On august 16, 2016, the news of former coal secretary Hc Gupta, an accused in several coal scam cases, seeking to withdraw his personal bond to secure bail due to financial difficulties shook the entire bureaucracy. a week later, on august 27, he withdrew his petition seeking to take back his bail bond and agreed to “follow the normal legal procedure and practices”. observers opine that Gupta’s case is not just an incident of an “honest officer” finding himself unable to bear the huge cost of fighting litigation but it reflects “the deep-rooted malaise” in the indian administrative system which gives no protection to upright bureaucrats who are left all alone to fend for themselves for restoring their dignity and reputation. the incident, bureaucrats say, will demoralise officers to take any decision which will be detrimental to national interest. a Bureaucracy Today report.
In 2012, indians woke up to the infamous coalgate scam centring on coal block allocations made between 2004 and 2009 by the then UPa Government to public sector enterprises and private entities and involving a mind-numbing amount of Rs 1.86 lakh crore. there were many accusations against several high-profile politicians, corporates and bureaucrats of having been involved in the scam.
Now four years down the line, though the politicians and the corporate honchos named in the coal scam have gone into oblivion, retired bureaucrat Hc Gupta – whose honesty every single civil servant vouches for – is finding him trapped in the legal quagmire, all penniless.
Though Gupta, a retired 1971-batch IAS officer of the UP cadre, when contacted by Bureaucracy Today refused to speak about the ordeal he is going through, his colleagues in the bureaucracy – both retired and in service – have come forward to his support and ensure that he does not fight a lonely battle. “since the matter is sub judice, it won’t be proper for me to speak to the media,” Gupta told this reporter during one of his court hearings.
Denne historien er fra September 01 2016-utgaven av Bureaucracy Today.
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Denne historien er fra September 01 2016-utgaven av Bureaucracy Today.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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has bureaucracy failed modi?
the ambitious swachh bharat abhiyaan, which was officially launched on october 2, 2014 amid much fanfare with prime minister narendra modi himself cleaning the road with a broom at rajghat in new delhi, was seen as a harbinger of change which would influence the behaviour of millions of indians who are notoriously known for dumping their wastes in public places. for months, bureaucrats wielding the broom also continued to dominate the media space. however, over two years since the campaign was launched, the cleanliness zeal, it seems, has taken a backseat. a reality check done by bureaucracy today in shastri bhawan in lutyens’ delhi which houses major central ministries indicates that those in the corridors of power are not readying themselves to become part of a new, clean and swanky india.
can cag audits be more innovative and transformative?
audit, if used properly, can become an effective aid to administration. the thumb rule is that audit must essentially capture the other side of the coin of governance. a responsive, relevant and responsible audit can only complement, supplement, support and strengthen quality governance. right audit themes, analysis and outcome can help administrators conduct a swot analysis of their strengths and weaknesses, providing deeper insights on missing issues to evaluate and take a midcourse corrective and preventive action, and help the government refocus to derive the planned outcome from projects and schemes.
increase import duty on stainless steel flat products: issda
bogged down by an unprecedented surge in imports in the last three years, especially from china, and to remain globally competitive, the indian stainless steel development association (issda) has recommended the government to increase the basic import duty on stainless steel flat products from 7.5% to 15% and to decrease the import duty on key raw materials like ferro nickel, pure nickel, ferro moly and stainless steel scrap to nil.
amritsar's emergence as a real estate hotspot
amritsar, famous for the golden temple, is the second largest city of punjab after ludhiana. it is also the most popular destination for non-resident indians in india. amritsar enjoys a strategic location with good connectivity to the prime cities of india. along with its excellent connectivity through road and rail transport, the city has an airport with a capacity of 150 commercial flights per week, both domestic and international. for the population of approximately 1.21 million in amritsar, a 31-kmlong brt corridor is nearing the completion stage to ease traffic congestion and improve public transportation in the city.
how much protection is available to judges and magistrates?
after the recent supreme court observation that no public servant is entitled for the protective umbrella of section 197 of the code of criminal procedure, it is being debated whether this ruling applies equally to judges of the district courts or other subordinate courts in india.
five trends that will reshape the indian real estate market
among the many different factors influencing the way real estate is developed, transacted and used in india, there are five big major emerging trends that have both real-time and long-term significance.
Is it a Crackdown or Creation of New Lords of Black Money Hoarders?
On the night of november 8 this year, Prime minister narendra modi appeared on national television to declare his Government’s decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, with a window of 50 days for a smooth transition. no doubt the move has hit those who have accumulated unaccounted black money. the Bureaucracy Today magazine analyses whether the move will stop the hoarding of black money in time to come.
A Paradigm Project for the Future
What makes for a great development project in Morocco? Which qualities imbue an initiative with longevity and sustainability, enabling it to meet a whole range of interconnected material and emotional needs? Is there a single concept applicable to a specific geographical location that exceptionally embodies those qualities?
Minority Shareholders 'Short-Changed' At Bombay House
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has turned down a request from Shapoorji Pallonji Group (SPG) vide its investment outfits, viz, Sterling Investment Corporation and Cyrus Investments, to initiate action against Tata Sons for the “oppression of minority interest and mismanagement”. It was done on the ground that the petitioner does not have the required minimum shareholding of 10%.
Should You Buy Your Dream Home Now?
The RERA or the Real Estate Regulation Act has finally become a reality. Though there are still plenty of hiccups and it will obviously take some time for the industry to absorb all the facets of the Act, it should be kept in mind that the RERA is a process, not an event. Meanwhile, the foremost question in property buyers’ minds is - should they wait until the RERA process is streamlined, or can they go in for home purchase now?
