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PM Modi inaugurates Seva Teerth complex in Delhi

By
LO Bureau
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Seva Teerth Complex

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (February 13, 2026) inaugurated the Seva Teerth complex in New Delhi. The new campus brings the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat to one place. The aim is to improve coordination and make government work faster.

The event was held on February 13. The date marks 95 years since New Delhi was declared India’s capital in 1931. The occasion links India’s administrative past with a more modern, citizen-focused system.

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh and senior officials were present. The Prime Minister unveiled a plaque carrying the words “Nagrik Devo Bhava”, highlighting that citizens remain at the centre of governance.

With Seva Teerth now ready, the Prime Minister’s Office will shift from South Block on Raisina Hill, where it has worked for decades. Key secretariats that were earlier spread across different buildings will now function together. Officials expect this to cut delays, improve coordination and provide a secure, technology-enabled workplace.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan 1 and 2. These buildings will house several major Union ministries. They include digital office systems, dedicated public interaction areas, centralised reception facilities, renewable energy use, water-saving features, waste management systems and strong safety and surveillance arrangements that follow green building norms.

Officials said that since 2014 the government has taken steps to move away from colonial-era names and symbols. The PMO complex has been named Seva Teerth, Central Secretariat buildings are now called Kartavya Bhawan, and Rajpath has been renamed Kartavya Path. Race Course Road, where the Prime Minister’s residence is located, is now called Lok Kalyan Marg. Raj Bhavans and Raj Niwases are also being referred to as Lok Bhavans and Lok Niwases.

For many years, several ministries worked from old and scattered buildings across the Central Vista area. This created coordination problems and increased maintenance costs. The new complexes are meant to solve these issues by bringing offices into modern, efficient and environmentally friendly spaces.

Officials see the inauguration of Seva Teerth Complex and Kartavya Bhavan as an important step in changing India’s administrative system while keeping a link with its historical roots.

RECPDCL hands over Bellary Davanagere Power Transmission SPV to PowerGrid

By
LO Bureau
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REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited (RECPDCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of REC Limited, the Maharatna CPSU under the aegis of Ministry of Power, handed over a project specific SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) of ISTS Transmission Project under TBCB route viz, Bellary Davanagere Power Transmission Limited to M/s Power Grid Corporation of India Limited on 12th February 2026.

M/s Power Grid Corporation of India Limited emerged as the successful bidder through Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) process conducted by RECPDCL, the Bid Process Coordinator, for development of the transmission project on Build, Own, Operate & Transfer (BOOT) basis.

The SPV was handed over by Saurabh Rastogi, CEO, RECPDCL to Pankaj Pandey, Executive Director, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited in the presence of Sh. Arup Samanta, GM & CS, Sh. Ashwini Kumar Das, GM, PGCIL and other senior officials of RECPDCL, PGCIL and CTUIL. The implementation period of the project is 24 months.

The scheme covers augmentation of transformation capacity at Davanagere PS and Bellary PS, as well as establishment of Bellary – Davanagere 2nd 400 kV Double Circuit line of around 72 km.

SC allows TN govt to replace acting DGP in UPSC’s Selection Committee for DGP appointment

By
LO Bureau
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SC on NCLT

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Tamil Nadu government to substitute the acting DGP with another top-ranking officer to represent the state in the DGP selection committee of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The state govt had objected to having the acting DGP in the committee for selecting a regular DGP, as he also aspires to be considered for the post. The govt’s contention was that in the present selection committee, the state was being represented by its Chief Secretary and the acting DGP, and hence it wished to nominate a substitute for the acting DGP.

The bench noted that the acting DGP also wants to contest for the appointment as the regular DGP and is one of the eligible officers, so he cannot be part of the selection committee. Considering the same, the Court permitted the State Government to recommend a substitute, mainly an officer who is higher in rank and status than the DGP, within 1 week to the UPSC.

The UPSC will make the panel recommendations within 2 weeks after receiving the substitute’s name.

According to the apex court order, the state govt has to nominate an officer, preferably a superior higher in rank and status than the DGP, like an Additional Chief Secretary, as a substitute in the Selection Committee of the UPSC.

The Tamil Nadu government had filed the application seeking directions to ensure that the panel of officers prepared by the UPSC for the appointment of DGP follows the Revised Guidelines issued through circular on September 26, 2023, and the directions issued by it in the Prakash Singh v. Union of India case.

