KEY EXPERIENCES:

Urban Governance & Infrastructure:

As Special Secretary, Urban Development Department amended the Howrah Improvement Trust (HIT) Act after – 1956
As CEO, KMDA handed over the Baishnabghata - Patuli Township to Kolkata Municipal Corporation to facilitate extension of civic services to residents. This was done 8 years after the township was made & resolved a long standing issue. It benefitted the citizens & also reduced KMDA’s O&M expenditure.
As CEO, KMDA initiated a quarterly newsletter for internal circulation. The first issue was released by the Hon’ble CM. It became very popular & was in demand from the media also.
As Project Director, Kolkata Environmental Improvement Project (KEIP) ensured security of tenure to thousands of resettlers. While flats had been built for canal bank dwellers as part of the package lease deeds for these flats had not been finalised, then they were registered & given to the resettlers.
As PD, KEIP ensured long term protection of canal banks. These had been encroached upon earlier. While the people had been resettled the canal banks remained at risk of further encroachment. A green belt was created along the canals. 4.2 kms were planted with 1200 trees.

Education:

Served on the Board of Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) from 2001-04 & on its Finance Committee & Affiliation Committee.
Served as Member of the Council of Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) from 2003-04.
Served as Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) 2004.
Served as Member of the General Council of Mayo College, Ajmer (2003-05) & on the Finance Committee of the Lawrence School Sanawar and Lawrence School Lovedale.
Instrumental in the issuance of Standard Accounting guidelines issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)for schools.

Media Coverage

ICT and Education:

Formulated the flagship programme of the Government of India to support ICT in education called ICT @ schools with an outlay of Rs.800 crores of the Xth Plan.
Formulated a scheme for 'National Awards for integrating Technology in Education' to identify, recognize and award those teachers, schools and organizations which have demonstrated exemplary integration of ICT in education.
Commissioned a feasibility study for development of multi-media content (Oct. 2003). EdCil conducted the study and the report was disseminated widely.
Organised the first National Colloquium on e-content in education (Feb.2004).
Conducted a study in 2004 to assess computer usage in Indian schools involving 35,000 students in rural and urban & government schools. UNESCO, Bangkok and Government of India supported the study. It also pilot tested performance indicators for ICT in education.
Participated in the Workshop organized by UNESCO on formulating performance indicators for ICT in education in Manila in 2003. A set of indicators were drafted & a decision taken to test them in different countries of Asia.
Author of 'A study on ICT usage in Indian schools' (2006).

ICT and Community Development:

As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia conceived, formulated & implemented the provision of Computer Aided Design (CAD) skills to handlooms weavers/designers at Shantipur, Nadia, in collaboration with National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). This project was entered for the Stockholm Challenge Award - a Worldwide competition of pioneering IT projects. Out of the 742 IT projects from 90 countries this project was among the 15 short-listed for the finals. The initiative has been institutionalized through the creation of a Project Management Group (PMG). The project has been replicated in several other districts of the State. http://www.the-week.com/21sep16/events12.htm

Capacity building through skill up gradation:

As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia initiated up gradation of skills of Conch Shell makers. Sourced master craftsmen, which trained the Conch Shell makers of Nadia into producing high value products. After the training programme linkages were established with banks, which provides loans.
As Deputy Secretary, Department of Secondary & Higher Education, responsible for formulation and implementation of the national programme of providing computer skills to school students - Computer Literacy And Studies in Schools (CLASS). The programme has an outlay of Rs.8,000 million over the next five years.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia made arrangements for skill upgradation of officers and staff in Office Procedures, Executive Magistracy, Computer Literacy, Civil Engineering basics, Gender Sensitization.
As Director (Mass Education) was instrumental in the identification of the need for vocational training in Orphanages. The children residing in State Welfare Homes faced a bleak future after reaching the age when they had to leave the Homes. Realising this fact I initiated a Vocational training programme in 10 Welfare Homes, in the initial phase, in collaboration with the Department of Technical Education. The entire project was conceived, initiated and implemented by me.
As Additional Executive Officer, Malda Zilla Parishad took the initiative for capacity building of the functionaries of local bodies. Training on Panchayat audit and accounts rules, tender formalities, local taxes etc. were imparted to hundreds of staff of local bodies and elected members.

