Indian political leaders and bureaucrat

[Capt M Kumar]

Text of email sent wrt #180

Dear Gen Satbir Singh,

Thanx a lot for taking up cudgels against irresponsible statement by highlighting it in media.
If possible, please pursue the matter further so that anybody who makes such a statement does not get away with. Person should be declared traitor. And efforts be made to enact such a law if not already there and punished accordingly.
This matter at present can be taken up with Speaker of Lok Sabha where such an irresponsible statement was made and effort should be made to get the MP disqualified for the same.

Bye the way, all this has produced 1 desirable effect viz. Kargil War has become the war of the soldiers and by the soldiers; the standing testimony to which is the Kargil Memorial declared open at Drass.

Sincerely,

Capt® M Kumar
NriSoldierLeague
www.sainiksangh.org

[Capt M Kumar]

<!--emo&leepy--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sleepysmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sleepysmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo--> First-timers, young MPs' performance below average: Study

NEW DELHI: First-time MPs and young parliamentarians, elected to the 15th Lok Sabha amid focus on youth, will have to do more to live up to expectations as their performance during the budget session has been below average, according to a study.

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.as...umentid=3127465

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Let’s get rid of babudom</b>
Joginder Singh

The Union Minister for Administrative Reforms and Personnel recently admitted that <b>“there is a perception that the Indian bureaucracy is inefficient and corrupt. If we are not able to provide for inclusive growth and maintain regional and social balance in the country, it may lead to conflicts which may shake the very foundations of our federal polity and our nation”.</b> He also added that India’s performance on UNDP’s Human Development Index remains “abysmal”. India still ranks 132 out of 179 countries.

The present Law Minister had headed the Administrative Reforms Commission and submitted his recommendations to improve the administration. The Minister for Personnel has said, “It is not possible to implement all recommendations of the commission because of different reasons.” He wanted these recommendations to be deliberated and debated.

We have the world’s most unique system. <b>First we set up commissions or committees of eminent people and then the same people, who felt that they had picked up the most competent people for the job, are also asked to examine their reports, then assess whether they should be accepted or not. Often bureaucrats, who are responsible for the mess get to decide whether the measures are acceptable or not.</b>

<b>In our country we have given so much power to the bureaucracy that its efforts are directed at making the possible into impossible.</b> Any change which takes away the authority of the bureaucracy and whittles down its powers is resisted. Every law that is passed means more power for the bureaucracy and expansion of the Inspector Raj.

More than five years ago Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured Indian industry that a high-level standing committee with representatives from industry and the Government would review all existing industrial laws and, <b>if required, amend them to end the tyranny of Inspector Raj. </b>The rules and regulations, he said, would be made “more transparent and simple. The attempt would be to, as far as possible, not leave issues to personal interpretation and to ensure that discretionary power is not misused”. Five years later, things stand where they were five years ago.

The demands for ending Inspector Raj have fallen on deaf ears because of our powerful bureaucracy and incompetent political leadership. Heavens would not fall if the private sector were to be trusted with self-certification. <b>For bureaucrats, the ultimate outcome does not matter. It is the procedure, which spawns corruption, that is important. </b>

It is not that today all regulations are complied with, which is the actual duty of the inspectors of various departments, whose number at present ranges from 35 to 65 depending upon the enterprise in which you are engaged in. Their job is to ensure compliance with rules and regulations. Since most of the inspectors have become extortionists, the private sector rightly wants the Government to end Inspector Raj.

Despite brave statements, India has not done away with the licence-permit-quota raj. It is for this reason that domestic entrepreneurs and foreign investors fulminate against the bureaucratic obstacles race they have to run for months and years before they can get necessary sanctions.

Some checks are essential to enforce minimum standards. It will be best to outsource the same, give the option to the private sector to have its own system of doing so. It has been done in regard to pollution — you can get a certificate for your car at selected petrol stations.

The purpose of having inspectors is to ensure that establishments conform to rules and regulations framed to safeguard public interest. What is expected is the diligent performance of duties by Government functionaries, something that still remains an illusion.

According to Transparency International, India is the 83rd most corrupt country in the world, with 34 marks out of hundred. We are caught in a Catch-22 situation. We need some checks and balances to put things right, as it cannot be said that everybody in the private sector is a paragon of virtue. After all, some of entrepreneurs are as guilty as Government Inspectors as they seek to take short cuts and avoid strict compliance with rules and laws. The only solution seems to be to make all changes self-executing and self-certifying. It is a fact that as degree of discretion increases, so does bureaucratic delay, expenses and corruption.