Bombay HC dismisses plea to implement AGMUT rules for appointing IPS in Goa

By
LO Bureau
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AGMUT Cadre Rules

The Bombay High Court dismissed a petition seeking implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre rules for appointing IPS officers in Goa. The petitioner, one Sudip Tamankar, sought the High Court’s directions to authorities for the same.

Describing himself as a public-spirited citizen, Tamankar argued that the efficiency and effectiveness of the Goa police are being compromised due to posting police officers from the state service to the positions meant to be filled by IPS officers of the AGMUT cadre.

The High Court observed that the petitioner raised an issue of cadre rules’ violation, which strictly fell within the domain of service jurisprudence.

The bench, comprising Justices Suman Shyam and Amit Jamsandekar, refused to entertain the plea, saying the petitioner is neither in service nor a former officer of the police department, and in view of the settled law, no public interest litigation (PIL) can be entertained in service matters.

Indian bureaucracy facing acute crunch of over 2,800 officers: Minister tells Parliament

By
LO Bureau
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Govt.'s capacity-building exercise

The Union Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, made a startling revelation about the malaise that is sapping the vitality of the Indian bureaucracy currently. He informed the Parliament on Thursday that the country is facing an acute crunch of frontline civil servants, with more than 2800 posts in the three All India Services—Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFoS)—currently lying vacant.

Singh was replying to the questions raised by CPI-M MP John Brittas. Brittas had asked for details about the sanctioned strength, officers in position, representation of reserved categories, and vacancies in the All India Services.

In response, the minister shared the details in the Rajya Sabha.

Singh said that as per the Civil List compiled on January 1, 2025, there are 1,300 vacancies in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), 505 in the Indian Police Service (IPS), and 1,029 in the Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

According to the data, the IAS cadre alone has a vacancy rate of about 18.9 percent, with 1,300 posts vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 6,877. The IPS has around 9.9 percent vacancies, with 505 unfilled against 5,099 sanctioned posts.

The situation about the IFoS is the worst, with 1,029 vacancies out of 3,193 sanctioned posts—translating into a vacancy rate of approximately 32.2 percent.

Overall, a total of 2,834 posts across the three All India Services are vacant out of a combined sanctioned strength of 15,169, reflecting an overall vacancy rate of nearly 18.7 per cent.

The total authorised strength of IAS officers across cadres is 6,877, against which 5,577 officers are currently working. Similarly, only 4,594 IPS officers are serving the country against a sanctioned strength of 5,099, while in the IFoS, only 2,164 officers are in service against 3,193 sanctioned posts.

Cadre-wise data placed in the reply shows that Uttar Pradesh, which has the highest authorised strength of 652 IAS posts, has 571 officers in position. In Madhya Pradesh, 391 IAS officers are in place against a sanctioned strength of 459, while Maharashtra has 359 officers against 435 sanctioned posts.

States like Bihar, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu jointly top the list of shortfalls of IPS officers between authorised strength and officers in position. The IFoS has seen particularly high vacancies, with several states reporting sizeable gaps between sanctioned and filled posts.

The minister also elaborated on data saying that during the last five years (Civil Services Examination 2020 to 2024), a total of 245 OBC, 135 SC and 67 ST candidates were appointed to the IAS through direct recruitment. In the IPS, 255 OBC, 141 SC and 71 ST candidates were appointed, while in the IFoS, 231 OBC, 95 SC, and 48 ST candidates joined during the same period.

Anand Mohan recommended as Director (Technical) of CMPDIL by PESB

By
LO Bureau
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CMPDIL

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Anand Mohan for appointment as Director (Technical) of Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL). The recommendation was made following interviews conducted by PESB on February 12, 2026. He is currently serving as Area General Manager at Eastern Coalfields Limited.

The post was advertised on July 8, 2025, in view of the vacancy arising on March 1, 2026. The incumbent Director (Technical), Shankar Nagachari, who has been serving in the role since September 2022, is scheduled to retire on February 28, 2026.

