By Pratul Sharma
The Tourism ministry will launch an online media campaign to attract foreign tourists who have been shying away from coming to the country after the 26/ 11 terror attack.
The ministry decided to launch the campaign on country- specific web portals after the success of hosting video clips of Incredible India on popular website YouTube . The campaign will promote India as a safe destination.
The government, which has already announced 2009 as Visit India Year, believes the next year would be tough for the industry, which is feeling the heat after the terror attacks in Mumbai and the recession.
The move came after major players in the tourism industry asked the government to aggressively market Brand India abroad. Officials said the online campaign will be comprehensive, covering major portals and websites in the countries that register the maximum visits in India.
“ This year, the thrust has been on selecting region- specific portals. Some of the portals which will be featured in the current campaign are project India as a safe destination MSN , Yahoo, Google, orange. fr , t- online, libero.com, baidu.com, zuji.com, news. com. au, khaleejtimes.com, wallstreetjournal.com .
The campaign will stress on how large India is geographically and would highlight its varied products,” said an official.
The ministry currently has seven international media campaigns running in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific.
Some of the important publications covered under the print media campaign include the Financial Times , Economist and Sunday Magazine in Australia; China Daily; News Week Asia, Nikki Business Magazine in Japan; Sunday Times in the UK; Le Monde in France; Geo Magazine in Germany; Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller in the US; and Proxima Viagem in Brazil.
Under the Visit India Year, foreign tourists would get free holiday packages for 2010 and 2011. The ministry is also working on special packages on rural India, eco- tourism, and adventure tourism.
Officials claimed the tourism offices overseas have also been advised to liaise with the media and travel trade in their respective regions and examine the possibility of organising familiarisation tours to Mumbai and other regions of the country.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Incredible India on an Online Overdrive
By Pratul Sharma
The Tourism ministry will launch an online media campaign to attract foreign tourists who have been shying away from coming to the country after the 26/ 11 terror attack.
The ministry decided to launch the campaign on country- specific web portals after the success of hosting video clips of Incredible India on popular website YouTube . The campaign will promote India as a safe destination.
The government, which has already announced 2009 as Visit India Year, believes the next year would be tough for the industry, which is feeling the heat after the terror attacks in Mumbai and the recession.
The move came after major players in the tourism industry asked the government to aggressively market Brand India abroad. Officials said the online campaign will be comprehensive, covering major portals and websites in the countries that register the maximum visits in India.
“ This year, the thrust has been on selecting region- specific portals. Some of the portals which will be featured in the current campaign are project India as a safe destination MSN , Yahoo, Google, orange. fr , t- online, libero.com, baidu.com, zuji.com, news. com. au, khaleejtimes.com, wallstreetjournal.com .
The campaign will stress on how large India is geographically and would highlight its varied products,” said an official.
The ministry currently has seven international media campaigns running in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific.
Some of the important publications covered under the print media campaign include the Financial Times , Economist and Sunday Magazine in Australia; China Daily; News Week Asia, Nikki Business Magazine in Japan; Sunday Times in the UK; Le Monde in France; Geo Magazine in Germany; Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller in the US; and Proxima Viagem in Brazil.
Under the Visit India Year, foreign tourists would get free holiday packages for 2010 and 2011. The ministry is also working on special packages on rural India, eco- tourism, and adventure tourism.
Officials claimed the tourism offices overseas have also been advised to liaise with the media and travel trade in their respective regions and examine the possibility of organising familiarisation tours to Mumbai and other regions of the country.
The Tourism ministry will launch an online media campaign to attract foreign tourists who have been shying away from coming to the country after the 26/ 11 terror attack.
The ministry decided to launch the campaign on country- specific web portals after the success of hosting video clips of Incredible India on popular website YouTube . The campaign will promote India as a safe destination.
The government, which has already announced 2009 as Visit India Year, believes the next year would be tough for the industry, which is feeling the heat after the terror attacks in Mumbai and the recession.
The move came after major players in the tourism industry asked the government to aggressively market Brand India abroad. Officials said the online campaign will be comprehensive, covering major portals and websites in the countries that register the maximum visits in India.
“ This year, the thrust has been on selecting region- specific portals. Some of the portals which will be featured in the current campaign are project India as a safe destination MSN , Yahoo, Google, orange. fr , t- online, libero.com, baidu.com, zuji.com, news. com. au, khaleejtimes.com, wallstreetjournal.com .
The campaign will stress on how large India is geographically and would highlight its varied products,” said an official.
The ministry currently has seven international media campaigns running in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific.
Some of the important publications covered under the print media campaign include the Financial Times , Economist and Sunday Magazine in Australia; China Daily; News Week Asia, Nikki Business Magazine in Japan; Sunday Times in the UK; Le Monde in France; Geo Magazine in Germany; Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller in the US; and Proxima Viagem in Brazil.
Under the Visit India Year, foreign tourists would get free holiday packages for 2010 and 2011. The ministry is also working on special packages on rural India, eco- tourism, and adventure tourism.
Officials claimed the tourism offices overseas have also been advised to liaise with the media and travel trade in their respective regions and examine the possibility of organising familiarisation tours to Mumbai and other regions of the country.
Incredible India on an Online Overdrive
By Pratul Sharma
The Tourism ministry will launch an online media campaign to attract foreign tourists who have been shying away from coming to the country after the 26/ 11 terror attack.
The ministry decided to launch the campaign on country- specific web portals after the success of hosting video clips of Incredible India on popular website YouTube . The campaign will promote India as a safe destination.
The government, which has already announced 2009 as Visit India Year, believes the next year would be tough for the industry, which is feeling the heat after the terror attacks in Mumbai and the recession.
The move came after major players in the tourism industry asked the government to aggressively market Brand India abroad. Officials said the online campaign will be comprehensive, covering major portals and websites in the countries that register the maximum visits in India.
“ This year, the thrust has been on selecting region- specific portals. Some of the portals which will be featured in the current campaign are project India as a safe destination MSN , Yahoo, Google, orange. fr , t- online, libero.com, baidu.com, zuji.com, news. com. au, khaleejtimes.com, wallstreetjournal.com .
The campaign will stress on how large India is geographically and would highlight its varied products,” said an official.
The ministry currently has seven international media campaigns running in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific.
Some of the important publications covered under the print media campaign include the Financial Times , Economist and Sunday Magazine in Australia; China Daily; News Week Asia, Nikki Business Magazine in Japan; Sunday Times in the UK; Le Monde in France; Geo Magazine in Germany; Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller in the US; and Proxima Viagem in Brazil.
Under the Visit India Year, foreign tourists would get free holiday packages for 2010 and 2011. The ministry is also working on special packages on rural India, eco- tourism, and adventure tourism.
Officials claimed the tourism offices overseas have also been advised to liaise with the media and travel trade in their respective regions and examine the possibility of organising familiarisation tours to Mumbai and other regions of the country.
The Tourism ministry will launch an online media campaign to attract foreign tourists who have been shying away from coming to the country after the 26/ 11 terror attack.
The ministry decided to launch the campaign on country- specific web portals after the success of hosting video clips of Incredible India on popular website YouTube . The campaign will promote India as a safe destination.
The government, which has already announced 2009 as Visit India Year, believes the next year would be tough for the industry, which is feeling the heat after the terror attacks in Mumbai and the recession.
