National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), the state- run power giant of India, has featured on the top in the list of Indian PSUs under ‘World’s Best Employer 2020’, published by Forbes. An official NTPC communication, while announcing this, further states that, this recognition is a testimony to the NTPC’s commitment towards inculcating best in class practices that are thoughtfully designed and robustly executed.
During the lockdown phase and the subsequent unlock period, NTPC’s learning and development strategy moulded itself significantly to further evolve as per the requirement of the current scenario.
Its training methodology enriched the lives of thousands of its employees through intensive digitisation and online training.
NTPC has been successfully innovating and introducing people practices in the domain of hiring; engagement; diversity and inclusion; rewards and recognition; and performance management.
A disciplinary inquiry has been ordered against 1985-batch IAS officer Arvind Kumar over his alleged use of foul language and levelling allegations on WhatsApp against senior colleagues. Kumar has also been relieved as the additional chief secretary (ACS) in the state Rural Development department.
The Thackeray-led General Administration department issued Kumar a show-cause notice on why action should not be taken against him for misconduct.
Earlier, Kumar was forcibly removed from an official WhatsApp group of secretary-grade IAS officers after his alleged use of foul language and lavelling of unsubstantiated allegations against three former chief secretaries and a serving bureaucrat. Kumar is also alleged to have levelled allegations against these officials on another official WhatsApp group, comprising young IAS officers who are serving as Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Parishads in the state.
According to sources, the CM ordered a disciplinary action after senior state officials pointed out this is not the first occasion when Kumar had used “objectionable and intemperate” language against fellow officials on the WhatsApp group. Our sources reveal further that, at least a couple of former chief secretaries, had lodged complaints against Kumar.
Kumar has been pulled up for bad behaviour in the past as well. In 2007, he was placed under suspension when he was an observer in Uttar Pradesh and had snatched a rifle from a BSF constable, but an inquiry conducted into the incident had later exonerated him. During the previous Devendra Fadnavis regime, Kumar had faced complaints of misconduct following which he was relegated to side postings.
IAS Officer, Kumar, when contacted have confirmed to receiving the show-cause notice, but declined to comment on the same.
Based on the ‘The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020’, the apex direct tax body CBDT has issued an internal order on exercising the power of survey by tax officers under Section 133A of the I-T Act. Income tax surveys to collect information for scrutiny assessment can be undertaken by the tax deducted at source (TDS) directorate only after approval from senior officers of the ranks of principal chief commissioner or chief commissioner. The CBDT has issued directions in this regard to the officers that wherever any survey action is required by officers of “Central Charge” (involving search/ seizure), international charge, NeAC (National e-Assessment Centre)/ NFAC (National Faceless Assessment Centre), the same shall have to be first approved by a collegium comprising high-ranked officers.
In an I-T survey, tax officers visit business premises of the taxpayer to gather information by way of examination of books of accounts, data stored electronically and also access e-mail communication.
The CBDT guideline further specifies that surveys can be conducted only by the officers of the investigation wing or the TDS charge and “any such action shall be taken only as a last resort when all the other means of verification/obtaining details online/recovery are exhausted.”
The CBDT also directed that the principal commissioner of I-T or commissioner of I-T of the TDS charge or the investigation wing should monitor and ensure that the survey does not go beyond the scope as approved. In accordance with these CBIT guidelines, the income tax department issued new guidelines, with an immediate effect, to restrict intrusive or coercive action for recovery of tax demand by Assessing Officer (AO)/Tax Recovery Officer (TRO).
As per industry experts, the CBDT Guidelines and the resultant corrective measures taken by the IT department shows that the government intends to ensure that only deserving cases are subject to the survey procedure. The approval process and the team-based approach will ensure high level of transparency, functional specialisation, efficiency and improvement in quality of assessment. The new directions will also help check the powers of the officers and create an accountable tax administration system.
Gorityala veera Mahendar has been appointed as Member (Economic & Commercial) in the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). Presently, he is serving as General Manager, Rural Electrification Corporation Limited.
Dr. Ashis Kumar Mukherjee has been appointed to the post of Director, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, on deputation basis for a period of five years. Presently, he is serving as Professor, Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Tezpur University.
Addressing the shareholders of Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) on Company’s 48th Annual General Meeting held Thursday, Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman, SAIL mentioned that we all are aware that COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted SAIL just as it has impacted every corporate across the country. He also highlighted how SAIL has activated a scaled response for management of COVID-19 outbreak at Plants/Units and Townships.
While fighting with the COVID-19 Pandemic on one hand, the Company ensured that the production continued in the Company in line with the market demand while making use of the time available to carry out planned repairs by preponing them from the original schedule.
