Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Government's Immoral acts demoralise Karnataka bureaucracy-Bangalore Mirror

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Bureaucracy sees red as chief secy gets extension

Posted On Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 01:03:03 AM
It appears that the government, past or present, cannot do without S V Ranganath (in pic), the chief secretary. Ranganath was due to retire at the end of the month, but in a decision that has caused much heartburn in state babudom, chief minister Siddaramaiah has decided to extend Ranganath’s services by another four months.
 
A letter seeking approval of the decision has been sent to the Union government. If the Union government rubber stamps the decision — highly likely as the request has come from a Congress-ruled state — it will be the second extension for the current chief secretary. Ranganath should have retired on April 30, but with assembly elections around the corner, the BJP government decided to extend his tenure by two months. In a meeting on Thursday, the state cabinet authorised the CM to pick a suitable officer as chief secretary. Armed with the authorisation, Siddaramaiah, on Friday, decided to extend Ranganath’s tenure.
 
 The decision, however, has demoralised several senior IAS officers who have been eyeing the post. The heartburn is so severe, that at least one officer darkly hinted at going to the extent of suppressing government policies as tit for tat.
 
“With this extension, Ranganath will retire on October 31,” the officer of the rank of additional chief secretary told Bangalore Mirror. “Rules do not permit him to stay as chief secretary forever. After October 31, the government will have to appoint a new chief secretary. Why continue with him? Appoint a new person and set him or her a long-term agenda. By not doing so, the government has demoralised us. What will the government do if one of us decides to subvert government programmes in retaliation?"
 
Siddaramaiah’s decision could also be illegal. As per rules, state government, under extraordinary circumstances, can extend the tenure of an officer for a period of up to six months after retirement. “An extension means only one extension which, in Ranganath’s case, has already been given. The second extension becomes illegal,” the additional chief secretary commented. “Moreover, the Supreme Court has come down heavily on extensions. Extensions are given in rarest of rare cases. There are no rare circumstances now.”
 
Ranganath was appointed chief secretary by B S Yeddyurappa in September 2009. He was left undisturbed in the post during the chief ministerial tenures of D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish B Shettar.   
 
Sources say Siddaramaiah had initially planned on elevating IAS officer Sudheer Krishna, a favourite of his, to the post. But Krishna is on a central deputation. He holds a key post of urban development department secretary and may not have been inclined to return to the state. The ball now is with the Union government. 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Andhra Pradesh Secretariat staff high on alcohol,reports Deccan Chronicle , what about karnataka secretariat employees?

Andhra Pradesh Secretariat staff high on alcohol


DC | Kaniza Garari | 17th Apr 2013


Hyderabad: A health check-up conducted at the Secretariat revealed that a majority of the employees suffered from alcoholism, cardiac problems and diabetes. The two-day session included primary tests for cardiac, orthopaedic- and diabetes- related problems.
Of the total  3,400 employees working in the Secretariat, 924 underwent check-ups, of which 90 per cent were men. Seventy per cent of the employees, it was found, were alcoholics and 20 per cent required serious medical intervention in terms of de-addiction centres.
Stress and work pressure were said to be the reasons for drinking on a daily basis before going home. One of the employees was infuriated when he was asked to go to a de-addiction centre.
“Before we could write the remarks, he snatched the file and went away,” said the doctor conducting the examination. In another case, a person  willing to give up alcohol, said it was difficult because  colleagues offered free drinks.
Employees not willing to share alcohol issues
Some employees at a health check-up conducted at the Secretariat requested for a private session as they were not willing to disclose their alcohol related problems or addiction experiences in the presence of others. 
The two-day session revealed severe cardiac problems in ten cases who were non-alcoholic. “Preliminary tests show-ed  severe problem with the functioning of the heart. It could be blockage, heart muscle degeneration or malfunctioning of the valves. A detailed investigation was immediately required,” explained Venugopal D. supervising the check-ups.
While most employees were aware about diabetes and carried out regular check-ups, their fitness levels were a cause of concern as most of them led a sedentary lifestyle and time for exercise was not a priority. 
The two-day  health check-up for the welfare of employees was an initiative of  the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat Employee Association.