Inside Raisina Hill: Whispers About Appointments & Other Tales

As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, and Shashtri Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

From Engines to Exhibits, Ashwani Lohani’s Full Circle at Teen Murti

In what can only be described as the most elegant loop-de-loop of bureaucratic destiny, Ashwani Lohani — the man who once curated steam engines — is now set to manage the museum of political engines. Yes, the same person who puffed life into the National Rail Museum in Delhi, is chugging into his next station: Director of the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library at Teen Murti Bhavan.

Call it fate, karma, or just an unerring instinct for public transport and memory — Lohani’s journey has been anything but ordinary. From stoking the coals of nostalgia at the Rail Museum, to flying high (and occasionally crash-landing) as CMD of Air India, and then switching tracks as Chairman of the Railway Board, the man has had more portfolios than some coalition cabinets.

Now, in the twilight of his career, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has handed Lohani the key to the ultimate archive of political locomotion: The Prime Minister's Museum, where the engines are ideological, and the baggage is always historical. He’s been brought in on a three-year contract — though one suspects, like many of the exhibits, he may become a permanent fixture.

Sources say he’s already planning to install a new wing in the museum: “Coalitions and Crashes — A Comparative Study”, complete with a hologram of Air India’s balance sheet and a model of a derailment-proof train called “Consensus Express”.

Of course, running the PM's Museum comes with its own track changes. Unlike trains or planes, here, timetables are strictly retrospective, and delays are measured in decades. But if there’s anyone who can manage a gallery full of legacy, legends, and larger-than-life egos — it’s the man who once got a steam locomotive to run without fuel (allegedly just by sheer willpower and bureaucratic memos).

So, as Lohani dons his new hat, Delhi waits to see what he’ll bring to Teen Murti. Perhaps the nation’s political past is finally in safe hands… Or at least hands that know the difference between a derailment and a strategic halt.

Stay tuned for the museum’s new motto under Lohani’s leadership: “From Steam to Statesmen — We Run on Legacy”.

With No Chief, Complaints Pile Up At Minorities Commission

The Waqf Amendment Act may be a reality, but the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has remained 'headless' — without a regular chairperson — following the completion of the three-year tenure of Iqbal Singh Lalpura, a retired IPS officer of the 1972 batch from the Punjab cadre, on April 12.

In fact, the NCM has also been without a secretary ever since Neelam Shammi Rao, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre was reassigned to the Ministry of Textile in December 2024. Sanjay Sethi, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, who was announced as her replacement, did not join the position.

As a result, the headless NCM is witnessing a flux of complaints and applications from minority citizens, which are "piling up" according to sources. Currently, the NCM is managing affairs with a Joint Secretary and some deputy secretaries. But officials are clueless about when the top two positions will get filled.

Graft Cases Against ED Officials: Is Lack Of Training In PMLA An Issue?

Ever since the CBI arrested a senior officer of the Directorate of Enforcement, popularly called the ED, on graft charges, whispers are swirling in bureaucratic circles about issues within the agency — which administers the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) — arising out of appointments to top posts from the cadre of revenue and other financial services.

Typically, recruitment in the ED is based on the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (SSC CGL) examination, through which cadre officers are appointed directly, along with officers on deputation from other departments, which once mostly used to be from senior IPS ranks. Till 2016.

A retired 1988-batch IPS officer, who had once served in the ED, told The Secretariat that the ED being empowered with enhanced powers under PMLA is not a new thing. 

However, he said the problem probably lies with recruitment choices. Till 2018, he said, the top ranks of the ED were staffed more or less by senior police officers, who were exposed to the ways of administering criminal provisions under PMLA, which they are trained to handle with care. 

However, from 2016 onwards, officers from the revenue and other financial services started getting appointed to the ED. They came with little training in dealing with these criminal provisions. And this is what has led to frequent graft cases against ED officials of late. Rather than it being a case of "absolute power corrupting absolutely", this is a fallout of a lack of training, he said.

He advised that ED appointees, irrespective of their service cadre, should be mandatorily trained on how to invoke and deal with criminal provisions under the PMLA.

Civil Servant Proposes, Government Disposes

After an AGMUT cadre IAS officer, Mahima Madan of the 2021-batch, had, on May 16, been transferred by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) from the National Capital Territory (NCT) Government of Delhi to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), she had twice made representations with the MHA — first on May 19, then again on May 25 — requesting that her transfer order be kept in abeyance, and that she be allowed to continue in Delhi for one year more, owing to personal hardships.

However, the MHA has asked her to report to the J&K government at the earliest.

In the order, a copy of which is with The Secretariat, the MHA said, “In case of any further leave requirement owing to personal hardships, the same may be applied for in writing to the competent authority in the Government of J&K. The representation of Mahima Madan, IAS (AGMUT: 2021) for keeping her transfer order in abeyance and for retention in Delhi by one more year is rejected and disposed of accordingly.”

The MHA, in its order, also asserted that the larger public interest arising out of the functional requirements of the J&K government necessitates her relocation at the earliest.

New Sherpa For G20 To Replace Amitabh Kant

Sherpas are leaders of each member country of the G20, who take discussions and agreements to the final summit with heads of State and government. One of the top bureaucrats under the Modi government, Amitabh Kant — the former CEO of Niti Aayog — has been India's G20 Sherpa since July 2022.

Now, there are rumours that Kant is about to step down, irrespective of whether the government tries to persuade him to stay. That would necessitate the appointment of a new G20 Sherpa.

Although it’s too early to say, several ministers and bureaucrats are reportedly in the race. The government is expected to appoint a seasoned diplomat or policymaker to this critical position.

The new Sherpa will play a crucial role in shaping India's engagement with the G20, facilitating dialogue, building consensus, and ensuring the successful implementation of G20 initiatives. They will need to possess a deep understanding of global economic issues, diplomatic acumen, and strong communication skills.

The new appointee will work closely with government officials, international organisations, and civil society representatives to promote India's interests. The new Sherpa will contribute to global economic stability and prosperity, advancing India's agenda in the G20 framework.

A timely appointment will ensure continuity and effectiveness in India's G20 engagement. With India's G20 presidency, the new Sherpa's role will be pivotal in fostering cooperation and implementing G20 initiatives. The appointment presents an opportunity for fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to global economic governance.