Prime Minister Narendra Modi told bureaucrats: Do not use social media for self- promotion or spend too much time online

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told bureaucrats: Do not use social media for self- promotion or spend too much time online

Use social media for public service and not self-promotion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told bureaucrats on Friday, even as he pulled up a section of officials who he said spent too much time online.

"If the social media is used for announcing the date for the anti-polio vaccination then it’s very good," Modi said in his address to bureaucrats on the 11th civil service day, asking officials to make better use of online interaction tools.

"But giving two drops of polio vaccine and then circulating the photo through social media should not be done," he added.

Modi has more than 29 million Twitter followers with whom he constantly interacts besides using the 140-character interface to highlight government programmes.

The Prime Minister said the power of social media should be used only for people’s welfare and public causes.

"I see officers of district level so busy on social media that most of the time is spent on this (social media)," Modi said.

Modi said he was aware of the power of social media but added that at his meetings with bureaucrats through video conferences, he has often seen them busy taking pictures of the meeting on their mobile phones

Source : http://www.hindustantimes.com

6-month limit to complete graft enquiries against babus

6-month limit to complete graft enquiries against babus

New Delhi: The government has decided to fix six-month deadline for completion of corruption enquiries against IAS and IPS officers among others.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has finalised draft rules to put a time limit for each stage of the enquiries to ensure expeditious disposal of corruption cases.

"The Inquiring Authority should conclude the inquiry and submit his report within a period of six months," the draft rules said.

However, this period can be extended for a further period of six months after recording reasons of the Inquiring Authority in this regard, it said.

At present, there are no rules that define time limit for conducting corruption enquiries.

As per the government proposal, officers will get copy of articles of charges from the disciplinary authority and they should give their response mandatorily within 15 days.

In cases, where a disciplinary authority decides to consult Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in the matter involving a delinquent officer, its advice need to be shared with such charged employee.
The UPSC conducts civil service examination to select officers for various services including Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) and it is consulted by authorities concerned before acting against a civil servant.

The government servant will be given 15 days to submit his representation on receipt of such advice from the Commission.

All ministries have been asked to share their comments on the proposed changes in the rules, which if comes into force will be applicable to IAS, IFS and IPS officers and those belonging to other civil services.

PTI