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‘Heylo everyone!’
 Everyone looked up. The <keyword id="44284" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Secretary">secretary</keyword> looked up. The <keyword id="210157" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="deputy-secretary">deputy secretary</keyword> looked up and so did the assistant secretaries and the associate secretaries. Well, if the secretary looks up, the others had better not keep their head down as this is what gives a wrong signal and allows supersession in offices. The secretary then asked me to go to the reception and meet his secretary. ‘Well, this is quite a wonderful world here,’ I said, ‘full of secretaries.’ 

	No answer.
 

	I walked out and asked the secretary of the secretary if he was indeed the secretary of the secretary and he said, ‘I am indeed.’
 ‘So tell me,’ I said, ‘why is the <keyword id="6484188" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sensex">sensex</keyword> so dependent upon whatever happens in China today?’ 

	‘Ask the secretary.’
 

	‘But you’re the secretary.’
 

	‘I’m only the secretary to the secretary and not the secretary.’
 

	The way the PMO and, in fact, all these government offices function can be quite harrowing for simple folk like me. But this was more than just harrowing… I felt I was inside a pitch-black pipe and rolling with no chance of ever stopping. No wonder they say that the government is invariably rolling well or rolling back something or the other or heads are rolling. Rolling is quite a popular activity in the PMO as well. Do well and you’re on a roll… slip once and see your head roll. The people there role-play. They know their role well and roll in tandem. And thus the government rolls… and often like a roller-coaster, going higher and higher and then doing a noisy free-fall, but always rolling. It rocks and rolls too, really speaking. Rolling is what it does well other than rocking.
 

	And this leads us to rocking. Each of the services has their own rock throwers who do their job well. We’ve just being seeing one long rocking-battle between the defence guys and the civil services… operation OROP, as one veteran told me once. The common chant all over all the ministries is: ‘Rock their boat! Rock their boat!!’ The PMO, I discovered, is no less. They are adept at rocking boats in office and even after they have retired. Read the books that they write (which have, of course been written while they were in service and pretending to do some really complex fiscal jogging to help the nation afloat) and you’ll know how popular the sport of rocking is in a sarkari environment.
 

	Come on now, the government isn’t just about the babus and also has its roles shared by the netas. Though many of them prefer to roll than walk, but that being only an outcome of their physical attributes, they need to be adept at rocking as well. And the opposition is always rocking the decision-making abilities and bill-passing of the party in power. Ironically, the party in power believes they are rock stars and have a rocking performance.
 

	This is so confusing… but Specky, my wife thinks otherwise. She told me the other day that most of these rock stars in our parliament would look up and scan the skies if their leader were to suddenly shout, ‘Rock it!’ So I asked her if a command to ‘rock on’ will probably get them scurrying to manage a guitar!
 

	But let me not digress and let my thoughts not play second fiddle to any other thoughts that our bureaucracy and our politicians light up so easily. I had gone to the PMO to ask them about what the nation needs to do.
 

	The secretary to the secretary heard the word nation and looked up, ‘Ah! What the nation needs to know is that the rupee is like an iceberg, still afloat. Icebergs never drown.’
 

	‘Noble thought,’ I said, and immediately wrote a few lines sitting on a chair in the PMO…
 

	An appeal to the market 
	 

	how much further will the <keyword id="45204" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Market-fall">market fall</keyword>

	for how long shall the Bulls now crawl

	the Sensex that once made me glad

	piles figures and emotions that are bad

	I know this cycle of bad and good

	is a combo of could, would, and should

	but it is time for the fiscal roll to stop

	to hop the chop and pop the drop

	it is time for life to have some bounce

	without fiscal fear ready to pounce!
 

	As I was leaving, I decided to let my readers know that the PMO that I went to was some Prime Merry-making Office that every government office really is.

A comedian in the PMO

The monthly remuneration of all officers and staff of the PMO has been made public, as part of a proactive disclosure under the Right to Information Act. As per the revelation dated June 1, 2016, <keyword id="985066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhaskar-Khulbe">Bhaskar Khulbe</keyword>, an IAS officer of the 1983 batch who serves as the Secretary to the Prime Minister, is the highest paid PMO official, drawing a monthly salary of Rs 2.01 lakh. 
 
