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Leaving the IAS |
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India falters Profile On Record
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Leaving the IAS With multiple surveys on the subject appearing every weekend we know that a fresh graduate from the IIM, Ahmedabad, can comfortably land a job with an annual package of Rs 15 lakh plus. But if the same person joins the corporate world after serving a stint in the IAS or IPS or IRS, he is worth 1 to 2 crore rupees! One wonders about this “value addition”. Even if he is not a management graduate, the price tag for a civil servant is in crores only. A doctor or an engineer or an MBA sells his skill in the field of medicine, engineering or management. But what is the skill a bureaucrat has to sell? How come a graduate of the IIM, Ahmedabad, or ISB, Hyderabad, joins as a middle-level manager in a big company but a Gautam Goswami is straight away taken as vice-president of the Sahara group? The reason for the high price band of the civil servants is not their personal skills only. It has more to do with their ability to sell contacts in the government. In this new age of liberalisation, the art of liaisoning has turned into a science. Nothing pays better than contacts at the right place. If you know one or two powerful politicians and senior officers, you can manage almost anything in this country. And who can better manage the babus in the government than one among them. An ex-babu knows all the routes and keys in the talisman of babudom and the corporate sector is more than willing to pay the price. Recently some senior civil servants have joined DLF and other infrastructure companies. We all know that the huge packages given to them are not for their knowledge of civil engineering only! The price band of IAS or IPS officers in the corporate world depends on many interesting factors. One is cadre, a phenomenon which does not leave an officer during his career and even after he leaves the service. The corporate world is especially kind to the officers who come from the states with big business potential like Maharashtra and Gujarat or the states where business is growing bigger by the day like Orissa and Jharkhand. An officer from the North-East or J&K cannot expect the same price. Another factor which matters is, of course, the length of service. The more the years in the civil service, the higher is your worth. But this again depends on posts held in the government. A person with experience in coal, mining, petroleum or urban development ministries will be any day preferred to one with experience in the panchayati raj or tribal development departments. A stint with the Government of India is a big value addition. An IAS officer with Secretary-level experience in the Government of India and a few years to retire is actually beyond the reach of small companies. Having served the mighty government at such a high level, they cannot serve anyone but an Ambani or a Tata only. Low salaries are often cited as a reason for attrition in the civil services. But don’t they know about such low salaries while joining the service? The UPSC publishes the pay scales in bold letters while inviting applications for the civil services exam. It is not a secret for anyone that private companies pay more than the government at senior levels. A civil servant knows that their classmates in the IIM or the IIT will get three to four times more starting pay. But then the trick is to join the civil services, especially the IAS, and after some years defect to the same companies at a much higher level. The companies are eager to milk their contacts and experience in the government to raise their profits. Such lucrative job offers are not always for future benefits of the companies. At times, they come as a reward for the services rendered in the past as well. No officer starts searching for a job after leaving the government. The negotiation starts during the service career only. At this stage also many people start contributing to the growth of their future employers. Is it not amazing that a big babu who takes crucial decisions on the application of a company on behalf of the government one fine morning appears in the board meeting of the same company? Can we allow a police commissioner of Mumbai to appear, even after his retirement, as an advocate for Abu Salem? There is nothing illegal if he does so. But will it be ethical? In the whole game the government is the biggest loser. It loses everywhere from beginning to end. Recruitment and training of the all-India service officers is a long and expensive exercise. A huge amount of public money is spent on training these officers. They are also sent for refresher courses and foreign training during their careers. Then they are given study leave with pay and perks to sharpen their administrative skills. But interestingly, officers with such sharpened skills tend to leave more often than the others. As an employer the government also loses during their service careers, especially when they are planning and winding up to run away. Finally, they use and misuse their experience and contacts for the benefit of their employer and, in turn, to the disadvantage of the government. Some other officers prove smarter. Instead of leaving the government they quietly vanish from their offices only to reappear in the corporate world. At present, the Government of India is searching for more than about two dozens such absconding officers. Notices have been issued to them to reappear but to no avail. With stringent rules it is difficult to remove them. Hence such officers are technically still in the government enjoying the best of both worlds — job security of the public sector and wealth of the private sector. The officers leaving for greener pastures in the private sector serve their tribe well in their departure also. Those still in service cite such cases to demand more pay and perks. It is argued that this attrition can only be contained if their talent is suitably rewarded. The pay commissions with civil servants on board are more than willing to
oblige. The writer has worked with Jansatta, and is at present an IPS officer in Orissa.