He said that the financial year 2019-20 has been the year of sustaining profitability. Despite challenging market conditions which saw the average Net Sales Realisation (NSR) decline by 12% over the previous year, the determined efforts and strategic initiatives taken by SAIL saw the EBITDA in FY’20 rise by 9% to Rs. 11,199 crore, as against Rs. 10,283 Crore in FY’19. However, due to higher depreciation and finance cost, the Profit after Tax (PAT) on standalone basis came down to Rs. 2,022 crore in FY’20 as against Rs. 2178 crore in the previous year FY’19. On a consolidated basis, the Profit after Tax stood at Rs. 2,121 crore for FY’20 as against Rs. 2348 crore in FY’19.
The Company’s improvement in financial performance was based upon the improvement in operational areas. Some of the highlights were:
Highest producer of crude steel in the Country by producing 16.155 MT
Best ever Saleable Steel production as well as sales volumes at 15.083 MT and 14.231 MT respectively
Rails crossed the 1 Million Tonne mark for the first time. The production at 12.85 lakh tonne, the best ever, showed a growth of 30% over previous year
Company became the largest miner for steel making input minerals in the Country by mining 32.41 MT of total minerals.
With quantum jump, SAIL achieved its highest ever exports at 1.18 MT during the FY 2019-20 with substantial growth of over 54% over the previous year.
SAIL has proudly associated itself with India’s economic and industrial progress and development by contributing to important and strategic sectors like Defence, Railways, Metro, Infrastructure, Space, Power, Manufacturing, Irrigation, etc. through effecting supplies to prestigious projects such as Indian’s first and the biggest indigenous artillery gun “Dhanush”, Chandrayaan-2, Mangalyaan, Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal Broad Gauge Railway Project, Manipur (World’s tallest girder Railway bridge), AnjiKhad Cable Stayed Bridge Project, J&K, Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna, Rawatbhata and Kakrapara Atomic Power Plant, other Power Projects like Neyvile Lignite Power Plant at Ghatampur in UP, NTPC Patratu Power Plant in Jharkhand, Chausa Thermal Power Plant in Bihar, Yadadari Power Plant in Telengana and Ennore Power Plant in Tamil Naidu, Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, etc. The latest feather in its cap has been the supply of majority of steel for the strategically important “Atal Tunnel”.
Chaudhary highlighted that SAIL has always been a part of the Government led initiatives like Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, Prime Minister Jan Arogaya Yojana (PMJAY), Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY), Skill India, Ban on Single Use Plastic, Mission Purvodaya, etc. He also emphasized SAIL’s concern for the environment with planting of more than 4.44 lakh saplings during the FY 2019-20, taking the cumulative plantation by SAIL to 21.04 million since inception.
In the wake of severe impact on economy of the Country during the COVID-19 Pandemic, SAIL has been the frontrunner in taking forward the initiative of making India prosper through self-reliance viz., ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Vocal for Local’.
He further added that, “During FY19 SAIL produced new grades of steel like Superior Performance rails namely R-260 grade and wheels for high speed LHB coaches for Indian Railways; Special quality steel complying to the requirement of Country’s Defence Forces for use in armour plates, gun carriage, ammunition testing and bullet proof applications; API X-70 steel grade for pipe in Oil and Gas Sector; and High tensile, fire resistant, weather resistant structural steel and seismic grade TMT Bars for Construction & Infrastructure Sector”.
Neha Prakash (IAS:2012:UP) has been appointed as the honorary advisor committee member to the steering committee of BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Leaders. Presently, she is serving as special secretary IT electronics department and NRI department and MD, UPDESCO.
The position would allow Neha to mentor students and entrepreneurs from the participant countries in the field of research, writing, public speaking interview skill, presentations and networking.
BRICS, through its programs and initiatives, aims to reach out to millions of youth across the world. BRICS CCI Young Leaders will hold numerous activities each year under the pillars of Youth Leadership, Global Research and Thought Leadership, and connect with students through its institutional network.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on wednesday promoted 26 IAS officers of Joint AGMUT Cadre to Junior Administrative Grade of Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday promoted four IPS officers (1989 batch) from the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP).
The names of the officers are :
1. Rajesh Das 2. P Kandaswamy 3. Md. Shakeel Akhtar 4. Braj Kishore Ravi
Rajesh Das, ADGP, Law and order was posted as Special DGP, Law and Order ; P Kandaswamy, ADGP, Administration was posted as Special DGP, Administration ; Md. Shakeel Akhtar ADGP, Crime, was posted as Special DGP, Enforcement and Braj Kishore Ravi, ADGP/Adviser (Security), was promoted as DGP without prejudice to his deputation to Government of India.
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