Khulbe was promoted to the post of Secretary to PM only last week, before which he was serving as the Additional Secretary. 
 After Khulbe, the three other top-paid officials at PMO include the Principal Secretary to PM, <keyword id="577616" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nripendra-Misra">Nripendra Misra</keyword>, Additional Principal Secretary <keyword id="2824826" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="P-K-Mishra">P.K. Mishra</keyword> and National Security Adviser <keyword id="115253" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ajit-Doval">Ajit Doval</keyword>. All three of them are retired civil servants and get paid the same salary of Rs 1,62,500 per month plus pension. 
 
After them, J.M. Thakkar, the PRO at PMO and also an old aide of the PM, is paid Rs 99434 per month plus pension. 
 
Under last PM Manmohan Singh’s tenure, the then adviser to the PM TKA Nair, then national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, then special envoy S.K. Lambah and then principal secretary to the Prime Minister Pulok Chatterji all were reported to be drawing an equal salary of Rs 1.61 lakh, including a salary of Rs 1.11 lakh and pension of Rs 50000. 
 
<a href="http://s2.firstpost.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/01_Narendra-Modi-taking-charge-the-office-of-the-Prime-Minister-of-India.jpg">Image source</a>

Bhaskar Khulbe is the highest paid official in the PMO

With an aim to eliminate <keyword id="2749116" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="digital-divide-in-India">digital divide in India</keyword>, while addressing a <keyword id="6372077" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nasscom">NASSCOM</keyword> event on March 1, 2015, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> asserted that there is immense potential for the Indian IT sector to innovate and provide mobile applications to deliver citizen- centric services and mobile governance. PM Modi has advocated the use of technology for bringing a positive change in people’s lives. 
 Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister said that he was planning to invite ideas from the public for developing a <keyword id="6369871" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Mobile-app">mobile app</keyword> for his office. 
 And today (March 2, 2015) <keyword id="2445183" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="MyGov">MyGov</keyword>, which is the citizen engagement platform of the <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword>, has announced the launch of a nationwide contest to build a mobile app for the <keyword id="602601" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Prime-Ministers-Office">Prime Minister’s Office</keyword> (<keyword id="6365387" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="PMO">PMO</keyword>). 
 The contest will invite participation from people across India. In order to select the best ideas to develop the mobile app for the PMO, MyGov has collaborated with none other than the <keyword id="2749117" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="tech-giant-Google">tech giant Google</keyword>. The contest will open up for the public at 5:00 pm on on <a href="https://mygov.in/">MyGov.in</a>. 
 
The contest has been divided into three phases: 
· The first phase will seek ideas from the public on what they would like to see in the mobile app for the PMO 
· The second phase will involve building wireframes 
· The final phase will include short listing, judging and building the app 
 Commenting on the initiative, Rajan Anandan, vice-president and managing director, <keyword id="45395" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Google-India">Google India</keyword> &amp; South-East Asia, said, “We announced about five months ago that we will contribute on the Digital India initiative and the app development contest is a step in that direction.” 
 
“We are very excited to be a part of the Prime Minister’s vision and would urge every Indian to come forward and participate in the app development contest and become a cohesive part of governance and decision making in the country,” added Anandan. 
 Talking about the announcement, <keyword id="933930" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Gaurav-Dwivedi">Gaurav Dwivedi</keyword>, <keyword id="5645" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="CEO">CEO</keyword>, MyGov, said, “We want to provide every citizen access to the PMO through a mobile device. And since this is an app for the people, we are inviting people to submit ideas on the features they would like to see in their PMO’s mobile app.” 
 