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— CPM leader
Sitaram Yechury The unexpectedly high inflation figure came as an unpleasant surprise for market participants and economists alike. — Hitesh Agarwal, head of research, Angel Broking —
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar The continued double-digit inflation is expected to have a huge psychological impact on consumers, further fuelling inflationary expectations. Due to the social implications we believe it will increasingly become a major political issue. — Tushar Poddar, Vice-President,
Goldman Sachs —
Lalu Prasad Yadav, RJD Chief Why can’t you call a spade a spade? After all, in 30-35 years of service, how many opportunities does one get to serve as a district SP or a Range IG? I can provide everything except guts. — Haryana DGP Ranjeev Singh Dalal — Republican presidential candidate John McCain Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges – including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America. — Former US Vice-President Al Gore
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India falters THAT big powers remain extremely cautious and do not permit any other nation to covertly or overtly blunt their conventional and non-conventional (read nuclear) might should have been a well-known truth that the Indian political and defence establishment should have accepted long back. Aspiring to join the super power league that without doubt today is composed of the United States, Russia and China, India’s apparent failure as things stand in clinching the nuclear deal with the United States and acquiring some degree of parity in the world’s most exclusive power club will cost us dearly in the days ahead. An examination of how the super powers guard their turf at any cost and how packing a powerful military punch is as persuasive a weapon as any masterly act of diplomacy is, of course, a truism the world over that a hesitant and faltering government at home solely concerned with remaining in power a couple of months extra would find hard to comprehend and much less digest. Whereas space does not permit a lengthy analysis of the advancement in weapon technologies effected in the last decade, suffice it to say that every power that wishes to call itself super has spent unimaginable sums of money and a herculean effort in enhancing its conventional and nuclear military punch. The Bush administration’s most prominent achievement has been its pull-out from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia in 2001 and making the country’s defence safe from a ballistic missile attack. This attack could be from any direction and certainly includes one emanating from Iran in the coming times as that country in America’s perception and reckoning will possess that capability if it already has not done so. So as to protect itself as also Europe against any ICBM attack system from Iran or any other hostile source, the United States is believed to be attempting to locate what is termed as “third site” interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic for early warning and a retaliatory capability. This initiative has been welcomed by most of the European powers who see a direct IRBM/ICBM threat from Iran and has afforded America with a diplomatic gain albeit through the barrel of the gun. The Russian Federation, on its part, continues to assiduously guard its frontiers from the emerging threat of the American Missile Defence project, and has recently withdrawn from the CFE or the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. This measure has retarded the expansion of NATO as also earned the Russians considerable credit from some of the former Socialist Republics whom they would in the coming years try to wean from the Western camp and endeavour to take the Federation back to the era of the mighty Soviet Union and all that it stood for in balancing the world and in keeping a tight leash on the United States. There is ample evidence to show that Russia has started to flex its military muscle and send out feelers in its immediate neighbourhood. So the Americans and the Russians, while parleying with each other and other nations, also do keep arming themselves in and out of space, unlike the Indian government, which develops cold feet and throws out a perfectly beneficial deal for a temporary lease in its life span. China, about whose growing military strength all our security analysts and mandarins in the Foreign office should be really concerned, as per press reports tested an anti-satellite weapon in 2007 in the Sichuan province that would strike at the heart of the American network of command, control, communications and computerised data based systems that provide them surveillance and intelligence from outer space so essential for fighting a successful land and aerial battle. While remaining in the nuclear club and furthering its trade relations with the United States, China continues to match missile for missile the United States missile and nuclear arsenal. That is actually the only way in which defence diplomacy the world over is being practised by the super powers, and a lesson that India could well take home with advantage. With the near suicidal hug that the Indian brand of the Leftists have recently administered to the nuclear deal, we would neither be left with any viable nuclear deterrent, stockpile or delivery system as of date, and with short supplies in uranium and a stranglehold of the nuclear powers utterly defenceless against China’s overpowering military might. Do the Leftists or the BJP want a repeat of 1962 on the military front? Surely, the frequent intrusions in Arunachal Pradesh or the row over Sikkim should be indicator enough over long term Chinese designs. Pranab Mukherjee’s recently concluded visit to China has shown how aggressive and intolerant China is getting to be on the boundary question. It is not understood that whereas China and Russia look first towards their own national interest, our security advisers, who are either civilian bureaucrats or policemen and from the non-defence field, do not seem to be reading rightly the threat that a fully nuclear-tipped China has recently begun to exhibit in covert and subtle terms. It needs to be understood that in today’s world diplomacy by itself is not worth much and only when a country achieves a corresponding military clout, is it seen to be a major power and so duly respected. The complacency that has set in after the Pokhran tests must be shed at the earliest, and if need be, both the uranium enrichment and the plutonium route accelerated along with the development of a viable delivery system that we do not today possess. With a China that is bent on raking up the boundary question this summer and a Pakistan whose march towards democratic rule poses a big question mark at the moment, it is time that the government assures the nation that steps are under way to ensure a credible long-term nuclear and conventional warfare parity at whatever cost it
takes.