The move came after major players in the tourism industry asked the government to aggressively market Brand India abroad. Officials said the online campaign will be comprehensive, covering major portals and websites in the countries that register the maximum visits in India.
“ This year, the thrust has been on selecting region- specific portals. Some of the portals which will be featured in the current campaign are project India as a safe destination MSN , Yahoo, Google, orange. fr , t- online, libero.com, baidu.com, zuji.com, news. com. au, khaleejtimes.com, wallstreetjournal.com .
The campaign will stress on how large India is geographically and would highlight its varied products,” said an official.
The ministry currently has seven international media campaigns running in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific.
Some of the important publications covered under the print media campaign include the Financial Times , Economist and Sunday Magazine in Australia; China Daily; News Week Asia, Nikki Business Magazine in Japan; Sunday Times in the UK; Le Monde in France; Geo Magazine in Germany; Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller in the US; and Proxima Viagem in Brazil.
Under the Visit India Year, foreign tourists would get free holiday packages for 2010 and 2011. The ministry is also working on special packages on rural India, eco- tourism, and adventure tourism.
Officials claimed the tourism offices overseas have also been advised to liaise with the media and travel trade in their respective regions and examine the possibility of organising familiarisation tours to Mumbai and other regions of the country.
Editorial: Long War Demands Changed Approach
By M H Ahssan
A week is a long time in a crisis. Last week I wrote about how war should not be our first response and that the India- Pakistan military balance was such that there could be no useful outcome from the use of force. I had argued that if we set out to give Pakistan a bloody nose, we could be bloodied too.
There were three assumptions behind my reasoning. The first was that the government of Pakistan, including its armed forces, were sincere when they said they were appalled by the Mumbai massacre and that they would do everything to help us to get to the bottom of the issue. The second, flowing from the first, was that Mr Zardari and his government were one with India in delivering a bloody nose to the terrorists and non- state actors operating in Pakistan. The third was that India was not keen on any option that could involve some loss to itself.
A week later, it seems that all three of my assumptions were wrong. Pakistan has decided to brazen it out.
After having gone through the motions of proscribing the Jamaatud- dawa ( because of the UN Security Council decision and not to oblige India, as their Minister of Defence insists), the enthusiasm to aid India has vanished. It has been replaced by a systematic and organized campaign of barracking, whose goal seems to be to protect those involved in the attacks by raising the spectre of war.
India’s Prime Minister correctly noted on Tuesday that “ the issue is not war, it is terror and territory in Pakistan being used to promote, aid and abet terror here.” Significantly, the PM noted that “ non- state actors were practicing terrorism, aided and abetted by state establishments.” To me it appears he is saying that the Lashkar were aided by the Pakistan Army’s Inter- Services Intelligence ( ISI) Directorate.
Dynamics
This seems to have a startling confirmation from across the border in Pakistan. One of the most telling responses has been from the real boss of Pakistan — General Pervez Ashfaq Kayani. In the past month, neither he nor the Pakistani military establishment has uttered a single word regretting the Mumbai massacre.
The ISI, which has been mentioned as a co- conspirator, reports to General Kayani. The general could have taken the opportunity to tell the world that since the ISI was mentioned, he had personally looked at the records and could assure everyone that his organization was in no way involved in the horrific event.
But he has said nothing to that effect. Instead, he has blustered about how Pakistan was prepared for war and that the Pakistani armed forces would mount “ an equal response within minutes” if India carried out any kind of strike. This seems to be the behaviour of a cornered guilty party, rather than that of one who has nothing on his or his institution’s conscience.
So, the government in New Delhi is faced with little option but to contemplate a chastisement strategy that could cost India some. But the mood in the country is such that the government would pay a higher price for doing nothing. In other words, it has the public backing for the use of any measure that would send a message to Pakistan that enough is enough.
In my article, I had expressed my hypothesis that the attack had been initiated by elements in the Pakistan army. I still think this is correct. At its lowest point in history, and faced with a debilitating war against people of their own ilk, the ISI came up with the terrible strategy of attacking India and provoking an Indian response. Two months ago, Asif Zardari and his civilian government were riding high; today they have tamely lined up behind Kayani and are hiding behind the national flag.
There is an important subsidiary reason why the international community needs to take the Mumbai massacre very seriously. Terrorist organisations have an internal dynamic. These are dependent on successful operations which enable them to expand their area of influence and boost recruitment. It is important to disrupt this process either by unearthing underground cells by arrest, choking funds, or by military action that targets their overground infrastructure like camps.
If India does not react adequately to the Mumbai strikes, the Lashkar will be tempted to step its attacks up to a higher and presumably more horrifying level. The logic here is that after being formally banned in Pakistan in January 2002, the ISI relocated Lashkar camps to Azad Kashmir.
Simultaneously, it began to use its Bangladeshi proxies and other assets to create the “ Indian Mujahideen” who would be Indian recruits, using local material to make bombs, but under the command and control of the ISI.
Mumbai
But the serial bombing campaign across Indian cities in the past few years has not yielded much return.
There have been no communal riots or signs that India has been seriously hurt economically. Besides their ability to plant the bombs, the IM achieved little in terms of jihadi goals.
This could have been the trigger for the Mumbai attack. And as the logic goes, Mumbai has united rather than disunited the nation, and so there is a need to press home the idea of an even more intense strike. India needs to break these dynamics, and it can do so with the help of the government of Pakistan and the international community.
Pathology
But if this help is not forthcoming, it must go it alone. The price of failure will be an even higher intensity of attacks and could well culminate in the use of nuclear weapons as well. Don’t forget, these are supposed to be in the custody of the Pakistan Army.
A month after the Mumbai strike, we have the strange situation where Pakistan has seized the mantle of victimhood. The issue, according to its leaders, is not that of a terrorist strike struck at a premier metropolis of a neighbour, killing nearly 200 people, injuring hundreds and terrorizing thousands, whose origins are in Pakistan, but that that neighbour is now allegedly threatening military action against Pakistan.
There is a strange pathology at work here and New Delhi needs to carefully feel its way towards a response. But being careful does not necessarily mean that it should be indecisive. It should not to be pushed to military action, but it should not rule it out either.
The issue should be seen from the perspective of the outcome. At present there is nothing more important than ending the dynamic of terrorist violence in the country. One part of this requires an internal response in terms of institutions, doctrines and action. The other part is external.
India has been found wanting in both because it has so far seen terrorist attacks as episodic distractions.
The unfortunate reality is that we are in the midst of a long war which requires changed strategies and tactics. The sooner we begin to act on this realisation, the better.
A week is a long time in a crisis. Last week I wrote about how war should not be our first response and that the India- Pakistan military balance was such that there could be no useful outcome from the use of force. I had argued that if we set out to give Pakistan a bloody nose, we could be bloodied too.
There were three assumptions behind my reasoning. The first was that the government of Pakistan, including its armed forces, were sincere when they said they were appalled by the Mumbai massacre and that they would do everything to help us to get to the bottom of the issue. The second, flowing from the first, was that Mr Zardari and his government were one with India in delivering a bloody nose to the terrorists and non- state actors operating in Pakistan. The third was that India was not keen on any option that could involve some loss to itself.
A week later, it seems that all three of my assumptions were wrong. Pakistan has decided to brazen it out.
