http://www.dilipcherian.com Dilip Cherian http://backend.userland.com/rss http://mybloggie.mywebland.com/?v= http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=119 05 Jan 2009 01:08:33 pm GMT +5.5 General http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=119 Home improvement It’s a clean sweep. Never quite seen before. Home Minister P. Chidambaram, keen to make his mark in his new assignment, has set off a host of remarkable changes in the ministry. He is changing babus methodically in the security set up and has already appointed a new internal security advisor. The Home Minister has already cleared the name of Rajiv Mathur, a 1972 batch IAS officer of the UP cadre and special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), to succeed Haldar as IB chief. Similarly, a search is underway to replace home secretary Madhukar Gupta and R&AW chief Ashok Chaturvedi. According to reliable sources, agriculture secretary T. Nand Kumar, commerce secretary G.K Pillai and Nehchal Sandhu are among the frontrunners for the home secretary slot. Interestingly, Chidambaram has appointed K.C. Verma, currently working as the security secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, as his internal security adviser, a post that did not exist before. He’s also got Safi Ahsan Rizvi, IPS (1989) as his officer on special duty and Rajeev Kumar Mital, IAS (1998 batch), as private secretary to the home minister. Clearly, the Home Minister is trying to create as much distance as possible from the tenure of his uncelebrated predecessor. And the manner in which he is going about with his changes, there is no doubt who is in charge at the ministry! Home improvement It’s a clean sweep. Never quite seen before. Home Minister P. Chidambaram, keen to make his mark in his new assignment, has set off a host of remarkable changes in the ministry. He is changing babus methodically in the security set up and has already appointed a new internal ......

]]> http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=119 http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=118 30 Dec 2008 01:43:58 pm GMT +5.5 General http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=118 Red signal for green cover After winning an unprecedented third term as Delhi’s chief minister, Sheila Dikshit has her eyes now focused on the preparations for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. With several projects running behind schedule, the task would require her government’s complete focus. One project that has hit a major hurdle now has a Supreme Court committee has pulling up the DDA for felling 891 trees to construct a stadium and a parking lot (Mumbai , activists note, has lost more than 25,000 trees to construction activity recently, and sadly has few spaces to replant them). Calling the project “ill-conceived”, the Supreme Court panel says it will not allow DDA to cut more trees. In fact the Supreme Court panel has firmly told DDA to look for an alternate site. Though it is not a final “order” the Delhi government may find it hard to sidestep the committee. In fact, the panel’s decision has encouraged local residents, who have been against the project to ask for scrapping it. But with Rs 40 crore already spent on building the stadium and a Supreme Court empowered panel overseeing the various games-related constructions, the Dilli sarkar may have a tough time wriggling out of this mess. Red signal for green cover After winning an unprecedented third term as Delhi’s chief minister, Sheila Dikshit has her eyes now focused on the preparations for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. With several projects running behind schedule, the task would require her government’s complete ......

]]> http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=118 http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=117 29 Dec 2008 11:34:46 am GMT +5.5 General http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=117 Bengal’s babus seek safety net It seems that it is West Bengal babus who left the comforts of babudom for the lures of the corporate world who are now feeling specially nostalgic about the life they left behind. Certainly, in an economic downturn, with the private sector in job-cutting mode, the recession-proof sarkari naukri suddenly begins to look very attractive. According to sources, quite a few babus who upped and joined the private sector are now seeking to return to mothership. But it’s Bengali babus who are specially infected. Debashis Bose, officer on special duty at the state electorial office, who was granted unpaid leave in 2006 to join Reliance Retail as general manager and state coordinator has now returned to his old job. Similarly, Parthapratim Manna, another officer on special duty (planning and development) who had left in December 2006 is likely to return to his original position. Besides, three other senior state civil service officers, offered “cushy corporate positions” by leading mobile service providers, have turned down the offers and two senior IAS officers, almost ready to join a Delhi-based multinational (and therefore unnamed) are also reportedly reviewing the offers. The uncertain corporate climate seems to be giving Bengal babus a special case of the jitters. Bengal’s babus seek safety net It seems that it is West Bengal babus who left the comforts of babudom for the lures of the corporate world who are now feeling specially nostalgic about the life they left behind. Certainly, in an economic downturn, with the private sector in job-cutting ......

]]> http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=117 http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=116 23 Dec 2008 11:28:51 am GMT +5.5 General http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=116 Art is the message Delhi recently played a lively host to what must be India’s biggest public art festival ever. The enthusiasm was a pleasant surprise considering there is not really a tradition of public art in the country, but clearly “48 Degrees Celsius: Public Art Ecology”, as it was called, did provide a catharsis of sorts to art lovers after the Mumbai 26/11 wringer. And it wasn’t just about art installations. There were eco-talks, tours, street plays and film screenings on urban environment and ecology. The scale certainly was also impressive in a geographic sense – spread over eight heritage sites across the city. For Pooja Sood, curator of the project, taking art to the people, making it accessible, especially with a message as relevant as environment awareness, the response must have been encouraging, considering that Delhi usually comes off poorly as compared to Mumbai in the culture stakes. Over to Mumbai now! Art is the message Delhi recently played a lively host to what must be India’s biggest public art festival ever. The enthusiasm was a pleasant surprise considering there is not really a tradition of public art in the country, but clearly “48 Degrees Celsius: Public Art Ecology”, as it ......

]]> http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=116 http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=115 22 Dec 2008 01:06:30 pm GMT +5.5 General http://www.dilipcherian.com/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=115 Modi’s fillip to IPS officers The decision of the Gujarat government to appoint IPS officers as heads of all state-run boards and corporations has answered a longstanding demand of the IPS Officers Association. The men in khaki have always resented that they are never considered for administrative responsibilities. But now, in Gujarat at least, Chief Minister Narendra Modi has issued instructions to additional chief secretaries of the state’s industry, mineral, petroleum and chemical departments to henceforth name IPS officers of the rank of DIG and above as CEOs and MDs of boards and corporations. Until now only IAS babus were eligible for these postings. While the IPS officers may be cheered by Modi’s decision, there is growing concern in the state government over the steady depletion in the number of IAS babus. According to reliable sources, the state Chief Electoral Officer V.K. Babbar has resigned from the civil service without ascribing any reason for his decision. Apparently, he is the 11th senior babu to have quit the service since Modi became chief minister in 2001. Is Modi’s image of a tough administrator taking a toll on the state’s babudom? Certainly, there are quite a few unhappy babus in Gujarat. Modi’s fillip to IPS officers The decision of the Gujarat government to appoint IPS officers as heads of all state-run boards and corporations has answered a longstanding demand of the IPS Officers Association. The men in khaki have always resented that they are never considered for administrative ......

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