A total of eleven candidates were considered for the post. These included:

  1. Kripa Shankar Singh, Executive Director (Quality Management), Coal India Limited
  2. Babuli Kishor Jena, General Manager (Mining)/Area General Manager, Sohagpur Area, South Eastern Coalfields Limited
  3. Dhanraj Akhare, General Manager (Co-ordination), Bharat Coking Coal Limited
  4. Kamal Kishore Jha, General Manager, Block E Area, Bharat Coking Coal Limited
  5. Rajesh Ralhan, Regional Director-cum-General Manager, Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited
  6. Ranjay Sinha, General Manager, Dhori Area, Central Coalfields Limited
  7. Anand Mohan, Area General Manager, Eastern Coalfields Limited
  8. Sanjeev Kumar, General Manager (Production), Northern Coalfields Limited
  9. Binod Kumar Gupta, Executive Director (Mining), HCL Corporate Office, Kolkata, Hindustan Copper Limited
  10. Cheruku Dayanand, Executive Director (Coal Coordination), NLC India Limited
  11. Vijaya Kumar S, Executive Director and Project Head, Barsingsar Project, NLC India Limited.

REC Limited to Showcase Future-Ready AI Innovations and Host Strategic Global Sessions at India AI Impact Summit 2026

By
LO Bureau
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REC Limited

New Delhi, February 12, 2026 – REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, is set to play a pivotal role at the upcoming India AI Impact Summit and Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. As a leader in power sector financing and digital transformation, REC will host three high-level thematic sessions in collaboration with global partners and showcase cutting-edge technology at its dedicated pavilion.

Driving Global Discourse: Three Strategic Sessions

REC is convening three distinct sessions to address the intersection of artificial intelligence, energy transition, and infrastructure financing:

●      Global Mission on AI for Energy (February 16 – 16:30 to 17:25 hrs, L2 Audi I): Partnering with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), this session focuses on building “AI-ready” and “citizen-ready” power systems. It aims to align leadership on high-impact use cases that make clean electricity more affordable and inclusive.

●      The AI-Energy-Finance Trifecta (February 17 – 10:30 to 11:25 hrs, Room no 10): In collaboration with the World Bank, REC will examine the rapid expansion of energy-intensive data centers. The discussion will focus on the policy and financing foundations needed to unlock AI-driven energy optimization and resilient, green data-center development in India.

●      India Energy Stack (IES) and the AI-Ready Power Sector (February 18 – 11:30 to 12:25, West wing room 4 A): Partnering with FSR Global, this session explores the India Energy Stack as a common, interoperable digital layer for the power sector. The discussion will center on how this digital public infrastructure can lower integration costs and enable a shift from “energy access” to “energy agency” for consumers.

Empowering Consumers: Launch of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Energy Trading A major highlight of the summit will be the launch of a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy trading program during the India Energy Stack session. This initiative is designed to transform consumers from passive recipients of electricity into active market participants. By leveraging secure, interoperable digital protocols, P2P trading will allow neighbors to buy and sell surplus solar energy directly among themselves, fostering a decentralized energy ecosystem and providing new monetization opportunities for households and small businesses.

A Hub of Innovation: The REC Pavilion

REC Limited will demonstrate its commitment to a digital-first energy landscape at its 140 sq m pavilion located at First Floor, Hall 4 (4F.19). Visitors can explore various AI-driven solutions designed to enhance grid efficiency, improve utility performance, and support India’s transition toward a smarter, greener energy future.

Through these initiatives, REC Limited continues to lead the charge in integrating advanced technology with robust infrastructure to power a sustainable and digitally empowered India.

Note: All personnel intending to attend the sessions/expo are required to complete registration at the following link: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/registration

ACC empanels three officers as Joint Secretary

By
LO Bureau
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Joint Secretary Empanelment

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cleared the empanelment of three officers — two from the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) (Civil) of the 2001 batch and one Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer of the 2005 batch (Gujarat cadre) — for holding Joint Secretary or equivalent posts in the Government of India.

The officers empanelled are:

  1. Avinash Jain (IRSE)
  2. Rajendra Kumar (IRSE)
  3. Pradeep Singh (IFoS)

IAS Jayesh Ranjan emerges frontrunner in Telangana CS race

By
LO Bureau
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Jayesh Ranjan IAS

With the current Chief Secretary, K. Ramakrishna Rao (IAS:1991:TG), all set to retire on March 31, the speculation over the choice of a new CS has now begun in right earnest. As changes are about to take place at the top of the state bureaucracy, the name of senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan (IAS:1992:TG) emerges as the frontrunner. His vast experience and understanding of the government’s priorities make him the favourite choice for the top bureaucratic slot in the state.