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Profile He first shot into prominence as a militant leader during the 1986-88 Gorkhaland stir. At that time, his mentor and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) supremo, Subhash Ghisingh, had assigned him to take on Mansingh Rai, a CPM militant, who led the Marxists’ armed resistance against GNLF. “Jab raat me bachcha rota hai to maa kaheti hai so ja beta, nahin to Mansingh aayega”, Rai would often borrow the famed Gabbar Singh dialogue to boast the daring raids on GNLF camps. Leading a band of Gorkha Volunteers’ Cell (GVC) fighters, Gurung would target Marxists’ camps on the outskirts of Darjeeling. The now disbanded GVC was the GNLF’s police wing that struck terror in the hills, exploding bombs and abducting and beheading people who opposed the Gorkhaland movement. In stark contrast to his militant background, Gurug now swears by Gandhian methods like fast-unto-head, non-cooperation, civil disobedience and unarmed processions. “ I used to adore Ghisingh as my father. I took up arms only because of him. Now I realise how much he had misguided young men like me during the movement”, Gurung says. Soon after the Gorkhaland stir came to an end in August 1988, Gurung parted ways with Ghisingh. Gurung comes from a humble background; his parents were tea garden workers belonging to the Singmari area on the northern outskirts of Darjeeling town. Having to support his family at an early age, Gurung had to make do with just primary education. He tried several odd jobs, from driving tourists jeeps to working as a contractor. In fact, his days as a driver gave him a solid following among transport operators who now form a large chunk of his support base. Soon after the GNLF was launched in the early 1980s, Gurung joined it and soon became Ghisingh’s most fierce fighter. Prior to the tripartite agreement among the GNLF, the West Bengal Government and the Centre in 1988, Gurung heeded Ghisingh’s call for surrendering arms, giving up his two firearms and several grenades. As a result, he was absolved of 43 criminal cases that included arson, rioting and murders. Gurung was often described as an “iron bar” because of his immense strength but, apparently, Ghisingh never gave him the importance he deserved. It soon became evident to Gurung that he would have to shape his own destiny and, therefore, he started concentrating on social work. Those who have followed his career-graph say he became a “hero” in the Legong-Takvar valley area because of his social commitments. If there was a wedding in a village, he would arrange the funds, if someone fell ill, he would ensure they got medicines. He also arranged financial aid for the elderly in the area and looked after the tea garden workers. In 1990, two years after the DGHC accord was signed, Gurung formed the Hill Unemployed Association. In 1996, he contested, the elections as an independent after Ghisingh denied him the ticket, and defeated the GNLF candidate. It was only then that Ghisingh inducted Gurung into his council, allotting him the Sports and Youth Welfare portfolio. Having realised that Ghisingh would never really take him into his confidence, Gurung began distancing himself 2004 onwards. The gap between them further widened during the Indian idol contest in July-August 2007 in which Prashan Tamrang from Darjeeling hills was a leading contender. Gurung convassed support for Tamrang from all quarters. Tamrang won the reality show and Gurung established as an emerging leader from the hills with his plan for Gorkha mobilisation. In the final phase of the TV contest, Ghisingh was away in Malaysia, and in his absence, Gurung’s popularity grew. Riding on a massive goodwill, Gurung began eying support in the foothills too. He finally severed his ties with the GNLF and formed his won setup in Darjeeling and named it Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on October 7, 2007. Surprisingly, the GJM has touched a new high in popularity and Gurung emerged as the most sought-after
leader.