After having gone through the motions of proscribing the Jamaatud- dawa ( because of the UN Security Council decision and not to oblige India, as their Minister of Defence insists), the enthusiasm to aid India has vanished. It has been replaced by a systematic and organized campaign of barracking, whose goal seems to be to protect those involved in the attacks by raising the spectre of war.
India’s Prime Minister correctly noted on Tuesday that “ the issue is not war, it is terror and territory in Pakistan being used to promote, aid and abet terror here.” Significantly, the PM noted that “ non- state actors were practicing terrorism, aided and abetted by state establishments.” To me it appears he is saying that the Lashkar were aided by the Pakistan Army’s Inter- Services Intelligence ( ISI) Directorate.
Dynamics
This seems to have a startling confirmation from across the border in Pakistan. One of the most telling responses has been from the real boss of Pakistan — General Pervez Ashfaq Kayani. In the past month, neither he nor the Pakistani military establishment has uttered a single word regretting the Mumbai massacre.
The ISI, which has been mentioned as a co- conspirator, reports to General Kayani. The general could have taken the opportunity to tell the world that since the ISI was mentioned, he had personally looked at the records and could assure everyone that his organization was in no way involved in the horrific event.
But he has said nothing to that effect. Instead, he has blustered about how Pakistan was prepared for war and that the Pakistani armed forces would mount “ an equal response within minutes” if India carried out any kind of strike. This seems to be the behaviour of a cornered guilty party, rather than that of one who has nothing on his or his institution’s conscience.
So, the government in New Delhi is faced with little option but to contemplate a chastisement strategy that could cost India some. But the mood in the country is such that the government would pay a higher price for doing nothing. In other words, it has the public backing for the use of any measure that would send a message to Pakistan that enough is enough.
In my article, I had expressed my hypothesis that the attack had been initiated by elements in the Pakistan army. I still think this is correct. At its lowest point in history, and faced with a debilitating war against people of their own ilk, the ISI came up with the terrible strategy of attacking India and provoking an Indian response. Two months ago, Asif Zardari and his civilian government were riding high; today they have tamely lined up behind Kayani and are hiding behind the national flag.
There is an important subsidiary reason why the international community needs to take the Mumbai massacre very seriously. Terrorist organisations have an internal dynamic. These are dependent on successful operations which enable them to expand their area of influence and boost recruitment. It is important to disrupt this process either by unearthing underground cells by arrest, choking funds, or by military action that targets their overground infrastructure like camps.
If India does not react adequately to the Mumbai strikes, the Lashkar will be tempted to step its attacks up to a higher and presumably more horrifying level. The logic here is that after being formally banned in Pakistan in January 2002, the ISI relocated Lashkar camps to Azad Kashmir.
Simultaneously, it began to use its Bangladeshi proxies and other assets to create the “ Indian Mujahideen” who would be Indian recruits, using local material to make bombs, but under the command and control of the ISI.
Mumbai
But the serial bombing campaign across Indian cities in the past few years has not yielded much return.
There have been no communal riots or signs that India has been seriously hurt economically. Besides their ability to plant the bombs, the IM achieved little in terms of jihadi goals.
This could have been the trigger for the Mumbai attack. And as the logic goes, Mumbai has united rather than disunited the nation, and so there is a need to press home the idea of an even more intense strike. India needs to break these dynamics, and it can do so with the help of the government of Pakistan and the international community.
Pathology
But if this help is not forthcoming, it must go it alone. The price of failure will be an even higher intensity of attacks and could well culminate in the use of nuclear weapons as well. Don’t forget, these are supposed to be in the custody of the Pakistan Army.
A month after the Mumbai strike, we have the strange situation where Pakistan has seized the mantle of victimhood. The issue, according to its leaders, is not that of a terrorist strike struck at a premier metropolis of a neighbour, killing nearly 200 people, injuring hundreds and terrorizing thousands, whose origins are in Pakistan, but that that neighbour is now allegedly threatening military action against Pakistan.
There is a strange pathology at work here and New Delhi needs to carefully feel its way towards a response. But being careful does not necessarily mean that it should be indecisive. It should not to be pushed to military action, but it should not rule it out either.
The issue should be seen from the perspective of the outcome. At present there is nothing more important than ending the dynamic of terrorist violence in the country. One part of this requires an internal response in terms of institutions, doctrines and action. The other part is external.
India has been found wanting in both because it has so far seen terrorist attacks as episodic distractions.
The unfortunate reality is that we are in the midst of a long war which requires changed strategies and tactics. The sooner we begin to act on this realisation, the better.
ONGC’s Lavish Meet
By Ajmer Singhs
The PSU splurges on oil honchos & their families at strategic meetings
Throwing the government’s orders on austerity to the winds, cash- rich Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been splurging on beauty treatments and massages for oil honchos and their spouses during strategy meets.
In the past three months, former and serving petroleum ministry officials and ONGC honchos went for brainstorming sessions on oil security needs to exotic super luxury destinations in Rishikesh and Kovalam. Both meetings were spiced up with ayurvedic massages and unlimited supplies of top- of- the line Scotch whisky for the invitees. On both occasions, ONGC played gracious host and picked up the bills.
On November 21, ONGC chartered a Kingfisher aircraft to airlift 40 former CMDs, directors and their spouses, and spent about Rs 1 crore on their travel, hotel stay and beauty treatment at the five- star deluxe Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Kovalam. About Rs 25 lakh was spent on the chartered flight.
During another such two- day conference held on September 25, petroleum ministry officials blew up tax payers’ money at the world famous Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa at Rishikesh.
The ministry brass stayed at this resort, where tariff for a plush villa with a private swimming pool could go up to Rs 1 lakh a day. About Rs 1 crore was spent on their travel, stay, and other expenses such as premium Scotch whisky and ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies.
The lavish expenses were cleared in the name of ‘ strategic meets’ — an annual affair to discuss and devise strategy and the country’s oil needs, said ONGC officials.
ONGC figures in the Fortune 500 global list but its profits have been dipping. According to the unaudited financial results ( provisional) for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 4,808 crore.
But, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 6,592 crore, showing a drop of about Rs 1,784 crore.
ONGC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma, who was present at these meets, said: “ It is a company with a Rs 60,000- crore turnover and if a strategic meet is organised where a few lakhs, or even a crore is spent, it is not wasteful expenditure but a long- term investment.” But what about the Prime Minister’s prescribed austerity drive? “ We have convened a meeting for which a draft resolution is ready. Austerity measures will be taken and expenses curtailed,” he said.
Union petroleum secretary R. S. Pandey spent three nights at a luxury villa at the resort, offered at a discounted rate of Rs 58,000 a night. He ran up a bill of Rs 1.95 lakh on his stay, entertainment and massage. V. K. Diwangan, director ( exploration) in the ministry, blew up Rs 90,000 in three days. The tab was picked up by ONGC. ONGC’s director D. K. Pandey spent around Rs 95,000 during his stay at Ananda Spa but CMD R. S. Sharma settled the bill at Rs 75,000.
Some bureaucrats went in for exfoliation sessions, a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells from the face and body using jasmine salt scrubs, wild rose salt glows, ancient Indian honey and sandalwood rubs.
Liquor flowed like water during the stay. The bill for liquor, which included Johnny Walker Black Label added up to Rs 6.34 lakh.
