The post the of chairman and managing director of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), India’s largest power generation company, has been vacant for two months. Though the government has initiated the selection process. The delay, apparently, is due to the unprecedented number of applications received for the position — 101 as compared to a mere 10 the last time the position fell vacant — which the government is sifting through. Undoubtedly, the sudden interest in the job is due to the government relaxing some criteria in order to attract suitable candidates from the private sector.
The government breaking the mould in banking has made private applicants more serious about trying their luck. The selection committee will shortlist 10 candidates for interviews. Interest is equally keen among babus, say observers.
Among the names being mentioned as probably frontrunners for the post are 1988-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre Indian Administrative Service officer I.C.P. Keshari and Aman Kumar Singh, principal secretary, information technology, in Chhattisgarh. Interestingly all the current board members of NTPC too have applied for the position. Will the IAS lobby prevail or will the government choose someone from the private sector remains to be seen. Dire warning Now you know why it’s so difficult to root out corruption. Few want to take up the challenge. Apparently babus are keener on foreign assignments than taking up the position of vigilance officers in various Central government departments even if assigned. Deciding that this will simply not do, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has decided to step in.
In a recent directive from Sanjay Kothari, secretary DoPT, to all Central ministries and chief secretaries of states, the Centre has declared that babus failing to accept their appointment as chief vigilance officers will be barred from being considered for foreign assignments for a period of five years.
According to the directive, failing to join the post within one month of issue of the appointment letter would lead to cancellation of the appointment and debarment from Central deputation for five years. The rather draconian directive may also be a way to ensure that babus fall in line when nominations are sought for the 25 posts of CVOs at the level of joint secretary and director, expected to be filled next year.
Stretching rules
The appointment of Shatrughna Singh as the new chief secretary of Uttarakhand has ended the face-off between state chief minister Harish Rawat and the Centre. But it may have created tensions for the future.
Mr Singh replaces Rakesh Sharma who has been named chief principal secretary to the chief minister, with his previous perks intact.
The face-off ensued after the Centre directed Mr Rawat to replace Mr Sharma, which he resisted. Then when Mr Sharma retired last month, Mr Rawat reappointed him as chief secretary though he couldn’t make it stick.
Now Uttarakhand has got a new chief secretary but many babus in the state feel that with Mr Sharma still working with Mr Rawat in the chief minister’s office, Uttarakhand will essentially have two chief secretaries, a situation which they dub as “extra-constitutional” that could undermine the working of the bureaucracy.
While Mr Rawat has managed to obey the Centre’s diktat, he has also managed to retain Mr Sharma by creating a new position. It’s stalemate now, but be ready to hear more disgruntled tales from the hill state.
