, who could be the mentor of the two accused.
The 120-km stretch falls in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Investigators said NHAI had received 13 bids for this project of which four were rejected by officials on 'frivolous grounds' at the qualification stage. Four more bidders were eliminated in the next stage of bidding by making stipulations pertaining to submission of original documents in gross violation of the conditions of the tender.
2 NHAI officials charged with graft
Multi Crore Poultry Feed Scam
Correspondent CUTTACK: The State police anti-corruption wing on Tuesday registered corruption and criminal cases against senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethy and another official for their alleged involvement in multi-crore poultry feed scam. Besides the officials, cases have also been registered against three prominent poultry farms of the State and raids are also being conducted in these farms on...
IAS Officer Arrested in Cuttack
Airhostess has Rs4.99-crore assets: CBI
Aditya Kaul / DNA Wednesday, May 12, 2010 1:20 IST
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed a substantial amount of wealth, including Rs67.5 lakh and foreign currency of various countries from the bank lockers being operated by Indian Airlines air hostess Anu Puri
Ms Anu in IAS Officer Ravi's honey trap: click for full details
IAS officer arrested after ACB raid
PTI, May 4, 2010, 07.37pm IST
HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer after it claimed to have unearthed assets worth over Rs 20 crore that were disproportionate to his known sources of income. The Central Investigation Unit of the ACB raided the residence of M Jaganmohan, a 1999-batch IAS officer currently posted as Joint Collector of Ranga Reddy district, and claimed to have seized three kilograms of gold, Rs 15 lakh in cash and many property documents.
IAS Officer arrested after ACB raid: click here for more details
TNN, May 26, 2010, 01.51am IST
NEW DELHI: At a time when awarding of national highway projects is back on track, corruption charges against two top NHAI officials has come as a big blow to the authority's claim of following transparent norms in the bidding process.
On Tuesday, CBI registered a case of criminal conspiracy and corruption against two senior NHAI officials — a chief general manager and a general manager. The agency also slapped similar charges on two senior executives of a Delhi-based road construction company.
The CBI raids on Tuesday came only a few days after the ministry managed to convince a construction major to withdraw cases against NHAI in Delhi High Court, in which it had alleged that the authority had rejected its bids on frivolous grounds in four cases. The next date of hearing in this case was June 26. The CBI said the modus operandi of NHAI officials was to eliminate all potential contenders on one pretext or the other and favour the accused company ensuring huge financial gains to it.
Sources said the two NHAI officials — S K Nirmal and Nitin Jain — conspired with the managing director of Oriental Structural Engineers Pvt Ltd, K S Bakshi, and another senior executive S K Dixit and awarded the contract of four-laning of Nagpur-Betul section of NH-69. Sources said the investigation could even involve a top-ranking NHAI official, who could be the mentor of the two accused.
The 120-km stretch falls in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Investigators said NHAI had received 13 bids for this project of which four were rejected by officials on 'frivolous grounds' at the qualification stage. Four more bidders were eliminated in the next stage of bidding by making stipulations pertaining to submission of original documents in gross violation of the conditions of the tender.
2 NHAI officials charged with graft
Multi Crore Poultry Feed Scam
Correspondent CUTTACK: The State police anti-corruption wing on Tuesday registered corruption and criminal cases against senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethy and another official for their alleged involvement in multi-crore poultry feed scam. Besides the officials, cases have also been registered against three prominent poultry farms of the State and raids are also being conducted in these farms on...
IAS Officer Arrested in Cuttack
Airhostess has Rs4.99-crore assets: CBI
Aditya Kaul / DNA Wednesday, May 12, 2010 1:20 IST
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed a substantial amount of wealth, including Rs67.5 lakh and foreign currency of various countries from the bank lockers being operated by Indian Airlines air hostess Anu Puri
Ms Anu in IAS Officer Ravi's honey trap: click for full details
IAS officer arrested after ACB raid
PTI, May 4, 2010, 07.37pm IST
HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer after it claimed to have unearthed assets worth over Rs 20 crore that were disproportionate to his known sources of income. The Central Investigation Unit of the ACB raided the residence of M Jaganmohan, a 1999-batch IAS officer currently posted as Joint Collector of Ranga Reddy district, and claimed to have seized three kilograms of gold, Rs 15 lakh in cash and many property documents.
IAS Officer arrested after ACB raid: click here for more details
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Here babus are billionaires
A Tribune Exclusive by Chitleen K Sethi Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 26
Mirror mirror on the wall…who is the richest of them all? Forced to make their assets public under the Right To Information Act, the property returns filed by the 151 IAS officers serving in Punjab have revealed an eclectic mix of billionaires, millionaires and some with nothing at all.