The contest will be judged by an external jury. You can also participate in the contest by visiting <a href="https://mygov.in/">MyGov.in</a> at 5:00 pm on March 3, 2015. 
(Image: www.prismetric.com)

Want to do your bit for the nation? Develop a mobile app for the PMO

Google has joined hands with MyGov, the citizen engagement platform of the <keyword id="6387077" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi-government">Narendra Modi Government</keyword>, to roll out a nationwide contest to develop mobile application for the <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword>’s Office (PMO). The initiative seems in sync with Prime Minister’s vision of <keyword id="1929810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Digital-India">digital India</keyword>. 
 While delivering his first Independence Day speech at Red Fort, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> had urged that it’s now time for building ‘Digital India’. He had said, “Digital India' is not an elite concept anymore. We have to use this idea to revolutionize health and education in India. Use broadband for education in rural areas, and telemedicine for the poor." 
 
By announcing the App contest, the PMO has shown its willingness to create a citizen-friendly, e-governance environment. 
 According to <keyword id="45395" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Google-India">Google India</keyword>, the contest also aims to showcase how Indians can build a world-class app and bring the PMO to every citizen. Thus, ensuring that each and every Indian citizen, living in rural areas or urban cities, can share his/her grievances with the government at the Centre without facing any difficulty. 
 In a bid to develop these initiatives, the popular search giant is working with <keyword id="260126" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="department-of-electronics">Department of Electronics</keyword> and <keyword id="6363148" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="80" keywordseo="information-Technology">Information Technology</keyword> (DeitY) and other state governments. RS Sharma, secretary of the DeitY, wants other technocrats to come forward and join this movement. He had said, “I’m happy Google is coming forward to roll out initiatives that will contribute to the Digital India vision. I’m sure others will come forward and join this movement.”. 
(Image: Press Information Bureau)

PMO App Contest: Google To Turn Narendra Modi’s Dream Of ‘Digital India’ Into A Reality

The good boy of Indian government,Narendra Modi is on duty all the time, the <keyword id="6365387" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PMO">PMO</keyword> has said. It also added that no leave records of former PMs are available with it, according to a report by a news agnecy. 
 The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said this when an <keyword id="6356198" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTI">RTI</keyword> applicant sought a copy of leave rules and procedures for the Prime Minister of the country from it and the <keyword id="116854" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cabinet-secretariat">Cabinet Secretariat</keyword>. "The Prime Minister can be said to be on duty all the time," the Right to Information (RTI) response from the PMO said. 
 The applicant also wanted to know if former prime ministers <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword>, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujral, P V Narasimha Rao, Chandrashekhar, V P Singh and <keyword id="12596" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajiv-Gandhi">Rajiv Gandhi</keyword> had availed any leave and were there any records. 
 "Information regarding leave record of previous PMs is not a part of records held by this office. However, it may be noted that no leave has been availed by present PM i.e. <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> since taking over charge," the RTI reply said.

Narendra Modi hasn't taken a single leave from office till date

The PMO on Saturday called as "mischievous interpretation" the criticism over Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>'s remarks at an all-party meeting that no one has entered Indian territory or captured any military post while referring to the <keyword id="9241086" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Galwan-Valley">Galwan Valley</keyword> clash in eastern Ladakh. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the focus of Modi's remarks at the meeting on Friday was the events of June 15 at Galwan that led to the loss of lives of 20 Indian military personnel. "The prime minister's observations that there was no Chinese presence on our side of the LAC (Line of Actual Control) pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces," it said. The Congress as well as a number of strategic affairs experts raised questions over Modi's remarks asking if there was no transgression by the Chinese military in Galwan Valley then where did Indian soldiers die. They also wondered whether Modi gave a clean chit to China over the standoff. "The sacrifices of the soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment foiled the attempt of the Chinese side to erect structures and also cleared the attempted transgression at this point of the LAC on that day," the PMO said. "The words of the prime minister 'those who tried to transgress our land were taught a befitting lesson by our brave sons of soil', succinctly summed up the ethos and the values of our armed forces," it said. The PMO said Modi assured that India's armed forces will leave no stone unturned to protect the country's borders. "Attempts are being made in some quarters to give a mischievous interpretation to remarks by the prime minister at the all-party meeting on Friday," it said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/ladakh-military-faceoff-with-china-may-go-on-for-longer-than-the-doklam-conflict/articleshow/76477753.cms">Ladakh military faceoff with China may go on for longer than the Doklam conflict</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/after-modi-says-no-incursions-china-claims-galwan-valley/articleshow/76477620.cms">After Modi says no incursions, China claims Galwan valley</a>