Apart from ONGC’s CMD and board members, those who participated in these brainstorming sessions were the secretaries in the petroleum ministry S. Sundareshan (spent Rs 78,000) and P. K. Sinha (spent Rs 39,000), special secretary Sindushri Khulla, joint secretaries Sunil Jain and D. N. Narsimha Raju (spent Rs 80,000) and petroleum minister Murli Deora’s personal secretary Sanjiv Kumar (spent Rs 80,000).
For the strategy meet at the Leela resort in Kovalam from November 21 to November 23, inquiries revealed that around Rs 42 lakh was spent on hotel stay, entertainment and food.
About Rs 2 lakh was spent on massages and another Rs 2 lakh on liquor.
Apart from Sharma, those who attended the meeting — for which the invitees were allowed to bring their spouses along — were former CMDs Subir Raha, Col S. P. Wahi, S. K. Manglik, B. C. Bora and L. L. Bhandari.
A department of public enterprises (DPE) “ guideline on expenditure management — fiscal prudence and austerity” mentions that utmost austerity should be observed in organising conferences, seminars or workshops.
But, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha J. Patel and top ministry bureaucrats have been splurging at five- star hotels on ONGC’s account and misusing government vehicles.
When Patel visits his hometown, Nadiad in Gujarat, ONGC provides him airconditioned vehicles for his family and staff.
Records show that on at least 50 occasions in the last six months, ONGC hired Toyota Innovas, Taveras and Ford Ikons for Patel and his family, the bills for which added up to Rs 2 lakh.
Patel admitted that he occasionally took vehicles from ONGC. However, he declined to comment on the lavish expenditure of his ministry officials.
The PSU has reimbursed the hotel bills of the petroleum and natural gas ministry officials.
Diwangan alone accounted for Rs 4.5 lakh in the past nine months for staying at the country’s top hotels.
Petroleum secretary M. S. Srinivasan also ran up high bills on his hotel stays. His bill for staying at The Oberoi in Mumbai from January 6 to 8, this year was Rs 95,000. He stayed twice at the Taj Lands End, spending Rs 82,000, while for his accommodation at Taj Coromandel, ONGC shelled out Rs 27000.
CMD Sharma insisted it was normal to spend extra on bureaucrats. “ If officials are involved in activity related to the company, they have to be looked after and it will be billed to the company,” Sharma said.
A top Central Vigilance Commission official disputed his contention.
“ Bureaucrats are not authorised to waste taxpayers’ money and such issues have been raised in the past with the government.
The PSUs must explain under what provisions these expenditures were incurred and if the ministry had accorded approval for them,” he said.
The PSU splurges on oil honchos & their families at strategic meetings
Throwing the government’s orders on austerity to the winds, cash- rich Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been splurging on beauty treatments and massages for oil honchos and their spouses during strategy meets.
In the past three months, former and serving petroleum ministry officials and ONGC honchos went for brainstorming sessions on oil security needs to exotic super luxury destinations in Rishikesh and Kovalam. Both meetings were spiced up with ayurvedic massages and unlimited supplies of top- of- the line Scotch whisky for the invitees. On both occasions, ONGC played gracious host and picked up the bills.
On November 21, ONGC chartered a Kingfisher aircraft to airlift 40 former CMDs, directors and their spouses, and spent about Rs 1 crore on their travel, hotel stay and beauty treatment at the five- star deluxe Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Kovalam. About Rs 25 lakh was spent on the chartered flight.
During another such two- day conference held on September 25, petroleum ministry officials blew up tax payers’ money at the world famous Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa at Rishikesh.
The ministry brass stayed at this resort, where tariff for a plush villa with a private swimming pool could go up to Rs 1 lakh a day. About Rs 1 crore was spent on their travel, stay, and other expenses such as premium Scotch whisky and ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies.
The lavish expenses were cleared in the name of ‘ strategic meets’ — an annual affair to discuss and devise strategy and the country’s oil needs, said ONGC officials.
ONGC figures in the Fortune 500 global list but its profits have been dipping. According to the unaudited financial results ( provisional) for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 4,808 crore.
But, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 6,592 crore, showing a drop of about Rs 1,784 crore.
ONGC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma, who was present at these meets, said: “ It is a company with a Rs 60,000- crore turnover and if a strategic meet is organised where a few lakhs, or even a crore is spent, it is not wasteful expenditure but a long- term investment.” But what about the Prime Minister’s prescribed austerity drive? “ We have convened a meeting for which a draft resolution is ready. Austerity measures will be taken and expenses curtailed,” he said.
Union petroleum secretary R. S. Pandey spent three nights at a luxury villa at the resort, offered at a discounted rate of Rs 58,000 a night. He ran up a bill of Rs 1.95 lakh on his stay, entertainment and massage. V. K. Diwangan, director ( exploration) in the ministry, blew up Rs 90,000 in three days. The tab was picked up by ONGC. ONGC’s director D. K. Pandey spent around Rs 95,000 during his stay at Ananda Spa but CMD R. S. Sharma settled the bill at Rs 75,000.
Some bureaucrats went in for exfoliation sessions, a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells from the face and body using jasmine salt scrubs, wild rose salt glows, ancient Indian honey and sandalwood rubs.
Liquor flowed like water during the stay. The bill for liquor, which included Johnny Walker Black Label added up to Rs 6.34 lakh.
Apart from ONGC’s CMD and board members, those who participated in these brainstorming sessions were the secretaries in the petroleum ministry S. Sundareshan (spent Rs 78,000) and P. K. Sinha (spent Rs 39,000), special secretary Sindushri Khulla, joint secretaries Sunil Jain and D. N. Narsimha Raju (spent Rs 80,000) and petroleum minister Murli Deora’s personal secretary Sanjiv Kumar (spent Rs 80,000).
For the strategy meet at the Leela resort in Kovalam from November 21 to November 23, inquiries revealed that around Rs 42 lakh was spent on hotel stay, entertainment and food.
About Rs 2 lakh was spent on massages and another Rs 2 lakh on liquor.
Apart from Sharma, those who attended the meeting — for which the invitees were allowed to bring their spouses along — were former CMDs Subir Raha, Col S. P. Wahi, S. K. Manglik, B. C. Bora and L. L. Bhandari.
A department of public enterprises (DPE) “ guideline on expenditure management — fiscal prudence and austerity” mentions that utmost austerity should be observed in organising conferences, seminars or workshops.
But, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha J. Patel and top ministry bureaucrats have been splurging at five- star hotels on ONGC’s account and misusing government vehicles.
When Patel visits his hometown, Nadiad in Gujarat, ONGC provides him airconditioned vehicles for his family and staff.
Records show that on at least 50 occasions in the last six months, ONGC hired Toyota Innovas, Taveras and Ford Ikons for Patel and his family, the bills for which added up to Rs 2 lakh.
Patel admitted that he occasionally took vehicles from ONGC. However, he declined to comment on the lavish expenditure of his ministry officials.
The PSU has reimbursed the hotel bills of the petroleum and natural gas ministry officials.
Diwangan alone accounted for Rs 4.5 lakh in the past nine months for staying at the country’s top hotels.
Petroleum secretary M. S. Srinivasan also ran up high bills on his hotel stays. His bill for staying at The Oberoi in Mumbai from January 6 to 8, this year was Rs 95,000. He stayed twice at the Taj Lands End, spending Rs 82,000, while for his accommodation at Taj Coromandel, ONGC shelled out Rs 27000.