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On Record BORN in a nomadic family of mendicant devotees of goddess Ambabai, Balkrishna Renake is a harbinger of change for other nomads, who have never really known the bliss of permanence. His own childhood was a saga of trials, as his family roamed around in search of odd jobs to feed the household. But Renake’s calling lay in knowledge; he went to eight schools and many colleges to satiate his hunger for education, paid fees by porting and handcart pulling at the Dadar railway station platform, where, as a young student, he spent six months. His next step was the forensic science lab at Mumbai as a senior scientific assistant. He soon quit government service to launch the movement for the dignity of tribes in India. Today as chairperson of the National Commission for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes under the Social Justice Ministry, Renake is the man behind the first-ever report on the status of tribes in India to be submitted to the government before June 30. Excerpts from an interview: How is your report relevant? It lists and profiles nomadic, semi-nomadic and de-notified tribes for the first time since Independence. Some sketchy detail is available in the 1931 census, which was the last caste-based census in India. But no one, to date, has any estimation with regard to the population of tribes. We have, with our meager means, put the count on 11 crore, which means 10 per cent of India’s population. The number could be higher. What is the difference between these three categories of tribes? While the nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are an occupational category divided into pastoralists and non-pastoralists, the de-notified tribes are an administrative category. They were labelled criminals "by birth" by an 1871 British Act, repealed by India in 1952. The repeal meant that tribes earlier notified as criminal would henceforth be de-notified. The move could, however, never erase the stigma, which the de-notified tribes still bear. What are the problems being faced by these communities? These communities are landless, asset-less and can’t prove their Indian identity as they have no right to citizenship. They remain untouched by laws and welfare schemes, and unrepresented even in gram panchayats. Unlike SCs/STs/OBCs, they don’t have voting rights. That explains why the government took long to turn its attention to them. Do you think there is enough political will to help these people? Your interim report is still under consideration. That’s true. We submitted the interim report to the government on May 31 last year and recommended immediate action to treat these people as a special target group as they are currently the most marginalised among all sections. We hope the government response this time is swifter. What are your main recommendations? First, these people have to be housed so they can get ration cards and voters’ identity cards. We are recommending a special housing package for them and an immediate tent-to-tent survey to determine their number. Also, these tribes deserve the constitutional safeguard of reservations more than anyone else, including the SCs/STs and OBCs. We are recommending that as well. What about their sustenance in terms of livelihood? How can that goal be achieved? That’s a huge challenge. The existing laws like the Forest Act, the Wildlife Protection Act, the Prevention of Beggary Act and the Magic and Drugs Act have robbed these people of their traditional livelihoods. We are seeking amendments to these Acts to ensure that tribes can feed their families and don’t have to go begging or stealing to live. Eventually, alternative jobs will have to be provided. We are recommending the setting up of a separate body to look into the issues of welfare of these communities. It will be a long process. Is permanence possible in the lives of nomads? Is it not natural for them to roam free? That’s an old tale. Nowadays nomads are viewed with suspicion because they are nomads. They suffer police brutality even for petty crimes and are chased out of villages by communities. Pastoralists have lost their grazing lands to usurpers like the government, industrial houses and private individuals. Non-pastoralists, who were into food gathering, hunting, fishing and entertainment, have been forced to beg for a living due to new laws. With so much going against them, these people are desperate for permanent homes. Any further denial of their rights could go against the interests of the
nation.
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IF you are asked what is the way to earn a hefty salary at a young age, your likely reply, the Sixth Pay Commission notwithstanding, will be that it is a corporate job through an IIM or IIT. But it is incorrect. The correct answer is to join the corporate world via the civil services, especially the IAS! 
THEY have time till June 25 and they have to make up their mind by then. If they go ahead (with the nuclear deal), we will have to reconsider our support (to the government).
It is our duty to take our friends and whosoever has supported us for four-and-a-half years into consideration before taking a final view (on the nuclear deal).
I never ever said “Bhoora baal saaf karao” (‘bhoora baal’ referred to the four upper castes – Bhumihars, Rajputs, Brahmins and Lala (Kayasthas). I never compared Bihar roads with Hema Malini’s cheeks. I never asked my Chief Secretary to prepare “khaini” (tobacco). These were fictions spread by my enemies.
We have not broken ground on a single nuclear plant in over 30 years. And our manufacturing base to even construct these plants is almost gone. China, Russia and India are all planning to build more than a hundred new power plants in the coming decades.
Someone