Modi's remarks were given a 'mischievous interpretation' says PMO office after facing criticism

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the economic ministries to come up with strategies in a bid to revive foreign <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> in the country. The new strategies should be able to change the negative global narrative about India and reposition the country as a viable investment destination. 
 Over the weekend, <keyword id="577616" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nripendra-Misra">Nripendra Misra</keyword>, principal secretary in the PMO, chaired a meeting with secretaries from core economic ministries to discuss measures that would revive investment in the country. “The PMO conveyed its concerns about improving the business environment in order to revive investments and stir job creation,” an official said. 
 “There was a general brainstorming on some of the immediate steps, such as resolving conflicts between investors and the government,” he added. Although officials did not divulge any information about the specific deliberations at the meeting, it is learnt that <keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword> (foreign direct investment) in defence had been discussed. 
 A proposal to amend the FDI policy in the defence sector is likely to be taken up soon as Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has signalled allowing more FDI than the present cap of 26% and 49% (on a case-to-case basis). “Why should we import defence equipment? We dream of an India that is self-sufficient in producing defence equipment, using the latest technology,” Modi had said at the launch of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in Goa.

PMO Asks Economic Ministries To Revive Foreign Investments

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Narendra+Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> taunted the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Congress">Congress party</a> in the Rajya Sabha, saying it is above criticism like death. 
 Modi equated the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> with death and said no one criticises Congress as no one blames death. 
 
"Death is a blessing. It's above criticism. No one criticises death. People say someone died of cancer, he died of old age. The cancer and old age is blamed but not the death. Sometimes I feel Congress is also blessed (like death), whenever we criticise Congress, media says opposition is under attack," Modi said. 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		When we criticise the Congress, it is reported as - criticism on Opposition, not criticism on Congress. Congress never gets a bad name: PM
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707486169525649408">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
He hit out at Congress saying, “Today you are looking at my work through a microscope. Wish you had used even binoculars on yourself.” 
Meanwhile, Modi listed out the achievements, schemes and initiatives taken up by his <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bjp">BJP-led NDA government</a>. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Let us pass those bills passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give impetus to India's progress: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in Rajya Sabha
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707488449306054656">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
Modi said his government focussed on three aspects-Transparency, Accountability and Decentralisation-for good governance. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		We have focussed on policy-driven governance and given an importance to transparency: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in the Rajya Sabha
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707489151260565505">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
He mentioned about his schemes including, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sanitation">sanitation</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=education">education</a>, those related to farmers and agriculture, banking, etc and praised his own government. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Cleanliness is becoming a mass movement. For first time Parliament debated on it. Govt may be criticised but issue is being discussed: PM
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707497796836790272">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		The biggest beneficiaries of MUDRA bank are SC/ST, OBC communities and women: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in the Rajya Sabha
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707495131461623809">March 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Effective or last mile delivery is what we are working on: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> in the Rajya Sabha <a href="https://t.co/Iy8hu3Nre5">https://t.co/Iy8hu3Nre5</a>
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/707491763741544449">March 9, 2016</a> 
	&#xa0;</blockquote>

Narendra Modi sneers Congress in Rajya Sabha, goes gaga over his own govt’s schemes and proposals

<keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>’s foreign travel has often been criticized as a splurge of public money without much effect in the country’s foreign policy. While the exact figure spent on the Prime Minister’s travel around the globe isn’t revealed, an <keyword id="6356198" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTI">RTI</keyword> or Right to Information Act filed by a retired defence personnel <keyword id="333325" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lokesh-Batra">Lokesh Batra</keyword> is waiting for its approval at the <keyword id="6390205" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Information-Commission">Central Information Commission</keyword> (<keyword id="6378909" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CIC">CIC</keyword>). 
 <keyword id="233052" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Batra">Batra</keyword> had filed the RTI back in August last year. The Prime Minster’s office however refused to share the details saying these kind of data, if revealed, might be harmful for the PM’s security and safety, which it can never let happen. 
 However, CIC has requested for the appropriate papers to be submitted from the <keyword id="6365387" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="PMO">PMO</keyword>’s office on the expense. CIC is the final appellate authority for Right to Information Act and will address this question next month and decide if expenditure on PM's visits, process of clearing bills and chartering flights should be put in the public domain. 
 