Many have been “allotted” properties by the government agencies. Some managed these through discretionary quotas, making use of their official positions to the hilt.
Then there are some who have been so lucky that every time they applied for a property in the draw of lots they got it. Many of them own several properties in the periphery of Chandigarh.
The richest IAS officer in the state is SS Channi, Principal Secretary (Industries). The man, who owned just a 10-marla plot in Mohali in 1982-83, now has several acres of agricultural land, a 50 per cent share in a filling station in Bathinda, a transport company in Bathinda, a house in Sector 18, Chandigarh, a flat in Delhi, a plot in Gurgaon, another in Noida and a two-kanal plot in the IAS PCS House Building Society, Mohali.
“Most of the land and businesses were inherited by Channi. The flats and plots he has bought have been shown as purchased after selling other properties,” said advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, HC Arora, who had sought the information under the RTI Act.
Arora has now received the details of the property returns following orders of the Punjab State Information Commission.
Another smart investor has been Shivinder Singh Brar, Financial Commissioner (Excise and Taxation). Apart from ancestral property, he has two houses in Delhi, a commercial flat in Delhi, a house in the Punjab State IAS Cooperative Housing Society at Chandigarh, agricultural lands in village Kansal and Giddarbaha and also a godown in Giddarbaha.
The “allottees” include Varun Roozam, who was allotted a 500-sq yard industrial plot in Phase VI Mohali. He later sold off the property. Priyank Bharati was allotted 220 sq yards of commercial property by PSIDC in 1995. Dr Avinder Singh states in his return of 2004 that the chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board allotted him a residential plot from a “discretionary” quota.
Sujata Das was allotted a residential plot in Sector 8, Panchkula, from the discretionary quota of the then CM. She was again allotted a residential flat in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, from another discretionary quota.
Surinderjit Sandhu was allotted a corner plot in discretionary quota by the then Director (Housing) in Jalandhar. P. Ram was allotted a 500-sq yard residential plot from the minister’s quota in Mohali.
IAS officers also seem to get property at very comfortable rates. Rakhi Gupta Bhandari purchased a 288-sq yard residential plot on Dhanola Road, Barnala, in 2008 for Rs 2.40 lakh. Sarup Singh Dhillon purchased agricultural land at Bassi Pathana at “collector’s rate” where he is growing vegetables in a green house. He purchased a house in Sector 34, Chandigarh, at a rate fixed by the estate officer in March 2005.
Interestingly, there are some officers who seem to have “nothing at all”. According to their current returns, Vijay Janjua, Sundram Krishna, Vivek Partap Singh, Rajat Aggarwal, Manisha Trighatia, Ajoy Sharma, Pradeep Agarwal and Manjeet Singh don’t own any immoveable property.
Here babus are billionaires
Chandigarh, December 26
Mirror mirror on the wall…who is the richest of them all? Forced to make their assets public under the Right To Information Act, the property returns filed by the 151 IAS officers serving in Punjab have revealed an eclectic mix of billionaires, millionaires and some with nothing at all.
Many have been “allotted” properties by the government agencies. Some managed these through discretionary quotas, making use of their official positions to the hilt.
Then there are some who have been so lucky that every time they applied for a property in the draw of lots they got it. Many of them own several properties in the periphery of Chandigarh.
The richest IAS officer in the state is SS Channi, Principal Secretary (Industries). The man, who owned just a 10-marla plot in Mohali in 1982-83, now has several acres of agricultural land, a 50 per cent share in a filling station in Bathinda, a transport company in Bathinda, a house in Sector 18, Chandigarh, a flat in Delhi, a plot in Gurgaon, another in Noida and a two-kanal plot in the IAS PCS House Building Society, Mohali.
“Most of the land and businesses were inherited by Channi. The flats and plots he has bought have been shown as purchased after selling other properties,” said advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, HC Arora, who had sought the information under the RTI Act.
Arora has now received the details of the property returns following orders of the Punjab State Information Commission.
Another smart investor has been Shivinder Singh Brar, Financial Commissioner (Excise and Taxation). Apart from ancestral property, he has two houses in Delhi, a commercial flat in Delhi, a house in the Punjab State IAS Cooperative Housing Society at Chandigarh, agricultural lands in village Kansal and Giddarbaha and also a godown in Giddarbaha.
The “allottees” include Varun Roozam, who was allotted a 500-sq yard industrial plot in Phase VI Mohali. He later sold off the property. Priyank Bharati was allotted 220 sq yards of commercial property by PSIDC in 1995. Dr Avinder Singh states in his return of 2004 that the chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board allotted him a residential plot from a “discretionary” quota.
