No foreign training of bureaucrats during this financial year due to COVID-19 pandemic: Govt
New Delhi: There will be no foreign training of bureaucrats during the ongoing financial year considering the safety and austerity measures being taken by the government due to coronavirus pandemic, the Personnel Ministry has said.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), cadre controlling authorities (ministries concerned) and central training institutes conduct foreign training or have international component as part of the overall training programme.
"Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and in view of the safety measures and financial austerity, all cadre controlling authorities and central training institutes are informed that no foreign training shall be conducted during the current financial year viz. 2020-2021," it said in a recent order.
"However, under exceptional circumstances, if it is felt necessary to conduct any foreign training, prior approval of DoPT must be obtained," the order said.
A total of Rs 238.45 crore was allocated to the Personnel Ministry for the current financial year for domestic and foreign training of bureaucrats and augmenting necessary infrastructure, according to the 2020-21 budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in February.
Of these, Rs 83.45 crore was earmarked for the ministry to meet establishment-related expenditure of the Delhi-based Institute of Secretariat Training and Management (ISTM), Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie and training division of the DoPT.
Both the ISTM and the LBSNAA conduct several training programmes for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and all other levels of secretarial functionaries with exposure to rules, regulations and aptitude.
A total of Rs 155 crore was allocated for the ongoing fiscal for a separate component "training schemes". It includes upgradation of the LBSNAA to a centre of excellence and augmentation of training facilities at ISTM.
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Advocate found dead in car on Nainital court premises
Nainital (PTI): A 55-year-old advocate allegedly died by suicide after shooting himself inside his car at the Nainital district court parking lot here on Monday, police said.
According to the police, Puran Singh Bhakuni, a resident of Mallital, was found in the rear seat of his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his temple.
Police recovered a licensed pistol from his hand and a suicide note from the car’s dashboard. The note stated that Bhakuni was unwell and suffering from depression.
"We received information through lawyers around noon. The deceased was lying in the back seat with a pistol in his hand and blood near his ear," Circle Officer Anjana Negi said.
Forensic teams and ballistic experts reached the spot to collect evidence, as no witness reported hearing the gunshot.
Government counsel Sushil Sharma stated that Bhakuni left home at 9 am and was found dead at 9.30 am.
Sharma raised concerns over the circumstances, noting that the body was in the rear seat, and demanded a thorough probe to rule out foul play. Bhakuni, who worked as a notary, had married six months ago, he said.
Police took the body into custody and sent it for a postmortem to confirm the cause of death.
The forensic laboratory will examine the suicide note and the ballistics of the weapon, the police said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