CMD Sharma insisted it was normal to spend extra on bureaucrats. “ If officials are involved in activity related to the company, they have to be looked after and it will be billed to the company,” Sharma said.
A top Central Vigilance Commission official disputed his contention.
“ Bureaucrats are not authorised to waste taxpayers’ money and such issues have been raised in the past with the government.
The PSUs must explain under what provisions these expenditures were incurred and if the ministry had accorded approval for them,” he said.
ONGC’s Lavish Meet
By Ajmer Singhs
The PSU splurges on oil honchos & their families at strategic meetings
Throwing the government’s orders on austerity to the winds, cash- rich Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been splurging on beauty treatments and massages for oil honchos and their spouses during strategy meets.
In the past three months, former and serving petroleum ministry officials and ONGC honchos went for brainstorming sessions on oil security needs to exotic super luxury destinations in Rishikesh and Kovalam. Both meetings were spiced up with ayurvedic massages and unlimited supplies of top- of- the line Scotch whisky for the invitees. On both occasions, ONGC played gracious host and picked up the bills.
On November 21, ONGC chartered a Kingfisher aircraft to airlift 40 former CMDs, directors and their spouses, and spent about Rs 1 crore on their travel, hotel stay and beauty treatment at the five- star deluxe Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Kovalam. About Rs 25 lakh was spent on the chartered flight.
During another such two- day conference held on September 25, petroleum ministry officials blew up tax payers’ money at the world famous Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa at Rishikesh.
The ministry brass stayed at this resort, where tariff for a plush villa with a private swimming pool could go up to Rs 1 lakh a day. About Rs 1 crore was spent on their travel, stay, and other expenses such as premium Scotch whisky and ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies.
The lavish expenses were cleared in the name of ‘ strategic meets’ — an annual affair to discuss and devise strategy and the country’s oil needs, said ONGC officials.
ONGC figures in the Fortune 500 global list but its profits have been dipping. According to the unaudited financial results ( provisional) for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 4,808 crore.
But, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 6,592 crore, showing a drop of about Rs 1,784 crore.
ONGC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma, who was present at these meets, said: “ It is a company with a Rs 60,000- crore turnover and if a strategic meet is organised where a few lakhs, or even a crore is spent, it is not wasteful expenditure but a long- term investment.” But what about the Prime Minister’s prescribed austerity drive? “ We have convened a meeting for which a draft resolution is ready. Austerity measures will be taken and expenses curtailed,” he said.
Union petroleum secretary R. S. Pandey spent three nights at a luxury villa at the resort, offered at a discounted rate of Rs 58,000 a night. He ran up a bill of Rs 1.95 lakh on his stay, entertainment and massage. V. K. Diwangan, director ( exploration) in the ministry, blew up Rs 90,000 in three days. The tab was picked up by ONGC. ONGC’s director D. K. Pandey spent around Rs 95,000 during his stay at Ananda Spa but CMD R. S. Sharma settled the bill at Rs 75,000.
Some bureaucrats went in for exfoliation sessions, a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells from the face and body using jasmine salt scrubs, wild rose salt glows, ancient Indian honey and sandalwood rubs.
Liquor flowed like water during the stay. The bill for liquor, which included Johnny Walker Black Label added up to Rs 6.34 lakh.
Apart from ONGC’s CMD and board members, those who participated in these brainstorming sessions were the secretaries in the petroleum ministry S. Sundareshan (spent Rs 78,000) and P. K. Sinha (spent Rs 39,000), special secretary Sindushri Khulla, joint secretaries Sunil Jain and D. N. Narsimha Raju (spent Rs 80,000) and petroleum minister Murli Deora’s personal secretary Sanjiv Kumar (spent Rs 80,000).
For the strategy meet at the Leela resort in Kovalam from November 21 to November 23, inquiries revealed that around Rs 42 lakh was spent on hotel stay, entertainment and food.
About Rs 2 lakh was spent on massages and another Rs 2 lakh on liquor.
Apart from Sharma, those who attended the meeting — for which the invitees were allowed to bring their spouses along — were former CMDs Subir Raha, Col S. P. Wahi, S. K. Manglik, B. C. Bora and L. L. Bhandari.
A department of public enterprises (DPE) “ guideline on expenditure management — fiscal prudence and austerity” mentions that utmost austerity should be observed in organising conferences, seminars or workshops.
But, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha J. Patel and top ministry bureaucrats have been splurging at five- star hotels on ONGC’s account and misusing government vehicles.
When Patel visits his hometown, Nadiad in Gujarat, ONGC provides him airconditioned vehicles for his family and staff.
Records show that on at least 50 occasions in the last six months, ONGC hired Toyota Innovas, Taveras and Ford Ikons for Patel and his family, the bills for which added up to Rs 2 lakh.
Patel admitted that he occasionally took vehicles from ONGC. However, he declined to comment on the lavish expenditure of his ministry officials.
The PSU has reimbursed the hotel bills of the petroleum and natural gas ministry officials.
Diwangan alone accounted for Rs 4.5 lakh in the past nine months for staying at the country’s top hotels.
Petroleum secretary M. S. Srinivasan also ran up high bills on his hotel stays. His bill for staying at The Oberoi in Mumbai from January 6 to 8, this year was Rs 95,000. He stayed twice at the Taj Lands End, spending Rs 82,000, while for his accommodation at Taj Coromandel, ONGC shelled out Rs 27000.
CMD Sharma insisted it was normal to spend extra on bureaucrats. “ If officials are involved in activity related to the company, they have to be looked after and it will be billed to the company,” Sharma said.
A top Central Vigilance Commission official disputed his contention.
“ Bureaucrats are not authorised to waste taxpayers’ money and such issues have been raised in the past with the government.
The PSUs must explain under what provisions these expenditures were incurred and if the ministry had accorded approval for them,” he said.
The PSU splurges on oil honchos & their families at strategic meetings
Throwing the government’s orders on austerity to the winds, cash- rich Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been splurging on beauty treatments and massages for oil honchos and their spouses during strategy meets.
In the past three months, former and serving petroleum ministry officials and ONGC honchos went for brainstorming sessions on oil security needs to exotic super luxury destinations in Rishikesh and Kovalam. Both meetings were spiced up with ayurvedic massages and unlimited supplies of top- of- the line Scotch whisky for the invitees. On both occasions, ONGC played gracious host and picked up the bills.
On November 21, ONGC chartered a Kingfisher aircraft to airlift 40 former CMDs, directors and their spouses, and spent about Rs 1 crore on their travel, hotel stay and beauty treatment at the five- star deluxe Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Kovalam. About Rs 25 lakh was spent on the chartered flight.
During another such two- day conference held on September 25, petroleum ministry officials blew up tax payers’ money at the world famous Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa at Rishikesh.
The ministry brass stayed at this resort, where tariff for a plush villa with a private swimming pool could go up to Rs 1 lakh a day. About Rs 1 crore was spent on their travel, stay, and other expenses such as premium Scotch whisky and ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies.
The lavish expenses were cleared in the name of ‘ strategic meets’ — an annual affair to discuss and devise strategy and the country’s oil needs, said ONGC officials.
ONGC figures in the Fortune 500 global list but its profits have been dipping. According to the unaudited financial results ( provisional) for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 4,808 crore.
But, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 6,592 crore, showing a drop of about Rs 1,784 crore.
