PANAJI
The government's favourite former bureaucrat, N D Agrawal, has made a comeback. This time as an 'advisor' to the Printing and Stationery department in guiding the implementation of the department's ISO standard certification and streamlining the timely publication of Acts and Rules.
He is to be paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 50,000.
"In order to modernise Government Printing Press, Implementation of ISO standard and streamline timely publication of Acts & Rules, Government is pleased to appoint N D Agrawal, retired Collector (South Goa) and ex-Director (Printing & Stationery) as advisor of Printing & Stationery Department for an initial period of six months from June 3, 2022, to December 2, 2022," the order published in the official gazette states.
"Agrawal will be paid a lump sum honorarium of Rs 50,000 per month in addition to pension and he will be provided a vehicle to be hired from GTDC," the order adds.
In the almost 8-odd years after retirement, he was appointed successively as an advisor in various departments with monthly honorariums.
He began his career as a surveillance officer in the national malaria eradication programme of the Madhya Pradesh government and retired after 40 years in service.
In Goa, he was mamlatdar, Deputy Collector, RDA Director, Joint Secretary Health, Director of Printing and Stationary, Director Social Welfare and also briefly director of Education before retiring as Collector South.
In 2016, he was appointed by the government to scrutinise and act on the number of complaints filed against GMC by various people including doctors, nurses, staff members, patients and non-government organisations during the tenure of Francis D'souza as health minister.
The complaints he dealt with included non-availability of medicines, poor quality medical facilities, mismanagement and shortage of water.
In May 2020, Agarwal was appointed as a consultant to amend Goa Municipalities Act 1968. In September 2020, he was appointed an Advisor for preparing a report for the inclusion of Dhangar-Gouly in the list of Scheduled Tribe (ST) under article 342 of the Constitution of India. His tenure was for six months with an honorarium of Rs 50,000 per month.
Agrawal was also appointed as a one-man commission in 2012 by the late Manohar Parrikar to probe the CCP market scam. In July 2013, after frequently postponing the case, Agrawal submitted the report on the Panjim Market scam, which incidentally is yet to be resolved.
In 2017, Agrawal was again drafted to assist the CCP in drafting by-laws.
Later in 2019, former post-facto approval was given for his appointment as an advisor in the Directorate of Civil Aviation from 1-10-2019 to 6-12-2019.
In October 2015, the anti-corruption branch (ACB), Directorate of vigilance registered a case against Agrawal and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, for allegedly hatching a criminal conspiracy for recruitment of 'awal karkun' in the South Goa collectorate.
It was alleged that unqualified candidates were selected for the post of Awal Karkun and that Agrawal, then the Collector of South Goa, had framed rules with the ulterior motive of bringing the recruitment under the control of the departmental selection committee.
