Promoting fair play
The government is keen to rectify an action which had resulted in several babus losing their chance for promotion. In the recent past at least 50 joint secretary-rank babus had to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal after losing out on their promotion and being forced to work under junior officers because they did not have access to their annual confidential reports.
Sources say that the ministry for personnel, public grievances and pensions has now decided that in the future a babu being considered for promotion in a DPC (departmental promotion committee) and scoring an annual credit report (ACR) below the required benchmark will be given a copy of the relevant ACR for his/her representation, within 15 days of such communication.
According to personnel secretary Shantanu Consul, this would help the rejected candidate contest his/her promotion on the basis of performance in the past. Earlier, the government continued to submit ACRs with only a “good” grading to the Union Public Service Commission for the departmental promotion committee meetings.
Taking a cue from the government, the Army authorities too have decided to review their promotion policy which came into effect last year. Based on feedback from the different departments, Army Chief Gen. V.K. Singh has ordered the review. Apparently the new promotion system works well for junior officers but is unsuitable for senior ranks.
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Forbidden assets
Soon after tax raids on senior babus, the Madhya Pradesh government directed ministers and all Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to declare their assets online. Now the Maharashtra government has followed suit. Apparently, the decision was triggered by a government survey which listed corruption as the biggest issue facing the state’s bureaucracy. Meanwhile, the ministry of personnel has revealed that currently 84 IAS officers and 33 IPS officers are facing criminal charges.
Expectedly, Maharashtra’s babus are unhappy over the decision of the state government, claiming that any move to make them declare their assets in public will require amending the All-India Service Rules. They also argue that there are enough existing laws to curb corruption. It is also likely, babu-watchers say, that the move is an attempt by politicians to deflect attention by claiming that bureaucrats are more corrupt than politicians.
Meanwhile, the government is considering a proposal to set up a committee comprising eminent social workers like Anna Hazare, Abhay Bang, Prakash Amte and some former civil servants to probe allegations of corruption against babus. The heat is clearly on the babus.
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