ONGC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma, who was present at these meets, said: “ It is a company with a Rs 60,000- crore turnover and if a strategic meet is organised where a few lakhs, or even a crore is spent, it is not wasteful expenditure but a long- term investment.” But what about the Prime Minister’s prescribed austerity drive? “ We have convened a meeting for which a draft resolution is ready. Austerity measures will be taken and expenses curtailed,” he said.
Union petroleum secretary R. S. Pandey spent three nights at a luxury villa at the resort, offered at a discounted rate of Rs 58,000 a night. He ran up a bill of Rs 1.95 lakh on his stay, entertainment and massage. V. K. Diwangan, director ( exploration) in the ministry, blew up Rs 90,000 in three days. The tab was picked up by ONGC. ONGC’s director D. K. Pandey spent around Rs 95,000 during his stay at Ananda Spa but CMD R. S. Sharma settled the bill at Rs 75,000.
Some bureaucrats went in for exfoliation sessions, a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells from the face and body using jasmine salt scrubs, wild rose salt glows, ancient Indian honey and sandalwood rubs.
Liquor flowed like water during the stay. The bill for liquor, which included Johnny Walker Black Label added up to Rs 6.34 lakh.
Apart from ONGC’s CMD and board members, those who participated in these brainstorming sessions were the secretaries in the petroleum ministry S. Sundareshan (spent Rs 78,000) and P. K. Sinha (spent Rs 39,000), special secretary Sindushri Khulla, joint secretaries Sunil Jain and D. N. Narsimha Raju (spent Rs 80,000) and petroleum minister Murli Deora’s personal secretary Sanjiv Kumar (spent Rs 80,000).
For the strategy meet at the Leela resort in Kovalam from November 21 to November 23, inquiries revealed that around Rs 42 lakh was spent on hotel stay, entertainment and food.
About Rs 2 lakh was spent on massages and another Rs 2 lakh on liquor.
Apart from Sharma, those who attended the meeting — for which the invitees were allowed to bring their spouses along — were former CMDs Subir Raha, Col S. P. Wahi, S. K. Manglik, B. C. Bora and L. L. Bhandari.
A department of public enterprises (DPE) “ guideline on expenditure management — fiscal prudence and austerity” mentions that utmost austerity should be observed in organising conferences, seminars or workshops.
But, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha J. Patel and top ministry bureaucrats have been splurging at five- star hotels on ONGC’s account and misusing government vehicles.
When Patel visits his hometown, Nadiad in Gujarat, ONGC provides him airconditioned vehicles for his family and staff.
Records show that on at least 50 occasions in the last six months, ONGC hired Toyota Innovas, Taveras and Ford Ikons for Patel and his family, the bills for which added up to Rs 2 lakh.
Patel admitted that he occasionally took vehicles from ONGC. However, he declined to comment on the lavish expenditure of his ministry officials.
The PSU has reimbursed the hotel bills of the petroleum and natural gas ministry officials.
Diwangan alone accounted for Rs 4.5 lakh in the past nine months for staying at the country’s top hotels.
Petroleum secretary M. S. Srinivasan also ran up high bills on his hotel stays. His bill for staying at The Oberoi in Mumbai from January 6 to 8, this year was Rs 95,000. He stayed twice at the Taj Lands End, spending Rs 82,000, while for his accommodation at Taj Coromandel, ONGC shelled out Rs 27000.
CMD Sharma insisted it was normal to spend extra on bureaucrats. “ If officials are involved in activity related to the company, they have to be looked after and it will be billed to the company,” Sharma said.
A top Central Vigilance Commission official disputed his contention.
“ Bureaucrats are not authorised to waste taxpayers’ money and such issues have been raised in the past with the government.
The PSUs must explain under what provisions these expenditures were incurred and if the ministry had accorded approval for them,” he said.
ONGC’s Lavish Meet
By Ajmer Singhs
The PSU splurges on oil honchos & their families at strategic meetings
Throwing the government’s orders on austerity to the winds, cash- rich Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been splurging on beauty treatments and massages for oil honchos and their spouses during strategy meets.
In the past three months, former and serving petroleum ministry officials and ONGC honchos went for brainstorming sessions on oil security needs to exotic super luxury destinations in Rishikesh and Kovalam. Both meetings were spiced up with ayurvedic massages and unlimited supplies of top- of- the line Scotch whisky for the invitees. On both occasions, ONGC played gracious host and picked up the bills.
On November 21, ONGC chartered a Kingfisher aircraft to airlift 40 former CMDs, directors and their spouses, and spent about Rs 1 crore on their travel, hotel stay and beauty treatment at the five- star deluxe Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Kovalam. About Rs 25 lakh was spent on the chartered flight.
During another such two- day conference held on September 25, petroleum ministry officials blew up tax payers’ money at the world famous Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa at Rishikesh.
The ministry brass stayed at this resort, where tariff for a plush villa with a private swimming pool could go up to Rs 1 lakh a day. About Rs 1 crore was spent on their travel, stay, and other expenses such as premium Scotch whisky and ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies.
The lavish expenses were cleared in the name of ‘ strategic meets’ — an annual affair to discuss and devise strategy and the country’s oil needs, said ONGC officials.
ONGC figures in the Fortune 500 global list but its profits have been dipping. According to the unaudited financial results ( provisional) for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 4,808 crore.
But, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 6,592 crore, showing a drop of about Rs 1,784 crore.
ONGC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma, who was present at these meets, said: “ It is a company with a Rs 60,000- crore turnover and if a strategic meet is organised where a few lakhs, or even a crore is spent, it is not wasteful expenditure but a long- term investment.” But what about the Prime Minister’s prescribed austerity drive? “ We have convened a meeting for which a draft resolution is ready. Austerity measures will be taken and expenses curtailed,” he said.
Union petroleum secretary R. S. Pandey spent three nights at a luxury villa at the resort, offered at a discounted rate of Rs 58,000 a night. He ran up a bill of Rs 1.95 lakh on his stay, entertainment and massage. V. K. Diwangan, director ( exploration) in the ministry, blew up Rs 90,000 in three days. The tab was picked up by ONGC. ONGC’s director D. K. Pandey spent around Rs 95,000 during his stay at Ananda Spa but CMD R. S. Sharma settled the bill at Rs 75,000.
Some bureaucrats went in for exfoliation sessions, a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells from the face and body using jasmine salt scrubs, wild rose salt glows, ancient Indian honey and sandalwood rubs.
Liquor flowed like water during the stay. The bill for liquor, which included Johnny Walker Black Label added up to Rs 6.34 lakh.
Apart from ONGC’s CMD and board members, those who participated in these brainstorming sessions were the secretaries in the petroleum ministry S. Sundareshan (spent Rs 78,000) and P. K. Sinha (spent Rs 39,000), special secretary Sindushri Khulla, joint secretaries Sunil Jain and D. N. Narsimha Raju (spent Rs 80,000) and petroleum minister Murli Deora’s personal secretary Sanjiv Kumar (spent Rs 80,000).
For the strategy meet at the Leela resort in Kovalam from November 21 to November 23, inquiries revealed that around Rs 42 lakh was spent on hotel stay, entertainment and food.
About Rs 2 lakh was spent on massages and another Rs 2 lakh on liquor.
Apart from Sharma, those who attended the meeting — for which the invitees were allowed to bring their spouses along — were former CMDs Subir Raha, Col S. P. Wahi, S. K. Manglik, B. C. Bora and L. L. Bhandari.