Sujata Das was allotted a residential plot in Sector 8, Panchkula, from the discretionary quota of the then CM. She was again allotted a residential flat in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, from another discretionary quota.
Surinderjit Sandhu was allotted a corner plot in discretionary quota by the then Director (Housing) in Jalandhar. P. Ram was allotted a 500-sq yard residential plot from the minister’s quota in Mohali.
IAS officers also seem to get property at very comfortable rates. Rakhi Gupta Bhandari purchased a 288-sq yard residential plot on Dhanola Road, Barnala, in 2008 for Rs 2.40 lakh. Sarup Singh Dhillon purchased agricultural land at Bassi Pathana at “collector’s rate” where he is growing vegetables in a green house. He purchased a house in Sector 34, Chandigarh, at a rate fixed by the estate officer in March 2005.
Interestingly, there are some officers who seem to have “nothing at all”. According to their current returns, Vijay Janjua, Sundram Krishna, Vivek Partap Singh, Rajat Aggarwal, Manisha Trighatia, Ajoy Sharma, Pradeep Agarwal and Manjeet Singh don’t own any immoveable property.
Here babus are billionaires
Friday, August 28, 2009
PM addresses XVII Biennial Conference of CBI
27-Aug-2009
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today urged the CBI and state anti-corruption officials to go “aggressively” after “high level corruption” to change the perception that “petty cases get tackled quickly but the big fish escape punishment”. “Rapid, fair and accurate investigation of allegations of corruption in high places should remain your utmost priority. The nation expects you to act firmly, swiftly and without fear or favour. You have... constitutional protection... to do so,” Singh told officers from the CBI, Central Vigilance Commission and anti-corruption bureaus of all states and UTs at the inauguration of a two-day conference in the Capital.
The PM presented medals of outstanding service to 20 officers.
No fear, go after big fish, PM tells CBI at anti-corruption meet
Related reading:
PM addresses the XVII Biennial Conference of CBI and State Anti-Corruption Bureaux
PM’S KEY NOTE ADDRESS TO CONFERENCE OF CBI & STATE ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAUS: GOVERNMENT TO BRING FORWARD PUBLIC SERVICES BILL
Comments
By: Dr Rekha Jagannath 27-Aug-2009
After such a impressive election win it is certainly time to pursue this greatest monster roaring against our Democracy and Economy. Our currency is not readily accepted in rest of the world due to this bane. Quality at all levels of governance is sacrificed to feed corruption. Education system is topsy turvy and scare of the genuine because of it. All infrastructural work is suffering controlled by it. Dr Singh did initiate a bit of anti corruption drive in 1991 when when he introduced delicensing and other versions of it attacking the lion's den of corruption. Corruption in high cadres is the biggest crime against the Nation(Late eminent Economist who remains obscure, Dr Venkatagiri Gowda of Karnataka who did his best to fight corruption at all levels till last days often said "Corrupt at the top have to be hanged!"). A significant proportion of GDP gain could be garnered if serious attempts are made. Hope it is a serious statement coming from our incorruptible PM!
Corruption in Defence Forces
The scale of corruption especially emanating from Services like ASC, Ordnance, MES, CSD (I) is escalating from PBORs to higher echelons of Command. The "commission" syndrome is sucking the quality of life in the Armed Forces. The clamour for commission for every kind of local purchase, tender process and so forth is galloping at an extraordinary pace! The Chief who heads the organisation is morally responsible for the declining standards.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Coping with China: Can we tackle a 1962 like debacle?
August 16, 2009 (English version), Coping with China By K Subrahmanyam Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of Naval Staff and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee who is due to retire at the end of this month delivered an address on national security under the aegis of the National Maritime Foundation on the 10th of August. It was a fairly comprehensive overview of our national security perspective. Though delivered by the senior most Service Officer, the lecture was remarkable as it went beyond the military realm and focused on a broad strategic and political vision in the currently evolving international situation.
In a sense this address by Admiral Mehta signified the arrival of senior service officers at the top rung of national grand strategy formulation. His eminently pragmatic, strategic vision has been misinterpreted in certain sections of the media as a cry of despair that India will not be able to catch up with China militarily. He has made it clear that India has no intention to do so. At the same time he has formulated the most viable strategy to cope with this situation. Whether India - with a population likely to exceed China’s in the next two decades; the advantage of a much younger age profile of that population; its post September 2008 integration with the rest of the world; and being a democracy along with the all other major powers as also English-speaking - will ultimately catch up with China it is too early to predict. China today has the advantage of a decade and half of head start in economic reforms and globalization and very close industrial cooperation with US and other multinational firms. Admiral Mehta has detailed the lead China has gained on this account over India. That is an inexorable reality which Indian strategists have to accept and factor in coping with China. The word Admiral Mehta has chosen to use is ‘coping with China’, not confronting or competing with it.