Incumbent CS Ramakrishna Rao was originally scheduled to retire on August 30, 2025, but he was given an extension of another seven months, i.e., till March 31 this year. Hence, it is widely believed that he is unlikely to get another extension. 

There are only two officers senior to Jayesh Ranjan in the state cadre—Shashank Goyal (IAS:1990:TG) and Arvind Kumar (IAS:1991:TG). Goel is a Special Chief Secretary, who is posted as Resident Commissioner of the Telangana Bhawan in New Delhi. Arvind Kumar, currently serving as Special Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department, has a formula race case pending against him, and hence his name is unlikely to be considered for the post. Another senior IAS officer in the race is Vikas Raj (IAS:1992:TG), currently posted as Special CS of the Transport department. Vikas Raj is junior to Ranjan.

Thus, among the senior officers under consideration for the CS post, Ranjan is widely viewed as the leading candidate, reflecting sustained confidence in his administrative experience and long association with the governance framework in the state.

An IIM Calcutta alumnus and a topper of the 1992 batch IAS, Ranjan is currently serving as Special Chief Secretary for the Metropolitan Area and Urban Development, overseeing urban governance within the HMDA limits. In addition to this key assignment, he holds several important additional charges, including Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, Special Chief Secretary for Sports, and Director of Archaeology. He is also a member of the National Pool of Trainers in Leadership, mentoring young civil servants across the country.

This is not all. Ranjan’s latest assignment is his appointment as Special Officer tasked to supervise transitional arrangements in all three municipal corporations that came into existence after the trifurcation of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Feb 11.  

The authorities in the government are confident that Ranjan will get a chance to head the state bureaucracy, and the government is likely to make an official announcement about it soon.
 

Rajasthan to train state service officers abroad; daughter-in-law of deceased employee also entitled to govt job on compassionate ground

By
LO Bureau
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Rajasthan's employees' welfare

In a landmark policy shift, the Rajasthan government has come out with a series of big measures aimed at boosting morale within the state bureaucracy and expanding the social security cover for families of its employees and their dependents in its latest budget. The provisions range from foreign training for state service officers like IAS officers to providing employment eligibility to daughters-in-law of deceased employees and relief to women employees, including single and surrogate mothers.

After the death of a government employee, their daughter-in-law will be entitled to govt job on compassionate grounds. Besides, in case an employee gets permanently disabled while in govt job and becomes unable to perform their duties, their dependent will be given a compassionate appointment.

If someone resigns within a year of joining service, a waiting list will be issued in his place, making way for the youth to get govt job. At the same time, on the lines of IAS, state service officers will also be given the facility of training abroad. With this, officers will move from a rule-based to a role-based working style with the spirit of Karmayogi.

A salary account package will be introduced for the overall welfare of the employees of the government and public sector undertakings. In this, along with a salary account, advanced banking facilities, loans at concessional rates, insurance, etc., facilities will be made available.

This facility will also be extended to pensioners up to the age of 70. The Chief Minister’s Shishu Vatsalya Sadan will be opened during office hours to care for the children aged six months to six years of government women employees.

Childcare leave will be given to single women employees in six phases. Currently, female employees are granted child care leave in a maximum of three phases in a calendar year. Considering the special needs of single woman employees, it is now proposed to extend this leave to them in six phases.

The govt has also announced relief to female employees who become mothers through surrogacy. Surrogate mothers will be granted 180 days of maternity leave, and commissioning mothers will be granted 90 days of maternity leave.

The state government has provided significant opportunities to fill vacant positions in government departments by candidates on the waiting list. Under this initiative, provisions will be made for selecting candidates from the category-wise waiting list for a post in the event that a candidate finally selected for a position resigns, dies, or is dismissed within one year of joining.

The daughter-in-law of the deceased government employee will also be included in the list of eligible dependents for compassionate appointment. Currently, there is a provision to give compassionate appointment to eligible dependents of a government employee who suffers permanent disability due to an accident while on duty. Now, if such disability is caused to the employee, his eligible dependent will be given a compassionate appointment if he is no longer capable of performing government duties.

The state government has provided major relief for specially abled children receiving family pensions by doing away with the requirement to submit a permanent disability certificate every three years. Now, they will need to submit the certificate only once.

At the same time, the rules for regular payments to pensioners have also been simplified by introducing a mobile app that will enable pensioners to submit their own annual life certificates using face authentication technology.

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