Tag Archives: Union Cabinet

Drdo

Nirmala Sitharaman likely to back J Manjula as next DRDO chief

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The research body has remained headless – though defence secretary Sanjay Mitra has been accorded additional charge – since incumbent S Christopher retired in June.

By Manu Pubby, ET Bureau|Jul 21, 2018,
With the race for the next head of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) heating up, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman is believed to be putting her weight behind a surprise candidate — Jillelamudi Manjula, the first woman director general of the body.

Government sources said that though Manjula — currently posted as the director general electronics and communication systems — is junior to several other scientists in DRDO, her name is in consideration after a strong push by the minister.

A decision on the next DRDO chief is expected to be taken by the appointments committee of the Union Cabinet in the next few days.

The research body has remained headless – though defence secretary Sanjay Mitra has been accorded additional charge – since incumbent S Christopher retired in June.
Manjula, who belongs to Andhra Pradesh, is not as experienced as other competitors, who have been shortlisted for the appointment but is the first woman scientist to be appointed to the senior post.
If selected, she will have an unusually long tenure as the chief that can stretch up to eight years, given past precedence when DRDO chiefs have been given an extension till the age of 64 years.

Another name doing the rounds is that of Pravin K Mehta, who heads the armament cluster of the research organisation in Pune.

 

PMO

Anti-corruption law: Union Cabinet nod for raising max punishment to 7 yrs

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By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Updated: April 30, 2015 9:23 am

no to corruption
To ensure speedy conclusion of corruption cases, a time limit of two years has also been proposed. (Source: Express Archive)

In an attempt to give the anti-corruption law more teeth, the Cabinet Wednesday cleared a proposal to move official amendments to the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, paving the way for enhancement of both the minimum and the maximum punishment under the proposed law.

Under the amendments, the penal provisions have been substantially enhanced — the minimum punishment being raised from six months to three years imprisonment and the maximum punishment enhanced from five years to seven years imprisonment.
With the maximum punishment raised to seven years in jail, corruption now has been brought under the heinous crime category.
The amendments also propose to extend the protective umbrella of prior sanction for prosecution to public servants who have ceased to hold office due to retirement or resignation. “Further, prior sanction for inquiry and investigation shall be required from the Lokpal or Lokayukta, as the case may be, for investigation of offences relatable to recommendations made or decision taken by a public servant in discharge of official functions or duties,” the government said.
Essentially aimed at laying down more stringent measures to tackle corruption, the proposed amendments provide for more stringent punishment for the offences of bribery, both for the bribe-giver and the bribe-taker.
With the average trial period of cases under the PC Act in the last four years having been above eight years, the new amendments have proposed to ensure speedy trial by providing a trial completion within two years.
The new amendments further state that “intentional enriching by public servants will be construed as criminal misconduct and possession of disproportionate assets as proof of such illicit enrichment”.