<b>Tragically, instead of downsizing the bureaucracy, the trend is to increase its presence. Even retired bureaucrats find a slot in some department or the other. In Government service, there is no accountability if you do not do your job. Unless performance is linked to job retention, there is no way the bureaucracy will perform</b> There is only a microscopic minority which is putting in all the hard work, due to which Government continues to function<b>. Unless honest upright bureaucrats are protected, encouraged and recognised, the country will remain where it is — full of corruption, sloth and inefficiency</b>. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Majority of babus are corrupt to core. These fools behave like a tyrant. This problem is not in India but also Indian Embassies worldwide. Everywhere one can hear horror stories dealing with corrupt babus.
Only solution, link their jobs with public report. These low-lives should be shown door. Let private industry replace Babus.permit raj/Hafta raj/ rishvat raj.

[Guest]

PM picks Amartya acolyte as adviser
---
Government sources confirmed to The Telegraph that Kaushik, currently a C. Marks Professor of International Studies and Professor of Economics at Cornell University, had been persuaded to take the job that Prime Minister Singh himself held between 1972 and 1976.

Basu is a known Amartya Sen acolyte and completed his doctoral thesis on “Revealed Preference of Government” under Sen’s supervision in 1976. Basu is the second big-ticket inductee into government after Nandan Nilekani, who assumed charge as chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India earlier this month, and brings on board top-flight economic expertise at a time the UPA government is setting its sights high on development upgrade.
----

[Guest]

<b>Austerity calls, MPs' foreign visit now called off</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi A day after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee asked two ministers — Foreign <b>Minister S M Krishna and his deputy Shashi Tharoor — to shift out of the five-star hotels, </b>Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s call for austerity measures in view of the drought situation in many parts of the country has resulted in the cancellation of the forthcoming foreign tour of a delegation of members of Parliament.
Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the two-nation goodwill tour by 12 MPs belonging to different parties.

The MPs were scheduled to visit Greece and Egypt from September 28 to October 7 as a goodwill visit.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Old habits die hard, Tharror was piling up parking tickets in New York city, he was abusing UN privilege, back in India same old privilege practice.

By the way, where is appointed Prime minister of India, sleeping on his desk or just back to business pushing files.

[Guest]

MP bunglows cost Rs 100 cr
NEW DELHI: Upkeep of VVIP bungalows in the elite Lutyens Zone has cost the public exchequer around Rs 100 crore in the last five
years.
---
A total of 77 bungalows have been alloted to different ministers here.
According to the reply, nearly Rs 11 crore was spent on upkeep of these bungalows in 2004-2005, Rs 9 crore the next year followed by Rs 20 crore in 2006-2007 and Rs 33 crore in 2007-2008. CPWD has spent Rs 21 crore till June 2009 on the maintenance of these bungalows.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-rraajjeevv+Sep 21 2009, 03:26 PM-->QUOTE(rraajjeevv @ Sep 21 2009, 03:26 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->MP bunglows cost Rs 100 cr
NEW DELHI: Upkeep of VVIP bungalows in the elite Lutyens Zone has cost the public exchequer around Rs 100 crore in the last five
years.
---
A total of 77 bungalows have been alloted to different ministers here.
According to the reply, nearly Rs 11 crore was spent on upkeep of these bungalows in 2004-2005, Rs 9 crore the next year followed by Rs 20 crore in 2006-2007 and Rs 33 crore in 2007-2008. CPWD has spent Rs 21 crore till June 2009 on the maintenance of these bungalows.
[right][snapback]101399[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Babus, ministers, MPs rent out bungalows during wedding season for wedding. These low life gets free residence, on top make money.
Even these practice are illegal, but hey ho they are government.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>New face of babudom?</b>
pioneer.com
Joginder Singh
We have so many committees and commissions set up by the Government that often duplicate or triplicate what has already been done. Some of them do not have even half-a-day’s work. <b>But one common feature shared by the members of these committee and commissions is that all of them have the trappings and perks of Government, including bungalows, chauffeur-driven cars, telephones and a plethora of personal assistants and private secretaries who are as under-worked or under-employed as their bosses.</b>

One of my friends, belonging to an all-India service, had annoyed the powers that be. So he landed up with one of those jobs which are euphemistically called consultants or advisers. One day I dropped by his office and asked him how much work he had. He said that he had five files. He committed the mistake of disposing of one of them. He asked his private secretary as to why files were not coming to him. The private secretary, also called ‘principal private secretary’, as those attached to senior officers are called, told him that for the last couple of years only five files were with the office. So, to keep busy, his predecessor would raise the same perennial queries and see to it that some scope was still left for raising further questions. It did not matter, whether the questions were relevant or irrelevant.

