Member's Profile

Present Position: Member, Planning Commission, Government of India. Retired from the Indian Administrative Service.

Date of Birth: 22nd October 1937

Area of Expertise

Poverty Alleviation; Rural Development; Safety Net Programmes; Agrarian Relations; Capacity Building in Public Administration: Public Policy Planning; Public Management; Decentralized Planning and Administration; Local Governance; Social Mobilization and Community Based Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons.

Keyskills

Policy Analysis; Micro-level Planning; Programme formulation and management; Programme Evaluation; Project Appraisal; Direct Trainers' skill; Advocacy; Negotiation with Government at the highest level. Selection and development of development projects; HRD and Training activities; Organizing and conducting workshops, seminars and training programme*; Participatory  Management; Building Blocks for Participation; Capacity Development and Empowerment of Self- Help Groups and Community Organisations.

Key Research Areas

Development Administration: Strategies and Programmes for Poverty alleviation; Decentralized Planning and Administration. Land Reforms; Training and Development in Public Administration; Administrative Reforms; Training Modules for Participatory Management; Social Mobilization; Group Building, Advocacy, Negotiation and Leadership Development.

Key Experience

1. Secretary to the Prime Minister of India; Prime Minister's Office; South Block; New Delhi (May 1995 - April 1997)
   Coordination, monitoring and initiation of policies and programmes in social sectors, including Rural Development, Poverty Alleviation. Welfare of Weaker Sections. Food Security and Basic Minimum Services. Provide direction. Improve the Policies and strengthen programmes in social sectors and for Poverty Alleviation, especially in the wake of economic reforms and structural adjustment. Assist the Prime Minister in policy formulation. Coordination, monitoring and day to day decision making in all these areas. Design and Manual Preparation for National Social Assistance Programme. Basic Minimum Services, Targeted Public Distribution System and for Extension of Panchayats to Scheduled Areas. Assisted in the creation of legal and development framework for equality of opportunities and full participation of disabled persons.
   
   
2. Secretary to Government of India; Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi (February 1993 - May 1995)
   Formulation of Policies and Implementation of Programmes of all directly targeted Poverty Alleviation Programmes; Socio-Economic Development of Weaker Sections, and Programmes for Development of Draught-prone desert and other backward areas. Responsible for Government's initiatives in local Governance through special measures for legislative, administrative and financial support to local-Government institutions, community based organizations and voluntary agencies. Special schemes initiated through design of policies, programmes and preparation of manuals were Employment Assurance Scheme, Self- Employment for educated unemployed (PMRY). New directions for Group activities of youth, women and poverty groups, technology upgradation and strengthening for sale drinking water supply and housing for the poor, and watershed based development of arid and semi-arid areas. The programme content and budget allocation for all these and other rural development programmes reached an all-time high during this period. Established a rural development activities, training and gainful employment among them.
   
   
3. Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri  National  Academy  of Administration, Government  of India, Mussoorie (May 1988 -January 1993)
   Development of this Apex training institution for training of high echelons of Civil Services in India as an institution of excellence.  Introduction of academic rigour, modern training methodologies and professionalism in all Post-entry, Professional and In-service courses. Established research and Development Centres for Public Management, Decentralized planning, Land Reforms, Information Technology and Village Socio-Economic studies. Improvements in the design. Curriculum and training methods based upon Training Needs Analysis. Management and development of! physical and training related infrastructure. Visited leading training and management institutions in UK, France, Germany & USA on UNDP Study Mission. Initiated and administered: (a) UNDP Project on Capacity Development the rough Training in Higher Civil Services; and (b) FAO Project on training support to decentralized planning.
   
   
4. Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, India, Planning and Department of Industries and Commerce (May 1986 to May 1988)
   Formulation of policies and implementation of programmes for investment promotion and industrial development in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Coordination, supervision and,   support to Public Sector Institutions for promotion of infrastructure, Provision of long term credit and development of small-scale industries in the State.  Initiated new policies and programmes for the development of industries in electronics, petro-chemicals, construction and agro industries.  Initiated and successfully completed privatization of Alwyn Nissan Company Ltd., the public sector automobile enterprise of Government of Andhra Pradesh.
   
   
5. Regional Advisor, Technology Policies and Industrial Development:  Division of Industry and Technology, ESCAP, United Nations, Bangkok, Thailand (January 1981 to May 1986)
   Preparation of many regional surveys and studies in select industries and inter-country comparisons of policies and promotional practices. Preparation of reports based on advisory services which were highly regarded. For e.g., Promotion and development of Entrepreneurship, Training and development in China, Technology Transfer and Development n Small Industries in Fiji, Promotion of Electronics Industry in Pakistan, Establishment of Free Trade Zone in Vietnam etc. Coordinated and prepared ESCAP documentation for the Commissioner's. Meeting on Technology for National Development and Human Resource Development for Technology. Prepared, Coordinated and assisted in the implementation of Tokyo Plan of Action for Development of Technology.
   