CIC would like to see which are the information that may create a threat to PM’s security. 
 
 The only information Batra received from the RTI filed is, "The aircraft for travel of PM is requisitioned from <keyword id="2573" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India">Air India</keyword> or <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> keeping in consideration various logistical and security issues. After the completion of the visit, the bills received are forwarded to PMO for settlement.” 
A determined Batra isn’t letting it go so easily. He has counter questioned and requested CIC to intervene saying PM’s travel bills don’t contain any sort of security details.

Now RTI appellate authority has
asked PMO how the Prime Minister’s travel bills can be a security threat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Pathankot air base and expressed satisfaction over the tactical response by the security personnel during the <keyword id="3191890" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pathankot-attack">Pathankot attack</keyword>. 
 
However, noting that such attacks do not happen in future, Modi asked defence authorities to ensure that all bases near the border are made into "impregnable fortresses.” 
 
Modi was briefed on how security personnel stopped attempts by the six terrorists to storm the technical area where vital and strategic assets were located. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Visited Pathankot air base today. Had a detailed briefing from senior leadership of Army, Air Force, NSG &amp; BSF: PM <a href="https://t.co/S6JngIopcY">pic.twitter.com/S6JngIopcY</a>
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/685787408546148352">January 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Was briefed in great detail on how our forces neutralised such a serious terrorist attack: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> after visiting Pathankot
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/685787656739893248">January 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Noted with satisfaction the decision-making &amp; its execution, the considerations that went into our tactical response: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a>
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/685787877641326592">January 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Also noted coordination among various field units. Lauded bravery &amp; determination of our men &amp; women on the ground. They are our pride: PM
	— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/685788211780562944">January 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
National Security Guard commandos were called to handle the situation. 
 
Modi said bases near the border areas should have modern electronic perimeter intrusion protection systems and proper flood-lighting and control centres to live-monitor the boundaries of these bases. 
 
(Image: PIB)

PM Modi visits Pathankot air base, says defence bases near border should have modern tech

The <keyword id="81545" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-accounts-committee">Public Accounts Committee</keyword> (PAC), which is looking into 2010 Commonwealth Games scam, said former Prime Minister <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword>’s office passed the buck while selecting Congress leader <keyword id="6545061" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suresh-Kalmadi">Suresh Kalmadi</keyword> as head of the organising committee. 
 
The PAC said Singh’s office did not fulfil its responsibilities, dismissing the then PMO’s specious argument of non-circulation of minutes of the meeting of a group of ministers on January 14, 2005. 
 
"When it comes to directions of the PM (Manmohan Singh) pertaining to projects of utmost national importance, the PMO instead of shifting responsibilities, should have ensured effective follow up. The PMO's submission that reasons can be best explained by the sports ministry is evasive at best," the report said. 
 
The PAC also asked the CBI to take up de novo (afresh) investigation into cases of alleged corruption that were closed by the agency.

PAC says Manmohan Singh's Office shifted responsibilities, passed buck on CWG scams

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has suggested 24 steps for an action plan to renovate the railways. 
 
The measures include asking the ministries of food and railways to chalk out the total nine-month food requirement of the Northeast states and formulate a way to transport the whole stock in one go. The other steps are Wi-Fi connectivity on all passenger trains in three months and ‘scrap-free railways’ by June 30 next year. 
 