<b>Against 25 secretaries to the Government of India at the time of Independence, the number has crossed 350 if all the posts of secretaries, special secretaries and those holding equivalent rank outside the secretariat are counted. Before the First Pay Commission, the age of retirement for Government servants was 55; it was raised to 58 in 1963; and to 60 in 1998. The reason given was that since people were living longer, Government servants could also work longer.</b>

The truth is that longevity has nothing to do with efficiency. What matters most is physical fitness and good health. Most people after 50 and definitely after 60 survive only on medicines required to control ill health and diseases, which are a natural concomitant to aging.

Whether one admits it or not, the fact remains that age catches up with men and women and the capacity to work decreases as we grow older. If all Government servants were subjected to a thorough medical examination, a vast majority would be found to be suffering from one or the other medical problem and some of them would be declared unfit to work.

Besides, when the entire world is moving towards harnessing youth power, India is probably one of the few countries which still believes in giving jobs to old people on the ground of experience. With all their experience, the regulators or people heading commissions and committees have not made an iota of difference to the quality of governance.

There used to be an exception to give extension in service. Now the exception is practised in another way. Instead of allowing a service extension, now each department, whether it has work or not, has created the posts of so-called regulators or members of commissions and committees for specific work or negotiations whose tenure is elastic. It is amazing that the Law Commission, comprising a full time chairman and one part time member and other supporting staff has recommended an increase in the retirement age for others and for itself and those heading tribunals indirectly. It says, “Barring few exceptions, a person is fit and fine at the age of 62 or even 65 years.”

People in such jobs keep a low profile so that they are not noticed, lest their existence may be detected and their services terminated. Assuming for the sake of argument, not that there is any substance, the claim for raising the age of retirement to 70 rings hollow and will have a multiplier effect, upsetting the system of governance.

The same argument can be trotted out by other services and other Government employees, that they also have 30 or 40 years of experience to back their claim, whereas any tribunal or commission chairman, if he or she is a retired judge, would never have that much experience as normally all judges appointed from the bar are aged 45 years or more. If this happens, then we will have physical and mental wrecks in the Government and we can bid farewell to good governance.

Leaving aside everything else, if retirement age is increased under one excuse or the other, then where does the younger generation get a chance for employment? We want our forces to be young so that they are alert and able to face any challenge efficiently. Then why do we want our bureaucrats and rulers to be of ancient vintage? A Hong Kong-based organisation, which conducted a survey of 12 Asian economies, says that Singapore’s civil servants are the most efficient among their Asian peers, but they tend to clam up unhelpfully when things go wrong.

It has ranked India’s “suffocating bureaucracy” as the least efficient. <b>The report says that working with Indian civil servants is a “slow and painful” process. They are a power centre in their own right at both the national and State levels, and are extremely resistant to reform that affects them or the way they go about their duties.</b>

The recommendation to raise the age of retirement should be rejected outright in the interest of the nation and the younger generation which is the hope of the country. Recall what William Makepeace Thackeray said: “Next to the very young, the very old are the most selfish.” <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<b>Four IAS officers chargesheeted in Noida land scam</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Uttar Pradesh government has chargesheeted four IAS officers, including one retired, for their alleged involvement in the multi-crore Noida land scam during the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
The officers include former chairman of the New Okhla Industrial and Development Authority (NOIDA) Rakesh Bahadur, former CEO Sanjeev Sharan, former deputy CEO K Ravindra Nayan and the then divisional commissioner Meerut Devdutt, officials said in Lucknow on Thursday.

"All these four officers have been chargesheeted by the state government. They have been asked to explain themselves within 15 days," a senior official said.

The officers have been charged with selling expensive commercial land at throwaway prices to hoteliers resulting in loss of Rs 4500 crore to the state exchequer.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Only four got caught, rest are still enjoying benefits of political connection.