Addressing those who entertain expectations that 1962 can be repeated, Admiral Mehta highlighted that the economic penalties resulting from a potential Sino-Indian military conflict would have grave consequences for both sides. Unlike in 1962, China has today multiple vulnerabilities and has to consider seriously the effect of a war on its energy supply lines. In such circumstances mutual cooperation is to the benefit of both countries. Therefore Admiral Mehta’s advocacy is for India reducing its military gap with China and countering the growing Chinese footprint in the Indian Ocean region. He does not favor the traditional bean-counting or division for division approach in closing the gap. Instead, he wants to rely on harnessing modern technology for developing high situational awareness and creating a reliable standoff deterrent. The recent launch of the nuclear submarine, Arihant is a step in that direction. Admiral Mehta further adds, that in order to minimize the chances of conflict, India should proactively engage China diplomatically, economically, culturally and in people to people contacts. At the same time India should nurture its relations with US, Russia, Japan and other East Asian countries to leverage towards this end. In his view our growing relations with South East and East Asian countries would increase opportunities for cooperative engagement with China as well.
Besides focusing on this core subject, the lecture also dealt with nonstate actors, shaping our immediate neighborhood, securing our maritime borders, internal security, intelligence, cyber warfare, higher defence integration and jointness among the three services, nuclear issues, reducing dependence on other countries for equipment, trends in defence expenditure and adequacy of our defense outlays, delays in our procurement procedures, governance and culture of strategic thinking. His ideas are thought- provoking and deserve to be objectively debated by the Indian strategic community.
In a sense this address breaks new ground. A service chief has put on record his views on a whole host of national security issues just a few weeks before demitting office. Many of these issues have been under consideration for ages without solutions. In today’s security environment these need to be debated openly in the country- to generate public pressure for early decision- making in the Government. Regrettably, in our Parliament national security issues do not receive the attention they merit and therefore greater the need for informed public debate.
Extracts only, to read full article click link below:
Coping with China
Monday, August 10, 2009
Armoured Corps Officer becomes "King" of Wireless
Lt Col HS Bedi (Retd), VSM joined the Indian Army, following his three generation old family tradition of serving the nation in the Army and was commissioned in the 72 Armored regiment. A National Defence Academy pass out, Lt Col Bedi developed management qualities during his tenure in the army. He got an opportunity to learn computers in the Army's Faculty of Computer Technology at MCTE, Mhow. After the completion of his training, Lt Col Bedi was appointed as an instructor in the faculty. As part of the student projects, Lt Col Bedi got an opportunity to interact with the industry thought leaders and at the same time propose solutions to them. He was thereafter called upon to develop a large number of technology solutions for the then Chief of the Army Staff, General K Sundarji and various Army Headquarters Directorates. After his initial success in the field, Lt Col Bedi was posted to the Army Headquarters to coordinate the Army's Automation plan. Lt Col HS Bedi was awarded the `Vishisht Seva Medal' (VSM) by the President of India for his role in the computerization of the Indian Army.
After serving in the Indian Army for 22 years, Lt Col Bedi recognized his entrepreneurial skills in the field of Information Technology and decided to leave the Indian Army to start his own company. He took over the business of Tulip as its Director. His leadership and vision has enabled the company not only to constantly grow into more profitable business segments but also to attain the leadership position in every segment that it has functioned in.
Under his guidance, Tulip Telecom Services has established itself as one of the strongest network connectivity players in the industry. Tulip has achieved enviable success in a short span and has experienced exponential growth with a turnover of Rs 1242.14 Crores (USD 310.73 Million) for the FY 2008 and employee strength of over 2100. The company has been successful in creating immense value for all its stake holders.
Often addressed as the ‘King of Wireless', it is Lt Col.Bedi's foresight that envisaged the beginning of a new era in connectivity. Today, Lt Col HS Bedi, is a well-recognized business leader in the IT and telecom industry and has vast experience in this field.
Mission Statement of Tulip Telecom Limited
Vision
Mission
Corporate Citizenship
Tulip strives to be an intellectual and social asset of the community and environment.
Corporate Governance
Tulip takes pride in its Corporate Governance and strives to continuously improve its processes in order to ensure a seamless and transparently functioning organization that creates immense value for all its stakeholders.
Tulip
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