A department of public enterprises (DPE) “ guideline on expenditure management — fiscal prudence and austerity” mentions that utmost austerity should be observed in organising conferences, seminars or workshops.
But, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha J. Patel and top ministry bureaucrats have been splurging at five- star hotels on ONGC’s account and misusing government vehicles.
When Patel visits his hometown, Nadiad in Gujarat, ONGC provides him airconditioned vehicles for his family and staff.
Records show that on at least 50 occasions in the last six months, ONGC hired Toyota Innovas, Taveras and Ford Ikons for Patel and his family, the bills for which added up to Rs 2 lakh.
Patel admitted that he occasionally took vehicles from ONGC. However, he declined to comment on the lavish expenditure of his ministry officials.
The PSU has reimbursed the hotel bills of the petroleum and natural gas ministry officials.
Diwangan alone accounted for Rs 4.5 lakh in the past nine months for staying at the country’s top hotels.
Petroleum secretary M. S. Srinivasan also ran up high bills on his hotel stays. His bill for staying at The Oberoi in Mumbai from January 6 to 8, this year was Rs 95,000. He stayed twice at the Taj Lands End, spending Rs 82,000, while for his accommodation at Taj Coromandel, ONGC shelled out Rs 27000.
CMD Sharma insisted it was normal to spend extra on bureaucrats. “ If officials are involved in activity related to the company, they have to be looked after and it will be billed to the company,” Sharma said.
A top Central Vigilance Commission official disputed his contention.
“ Bureaucrats are not authorised to waste taxpayers’ money and such issues have been raised in the past with the government.
The PSUs must explain under what provisions these expenditures were incurred and if the ministry had accorded approval for them,” he said.
The PSU splurges on oil honchos & their families at strategic meetings
Throwing the government’s orders on austerity to the winds, cash- rich Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been splurging on beauty treatments and massages for oil honchos and their spouses during strategy meets.
In the past three months, former and serving petroleum ministry officials and ONGC honchos went for brainstorming sessions on oil security needs to exotic super luxury destinations in Rishikesh and Kovalam. Both meetings were spiced up with ayurvedic massages and unlimited supplies of top- of- the line Scotch whisky for the invitees. On both occasions, ONGC played gracious host and picked up the bills.
On November 21, ONGC chartered a Kingfisher aircraft to airlift 40 former CMDs, directors and their spouses, and spent about Rs 1 crore on their travel, hotel stay and beauty treatment at the five- star deluxe Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Kovalam. About Rs 25 lakh was spent on the chartered flight.
During another such two- day conference held on September 25, petroleum ministry officials blew up tax payers’ money at the world famous Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa at Rishikesh.
The ministry brass stayed at this resort, where tariff for a plush villa with a private swimming pool could go up to Rs 1 lakh a day. About Rs 1 crore was spent on their travel, stay, and other expenses such as premium Scotch whisky and ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies.
The lavish expenses were cleared in the name of ‘ strategic meets’ — an annual affair to discuss and devise strategy and the country’s oil needs, said ONGC officials.
ONGC figures in the Fortune 500 global list but its profits have been dipping. According to the unaudited financial results ( provisional) for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 4,808 crore.
But, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the net profit after taxes was Rs 6,592 crore, showing a drop of about Rs 1,784 crore.
ONGC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma, who was present at these meets, said: “ It is a company with a Rs 60,000- crore turnover and if a strategic meet is organised where a few lakhs, or even a crore is spent, it is not wasteful expenditure but a long- term investment.” But what about the Prime Minister’s prescribed austerity drive? “ We have convened a meeting for which a draft resolution is ready. Austerity measures will be taken and expenses curtailed,” he said.
Union petroleum secretary R. S. Pandey spent three nights at a luxury villa at the resort, offered at a discounted rate of Rs 58,000 a night. He ran up a bill of Rs 1.95 lakh on his stay, entertainment and massage. V. K. Diwangan, director ( exploration) in the ministry, blew up Rs 90,000 in three days. The tab was picked up by ONGC. ONGC’s director D. K. Pandey spent around Rs 95,000 during his stay at Ananda Spa but CMD R. S. Sharma settled the bill at Rs 75,000.
Some bureaucrats went in for exfoliation sessions, a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells from the face and body using jasmine salt scrubs, wild rose salt glows, ancient Indian honey and sandalwood rubs.
Liquor flowed like water during the stay. The bill for liquor, which included Johnny Walker Black Label added up to Rs 6.34 lakh.
Apart from ONGC’s CMD and board members, those who participated in these brainstorming sessions were the secretaries in the petroleum ministry S. Sundareshan (spent Rs 78,000) and P. K. Sinha (spent Rs 39,000), special secretary Sindushri Khulla, joint secretaries Sunil Jain and D. N. Narsimha Raju (spent Rs 80,000) and petroleum minister Murli Deora’s personal secretary Sanjiv Kumar (spent Rs 80,000).
For the strategy meet at the Leela resort in Kovalam from November 21 to November 23, inquiries revealed that around Rs 42 lakh was spent on hotel stay, entertainment and food.
About Rs 2 lakh was spent on massages and another Rs 2 lakh on liquor.
Apart from Sharma, those who attended the meeting — for which the invitees were allowed to bring their spouses along — were former CMDs Subir Raha, Col S. P. Wahi, S. K. Manglik, B. C. Bora and L. L. Bhandari.
A department of public enterprises (DPE) “ guideline on expenditure management — fiscal prudence and austerity” mentions that utmost austerity should be observed in organising conferences, seminars or workshops.
But, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha J. Patel and top ministry bureaucrats have been splurging at five- star hotels on ONGC’s account and misusing government vehicles.
When Patel visits his hometown, Nadiad in Gujarat, ONGC provides him airconditioned vehicles for his family and staff.
Records show that on at least 50 occasions in the last six months, ONGC hired Toyota Innovas, Taveras and Ford Ikons for Patel and his family, the bills for which added up to Rs 2 lakh.
Patel admitted that he occasionally took vehicles from ONGC. However, he declined to comment on the lavish expenditure of his ministry officials.
The PSU has reimbursed the hotel bills of the petroleum and natural gas ministry officials.
Diwangan alone accounted for Rs 4.5 lakh in the past nine months for staying at the country’s top hotels.
Petroleum secretary M. S. Srinivasan also ran up high bills on his hotel stays. His bill for staying at The Oberoi in Mumbai from January 6 to 8, this year was Rs 95,000. He stayed twice at the Taj Lands End, spending Rs 82,000, while for his accommodation at Taj Coromandel, ONGC shelled out Rs 27000.
CMD Sharma insisted it was normal to spend extra on bureaucrats. “ If officials are involved in activity related to the company, they have to be looked after and it will be billed to the company,” Sharma said.
A top Central Vigilance Commission official disputed his contention.
“ Bureaucrats are not authorised to waste taxpayers’ money and such issues have been raised in the past with the government.
The PSUs must explain under what provisions these expenditures were incurred and if the ministry had accorded approval for them,” he said.
Mumbai’s Tycoons Enjoy a Good Life in Super Luxury Yachts
By Swati Sharma
Anil Ambani placing an order for a Rs 200- crore super luxury yacht for his wife Tina has brought the spotlight back on the latest obsession of Mumbai’s rich and the famous. The irony is that none of the owners of these new symbols of uber luxury knows how to drive these yachts, and they’ve no parking space in India, for the country is yet to get a marina for private boats.