[Guest]

[url="http://www.hindustantimes.com/Parliament-nod-for-free-air-travel-to-ministers-relatives/H1-Article1-489328.aspx"]Parliament nod for free air travel to ministers' relatives[/url]

From now on, ministers will be able to take "any number of companions or relatives" along by air for free with Parliament giving nod to a bill providing for such facilities to them.

The Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill was on Tuesday approved by the Rajya Sabha without discussion.



It was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 18, also without discussion.

The bill entitles ministers to take along "any number of companions or relatives" by air at the same rates at which travelling allowances were payable to them and their family.

This brings the ministers on par with the facilities given to MPs.



The Statement of the Objects and Reasons of the bill said it proposed to end the discrepancy between ministers and MPs and allows the spouse or legitimate children or step-children, as also the minister's companions or relatives, to travel on their own or with the minister.

Laloo's whole brigade can travel free on tax money.

Mera Bharat Mahan.

[Guest]

[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5408134,prtpage-1.cms "]Govt to match netas' I-T returns with poll affidavits[/url]

NEW DELHI: The finance ministry has quietly initiated the process of opening up the income tax files of politicians belonging to all parties and tallying their income statements with the affidavits filed by them with the Election Commission during the 2009 parliamentary polls.



Verification of the assets declared by the Lok Sabha candidates, many of whom have now become MPs and even ministers, will help the department to assess if they had paid appropriate taxes as declared in their statements with the two different authorities.

[Bharatvarsh2]

http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20100106/141...-very.html



Hope the old commie bastard croaks.

[Guest]

[quote name='Bharatvarsh2' date='07 January 2010 - 01:40 AM' timestamp='1262808128' post='103378']

http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20100106/141...-very.html



Hope the old commie bastard croaks.

[/quote]

Should we expect emotional chest beating rioters within few days.

[Husky]

news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3528948

08/01/2010



Cop bleeds to death as ministers watch



Chennai: In an instance of shocking apathy, a sub-inspector of Tamil Nadu police, brutally attacked by a gang in Tirunelveli District, bled to death as his cry for help went in vain even after two ministers with their convoy stopped by and saw his plight.





Caption: "Their saviour, but none saved him.

Ministers do nothing as cop dies."



44-year old Vetrivel, who was a member of the Special Task Force that gunned down forest brigand Veerappan in 2004, lay in a pool of blood with his leg severed and begged for help after the attack by the gang at Alwarkuruchi shortly before the ministerial convoy was to pass by last evening, eyewitnesses said.



Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam and Youth and Sports Development Mohideen Khan, along with officials, including the District Collector, halted their convoy on seeing the profusely bleeding police official battling for life on the road.



Source: PTI

[Capt M Kumar]

"Who is this Yeddyurappa? Bas...d. Who the hell does Yeddyurappa think he is? Does he have any shame. This is the man who hid behind Shobha Karandlaje to save himself. He said he will resign from BJP and join JD(S) to become a minister. What is this nonsense," a fuming Gowda pouring vitriol on the chief minister said. Karandlaje, who is considered close to the chief minister, resigned at the peak of the crisis in the BJP Government late last year.



"He can go to any extent for the sake of money. My father did not give me birth to resort to such cheap actions like Yeddyurappa," said Gowda, who lost his cool at the mention of the chief minister's name.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news...431115.cms

[Guest]

[url="http://www.dailypioneer.com/230607/%E2%80%98Unemployed%E2%80%99-junior-Ministers-protest.html"]‘Unemployed’ junior Ministers protest[/url]

I am not invited for meetings with Ministry officials. I am not aware of any policy decision that takes place. I have no work. My Cabinet Minister is like my father. Make a policy and set a precedent which can be followed by future Governments.



Prime Minister Manmohan Singh heard this and much more on Tuesday in his hour-long interaction with junior Ministers who complained of being jobless and ignored by their Cabinet Ministers in the working of Ministry. While Ministers of State from Congress and ally Trinamool Congress were scathing in their attack, their DMK colleagues had no such complaints.



Out of 38 Ministers of State, 33 attended the meeting. The absentees included Minister of State (External Affairs) Shashi Tharoor and Agatha Sangma. Setting the tone of the meeting with his opening remarks that he could “feel the energy in the room”, Prime Minister said he expected his Ministers of State to be “torch-bearers of UPA’s flagship programmes”.