   
6. Vice - Chairman and Managing Director, Small Scale Industries Corporation.
   Secretary to Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, India (November 1978- December 1980)
   Formation and implementation of several new and innovative special employment schemes, especially for educated unemployed in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Established Society for Promotion of Employment in the Twin Cities (SETWIN).  Improved the credit and equity support for small industries and made special arrangements for their technology development and upgradation. Staff support to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in the overall planning, policy development, coordination and administration of the State.
   
   
7. Special Assistant to Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of India, Government of India, New Delhi! (April 1974 to November 1978)
   Staff support to the Deputy Chairman in the formulation and coordination of Annual Plans and the Five Year Plans of the Central and State Governments. Coordination, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects for employment promotion, Basic Minimum Services and poverty alleviation.
   
   
8. Deputy Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National I Academy of Administration, Government of India, Mussoorie (April 1971 to April 1974)
   Course Director for Post-Entry Professional Courses of Indian Administrative Service. Introduced and improved the content and methodology of the sandwich pattern of training, including the district training in between two professional courses. Introduced modern management concepts, techniques and methods for district administration and for management of district development programmes. Undertook preparation of case studies and other technical papers and exercises for interactive and participatory process in the training. Visited leading institutes of public administration and management in Europe and USA as Ford Foundation Scholar in Public Administration.
   
   
9. Sub - Divisional Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate and District Magistrate, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad (May 1962 to April 1971)
   Specialized in all aspects of regulatory, development and welfare aspects of district administration. Responsible for revenue administration, law and order, management of district development programmes and support to local Government institutions. Worked with distinction as District Magistrate of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh during the period of historic turbulence on account of Naxalite violence between 1969 to 1971. Formulated and implemented for the first time in the District (i) Project for Development of Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers, and (ii) Integrated Tribal Development Project in the Scheduled areas. Made forceful efforts for reform of regulations ! governing transfer of land in scheduled areas and implemented these regulations vigorously in the district together with settlement in favour of Tribals.
   
   
10. Lecturer in Economics, Sri Venkatcswra University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh (June 1959 to May 1962)
    Taught Graduate and post Graduate students Public Finance. Micro - Economic Theory and Agricultxiral Economics. Engaged in research on Demographic Transition of Population of Andhra Pradesh for Ph.D. Degree.

Technical Qualifications

1. B.A. (Hons.) in Economics (1957), Sri Veakateswara University, Tirupati. Andhra Pradesh - Fist Class.
2. M.A. in Economics (1959), Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andlira Pradesh - First Class.
3. Attended a number of specialized training programmes in Public Management, Information Technology and Training of Civil Servants in USA and UK.
4. Worked and chaired Innumerable Committees, Commissions and Experts Groups in areas of Agriculture, Water-shed development. Employment promotion, Poverty alleviation, Training, Administrative Reforms, Education and Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Minorities, Participatory Management and Training.
5. International experience as Regional Adviser in Technology and Industrial Policies for ESCAP countries: whose Advisory Services and Mission Reports were in good demand.
6. Written extensively on (a) Decentralized Planning; (b) Land Management; (c) Training in Public Administration; (d) Strategic Management; (e) Science and Technology Policies and Plans; (f) Industrial and Employment Promotion; and (g) Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development.

List of Important and Recent Publications

1. Reading in Decentralised Planning: with special reference to district Planning: Volume I and Volume II; Published by Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi. 1991.
2. Studies in Multi-level Planning: Volume I; Researches in Decentralisation; Volume II; Foundations of Decentralisation; Volume III; Methodology and Database for Decentralised Planning; Volume IV; A Perspective Plan for a Hill District. All published by Heritage Publishers, New Delhi, 1990-91.
3. Land Reforms in India: Volume I; Bihar - Institutional Constraints; Volume II; Rajasthan - Feudalism and Change; Volume III; Andhra Pradesh - People's Pressure and Administrative Innovations. All published by Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi (1993 - 95)
4. Studies in Village India: Issues in Rural Development. Published by Concept Publishing Company, 1990.
5. Report on "Capacity Development in Public Administration: India" for the United Nations Development Programme, New Delhi, India. (1998)
6. Report on "Improving Governance and Public Services in Uttar Pradesh" for the World Bank, India. (1998)
7. Land Acquisition for non-existent aluminum project: Experience of Displacement of Tribals in the Scheduled Areas of Orissa. ASC1 Journal of Management, 23(1), 47 - 63, Administrative Staff College of India, September 1998.
8. Watershed Based Development in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas of Andhra Pradesh. Published in Journal of Rural Development, Vol.18 No. (3), PP.471-503 (1999), NIRD, Hyderabad.
9. Participatory Development of Rural Disabled Persons in India. Project proposal for funding agencies (1999).
10. "Land Titling and Security of Tenure in the Scheduled Areas of Orissa and Marketing of Non - Timber Forest Produce" Consultancy report prepared for International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rome, Italy (August, 2000).
11. "Innovations, Spread Effects and use of Local Knowledge Systems" Consultancy report prepared on Andhra Pradesh Tribal Development Project for International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rome, Italy (December, 2000).