The race to own luxury yachts was kick- started by liquor baron Vijay Mallya in 1998, when he moored the 50- metre yacht Kalizma , earlier owned by Hollywood star Richard Burton, outside Gateway of India in Mumbai.
He now owns the 95- metre Empress of India , which, according to PowerAndMotorYacht. com, is powered by three 10,000- horsepower engines. He bought the supersleek yacht from a Qatari sheikh for what the website estimates to be Rs 575 crore. It first made headlines when Mallya hosted the entire F1 top brass led by Bernie Ecclestone for a party off the coast of Monaco.
The double- deck ‘ flybridge’ boat reportedly houses Mallya’s personal art collection, which includes a Renoir, a Chagall and a very large Husain. Each room offers extensive sea views and bathrooms have gold furnishings. The private deck has a jacuzzi that opens out into the sea.
Gautam Singhania of the Raymond textile chain got over 200 shipwrights to handcraft the Ashena , a 153- foot, tri- deck power yacht with a Burmese teak hull. It took five years to be built. But within two years of it officially becoming Singhania’s floating party zone in 2006, it is reportedly up for sale.
Luxury yacht companies are already scenting an opportunity.
Their enthusiasm was evident at this year’s Mumbai International Boat Show, where more than 120 international brands ( from Ferretti, the Ferrari of the yachting world, to Fairline and Sorenstam Ventures) vied for the attention of people like Jimmy Mistry, a collector of super bikes and big cars, who has acquired a super high- speed Sea Ray 175 Sport. Industrialist Rahul Bajaj also owns one of the beauties that fly on the waves.
Anju Dutta of Marine Solutions, the company that represents Ferretti in India, says India may be at the base of the curve for the yacht market, but it promises to grow in the same way as luxury car models. “ Oldfashioned business tycoons did not believe in flaunting their wealth, but that is no longer true of the present generation,” says Dutta. “ They believe in showing off and not everyone can afford a luxury yacht, so owning one gives them membership of an exclusive club.” Dutta’s company has sold 80 yachts in the past seven years, but they are not anywhere as expensive as the super luxury boat that Mallya owns. The Ferrettis are in the range of Rs 5.5 crore to Rs 90 crore, but the cost can touch the sky if the fittings and embellishments are as lavish as those favoured by Mallya.
Ferretti’s Indian owners include Sunny Dewan Wadhawan, managing director of the real estate development firm, HDIL, who snapped up one for Rs 57 crore.
Godrej Group CEO Adi Godrej has a Ferretti 592, a flybridge yacht that can house up to 60 people and is fitted with the ultra- expensive Frau leather.
THE PRIVILEGE of owning the country’s first Ferretti belongs to Vinod Mittal, younger brother of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who acquired the yacht in 2001, the year Marine Solutions set shop in Mumbai.
UK- based Lakshmi Mittal owns the 262- metre Amevi , which is moored near his Mediterranean home. India, Norway, Gibraltar and Spain were among the stops Amevi made last summer. Mittal reportedly paid Rs 1,000 crore for the vessel, which includes a pool, gym and movie theatre.
Not everyone, though, is impressed by the way the market is growing. Shakeel Kudrolli of Aquasail Distribution Co., feels the market will have to move out of its obsession with luxury yachts. “ It’s a fad the market can’t sustain as India does not have a marina, nor does it have workshops for repairs and maintenance,” says Kudrolli.
These considerations aren’t stopping India’s richest from scouting for luxury yachts, for they can always dock their boats off Dubai or Monaco.
Anil Ambani placing an order for a Rs 200- crore super luxury yacht for his wife Tina has brought the spotlight back on the latest obsession of Mumbai’s rich and the famous. The irony is that none of the owners of these new symbols of uber luxury knows how to drive these yachts, and they’ve no parking space in India, for the country is yet to get a marina for private boats.
The race to own luxury yachts was kick- started by liquor baron Vijay Mallya in 1998, when he moored the 50- metre yacht Kalizma , earlier owned by Hollywood star Richard Burton, outside Gateway of India in Mumbai.
He now owns the 95- metre Empress of India , which, according to PowerAndMotorYacht. com, is powered by three 10,000- horsepower engines. He bought the supersleek yacht from a Qatari sheikh for what the website estimates to be Rs 575 crore. It first made headlines when Mallya hosted the entire F1 top brass led by Bernie Ecclestone for a party off the coast of Monaco.
The double- deck ‘ flybridge’ boat reportedly houses Mallya’s personal art collection, which includes a Renoir, a Chagall and a very large Husain. Each room offers extensive sea views and bathrooms have gold furnishings. The private deck has a jacuzzi that opens out into the sea.
Gautam Singhania of the Raymond textile chain got over 200 shipwrights to handcraft the Ashena , a 153- foot, tri- deck power yacht with a Burmese teak hull. It took five years to be built. But within two years of it officially becoming Singhania’s floating party zone in 2006, it is reportedly up for sale.
Luxury yacht companies are already scenting an opportunity.
Their enthusiasm was evident at this year’s Mumbai International Boat Show, where more than 120 international brands ( from Ferretti, the Ferrari of the yachting world, to Fairline and Sorenstam Ventures) vied for the attention of people like Jimmy Mistry, a collector of super bikes and big cars, who has acquired a super high- speed Sea Ray 175 Sport. Industrialist Rahul Bajaj also owns one of the beauties that fly on the waves.
Anju Dutta of Marine Solutions, the company that represents Ferretti in India, says India may be at the base of the curve for the yacht market, but it promises to grow in the same way as luxury car models. “ Oldfashioned business tycoons did not believe in flaunting their wealth, but that is no longer true of the present generation,” says Dutta. “ They believe in showing off and not everyone can afford a luxury yacht, so owning one gives them membership of an exclusive club.” Dutta’s company has sold 80 yachts in the past seven years, but they are not anywhere as expensive as the super luxury boat that Mallya owns. The Ferrettis are in the range of Rs 5.5 crore to Rs 90 crore, but the cost can touch the sky if the fittings and embellishments are as lavish as those favoured by Mallya.
Ferretti’s Indian owners include Sunny Dewan Wadhawan, managing director of the real estate development firm, HDIL, who snapped up one for Rs 57 crore.
Godrej Group CEO Adi Godrej has a Ferretti 592, a flybridge yacht that can house up to 60 people and is fitted with the ultra- expensive Frau leather.
THE PRIVILEGE of owning the country’s first Ferretti belongs to Vinod Mittal, younger brother of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who acquired the yacht in 2001, the year Marine Solutions set shop in Mumbai.
UK- based Lakshmi Mittal owns the 262- metre Amevi , which is moored near his Mediterranean home. India, Norway, Gibraltar and Spain were among the stops Amevi made last summer. Mittal reportedly paid Rs 1,000 crore for the vessel, which includes a pool, gym and movie theatre.
Not everyone, though, is impressed by the way the market is growing. Shakeel Kudrolli of Aquasail Distribution Co., feels the market will have to move out of its obsession with luxury yachts. “ It’s a fad the market can’t sustain as India does not have a marina, nor does it have workshops for repairs and maintenance,” says Kudrolli.
These considerations aren’t stopping India’s richest from scouting for luxury yachts, for they can always dock their boats off Dubai or Monaco.
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