....

[Capt M Kumar]

Attacking Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for the first time after being expelled from the party, Amar Singh virtually dubbed him as a "green snake in the grass" for Muslims.



"I don't support Kalyan Singh ideologically, but personally feel he is better than Mulayam Singh Yadav... At least people like Kalyan and Bal Thackeray openly attack Muslims.



"These people are less dangerous than those secular leaders, who say they are with Muslims but stab them in their back. Who is more dangerous, the enemy who is visible or the one who is like a green snake in the grass. It is for you to decide," Singh said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india...560609.cms

[Guest]

Appeal for Feranandes's care mounted

pioneer.com

Pioneer news service | New Delhi



A galaxy of prominent personalities including politicians, legal luminaries, diplomats, industrialists, social activists, writers and artists have expressed outrage at the manner former defense minister George Feranandes was being “moved from place to place” by people not familiar with his ailment and its history, and called for setting up a panel of well-wishers and doctors to provide him a stable a atmosphere.



Feranandes has been kept in virtual isolation by his estranged wife Leila Kabir ever since she returned from the US three months ago. Even his four brothers have already alleged they have not been allowed access to Fernandes by his immediate family -- wife Leila Kabir and his son Sean. They also called for disbursement of Fernandes' asset among the poor and needy through a trust, a move opposed by Leila and her son.



Fernandes is at present living with Leila and Sean at a Panchsheel Park residence.



"We understand he (Fernandes) is being moved from place to place and decisions on his well being are being suddenly and arbitrarily being taken by people who are not familiar with the treatment of his ailments. This is bound to have a severe adverse impact on his

mind and body," the statement issued on Tuesday said.



The appeal has been issued by Former Union Minister and Ambassador Ajay Singh on behalf of distinguished persons that include Former Chief Justice Supreme Court of India Justice MN Venkatachaliah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy and former Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah, former Finance Minister and Defence Minister Jaswant Singh, Former Governor West Bengal Viren J Shah, former Member of Parliament Kamal Morarka, Kannada writer UR Ananthamurthy, Film producer RV Pandit, Chairman Bajaj Group and Member of Parliament Rahul Bajaj, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank Uday Kotak, Vice Chairman Essar Group Ravi Ruia, Editor and Publisher of The Pioneer and former Member of Parliament Chandan Mitra, Member of the House of Commons Lord Meghnad Desai, Writer Kishwar Desai, Social activist, Scientist, and Writer Vandana Shiva, and Former President CII Rajesh V Shah, Eminent dancer, writer Leela Samson, Educationist , former Member of Parliament Dr Beatrix D'Souza, Eminent dancer Dr onal Mansingh.



"We, the long time friends of Fernandes, are deeply distressed at the events of the last few weeks, which diminish the image of a great man, who due to a debilitating illness is unable to defend himself or express himself publicly," it added.



Pointing out that all unseemly speculation and discussion being carried out in public view about his assets and relationships undermine the values that George stood for, the 20 signatories have said it was their duty as his friends and admirers to ensure him his dignity and to demand respect for what he had done and the choices he made over so many years.



They also appealed for setting up a panel of suitable people consisting of his familiar doctors at AIIMS and his long time colleagues and care givers through a legal process to ensure a “stable atmosphere” for him to feel comfortable and at ease.



George’s friends have recalled him as one of the most influential of political leaders of the last four decades whose entire life had been dedicated to fight tyranny, oppression, corruption, and for the upliftment of deprived sections of our society. “His battles for equality, democracy, a free media, human rights and against all forms of injustice are well-known,” the statement said.

Very sad.

[Capt M Kumar]

<img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' /> The adviser’s application has sparked a bitter feud between Planning Commission and MoRTH. Taking a strong exception to the RTI application, Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath has shot off an angry letter to Haldea’s boss — Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Stating that he was “surprised and deeply distressed” with the application, Nath has sought Ahluwalia’s intervention in the matter and pointed out that filing an RTI application was “wholly inappropriate and improper in Government functioning”.



Nath has even told Ahluwalia that if nothing was done in the matter he would be forced to issue instructions to all officers in the Ministry and NHAI against attending any meeting called by Haldea, the main advisor handling infrastructure issues of the Ministry in Planning Commission.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/236699/Denie...fumes.html <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' />

[Capt M Kumar]

<img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> 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.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indias...ss/582409/