The railways have been asked to find out an area where world-class technology can be deployed. 
 The action points are a mix of macro- and micro-level objectives. What is evident in all action points is Modi’s concept of getting departments and ministries to work in tandem with common objectives. The <keyword id="6696781" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Urban-development-ministry">Urban Development Ministry</keyword> and the railways have been asked to connect all major airports with the metro rail. 
 
One of the action points is to connect all the underdeveloped areas with the developed areas. Leveraging the UPA’s flagship MGNREGA, the Prime Minister’s Office wants the project to be linked with the laying of tracks and other works in the railways.

PMO Suggests 24 Steps To Transform Railways

<keyword id="6354814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="prime-minister-Narendra-Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> has always been in the limelight for being one of the most social media savvy politicians in India. After joining popular social networking sites like <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> and <keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> to connect with the masses, the-64-year-old on Wednesday made his <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> debut, sharing a picture from the venue of the <keyword id="5891" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="ASEAN">ASEAN</keyword> Summit at Nay Pyi Taw. He is on a two-day visit to <keyword id="6356970" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Myanmar">Myanmar</keyword>. 
 
"Hello World! Great being on Instagram. My first photo...this one from the ASEAN Summit. @Nay Pyi Taw," the Prime Minister said in a post on his Twitter account. 
 Within four hours of <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> posting his first image on the photo and video sharing service, more than 44,000 people started following him on Instagram. The image also received a large number of likes and comments. 
 Recently, the <keyword id="99985" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Ministers-Office">Prime Minister's Office</keyword> (PMO) was embroiled in a controversy surrounding the use of a photograph on Narendra Modi's Facebook page. The PMO had suggested that a 'Dhanteras' photo used on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook page was publicly available and there was no need to take permission of the photographer. 
 PMO sources said this in the wake of claims that the photograph was protected by US Copyright law. According to the sources, the photograph has been used on several websites, which even includes that of the <keyword id="97514" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Australian-government">Australian government</keyword>. 
(Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Instagram account)

After Facebook And Twitter, Instagram Is Narendra Modi’s New Love For Social Media

After writing to Union Minister of Finance on various occasions, Industry body <keyword id="6355001" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="FICCI">Ficci</keyword>'s National Committee on Infrastructure has taken the matter of <keyword id="6355686" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Service-tax">service tax</keyword> collection for consultants right up to the Prime Minister's Office, calling for a review. 

	"The Ficci Infra Committee on various occasions has written to Union Minister of Finance, but to no avail. Our request to the Prime Minister is the service tax payable by the employer of a consultant should be collected by the government directly from the employer," the panel said in a statement.
 

	Under the current set-up, the consulting community pays service tax on behalf of the employer even before it receives its remuneration.
 

	"In case there is any difficulty in accepting our request for direct payment of service tax by the service receiver, Ficci urges the Prime Minister to restore provision of paying service tax within 30 days of receipt of payment," K K Kapila, Co-Chairperson, Ficci Infra Committee, told PTI.
 

	The consultant is supposed to pay service tax within 30 days of raising an invoice with the employer.
 

	"The employer, which in most cases is a government department, usually responds with a payment after a considerable delay ranging from 3-6 months. In the interim, the consultant who is technically not liable for service tax is expected to make the same within 30 days regardless of whether he has received the payment or not," the statement said.
 

	Also, in the case of payment delay, the consultant is "liable for penalties at 18 per cent for the first six months, 24 per cent for further six months and thereafter, 30 per cent, it said, adding that such a payment is linked to the value of invoice whereas actual payment by the employer to the consultant may be less than the value of the invoice raised.
 

	Ficci went further, saying the current procedure of collecting service tax has also posed cash flow difficulty for consultants as their role is merely that of a collector on behalf of the government.
 

	"We seek intervention of the Prime Minister... to ensure this long-standing demand of the consulting community is addressed in the forthcoming Budget. Such a step will be a genuine step in ensuring the ease of doing business," the statement said.

	 
	 
	(Image credits: indiatimes)

You Searched For "PMO" and got 14 results

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After Facebook And Twitter, Instagram Is Narendra Modi’s New Love For Social Media

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FICCI approaches PMO for review of service tax for consultants

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