Information Technology:

Spearheaded the initiative to provide ICT tools in schools with schedule caste students. 65 schools in 2 districts were identified initially. Within a short period of 4 months the techology was finalized, as was the hardware and content and the accessories along with the implementation partners. A third party monitoring system was also put in place.
The benefit to the students, teachers and the community at large has been tremendous. This is borne out by the reports of the monitoring agency. Attendence, academic performance and understanding of concepts have improve remarkably in these schools. The Department has now decided to roll-out the project in other districts of the state too in a gradual manner.

Initiation and Management of change:

As Additional Executive Officer, Malda Zilla Parishad enhanced the capacity of Malda Zilla Parishad to implement rural developmental programmes. This was achieved through early release of funds, faster remittance to local bodies and providing additional funds to more efficient bodies. Financial Management was improved through preparation and adoption of budgets by the local bodies in time, completion of cash analysis and internal audit. Regular monitoring and personal visits were the key. While the entire State utilized 14.8% of JRY funds in the relevant period, the Malda Zilla Parishad utilized 30.2% of available funds.
As Additional District Magistrate, Darjeeling was instrumental in turning around Darjeeling Improvement Fund (DI Fund). This Fund was established in pre-independence times with the objective of funding developmental programmes in the hills through the toll collected from rural markets. However, over time the Fund did not have enough to even pay salaries. Rates of tolls in the bazaars were revised after 23 years, the land surveyed after 75 years and master plans prepared. A Rs.3.2 million shopping complex was conceived and built after networking with interest groups, planners and architects. An internal road network was built in another market. Revenue increased over this period by 73% and the DI Fund again becoming a profit making organization.
As SDO, Alipurduar revitalised Large Scale Multi Purpose Co-operative Societies(LAMPS). All the LAMPS in the Alipurduar Sub-Division were in a bad shape. By regularly monitoring performance in monthly meetings, never held before, getting accounts audited, setting up an administrator, I was able to improve their performance. A LAMPS exclusively for the tribal group 'Totos' was conceived and registered within ten days.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia & Chairman of Kishan Milk Union revived the cooperative. The Kishan Milk Union's Net Profits increased from Rs.3.69 million to 5.47 million (67%) even though the turnover was reduced by Rs.0.49 million during the months of September-October, 2000 due to floods as compared to the previous year. Chilling costs declined by 3.5%, vehicle maintenance costs by 39.4%. After several years the Primary Co-operative Societies were again provided with cattle feed and medicines. The Annual General Meeting was held after two years with a quorum. Fine for bad quality milk was introduced. Long pending issues like installation of bulk coolers, recruitment of technical personnel, pre-audit etc. were settled. The Union achieved the highest turnover (Rs.134.2 million) and profits (Rs.11 million) since inception in 1980.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia established a modern Flower market and Multipurpose Cold Storage. Nadia has the second largest area under flowers in West Bengal. However, there was no modern Flower-market in the entire State nor are multipurpose Cold Storages available for farmers. I took up the challenge of building the first one in the State and the first multipurpose Cold Storage in the public sector at Ranaghat. A sum of Rs.15 million was mobilized by utilizing the funds of three different Departments, i.e. Agriculture, Agriculture Marketing and Food Processing Industry & Horticulture.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia upgraded the design competence of the Handloom Industry. A Computer Aided Design (CAD) studio was established at Santipur. 24 designers trained on CAD. Two workshops were held.
As SDO, Alipurduar revitalized the Jaigaon Development Authority. The Office were opened after seven years of establishment, a survey of completed, Government land fenced a park made after removing encroachments, rickshaws were regulated & licensed, land handed over for construction of a hospital after three years.

Implementing public service projects:

As Project Director of India Population Project VIII (Extension)(World Bank assisted Project). Formulated Project proposal for Darjeeling Municipality and got it approved; coordinated with the municipal authorities and the State Government, instrumental in selection of volunteers/staff and their training.
As Chief Project Manager of West Bengal State Health Systems Development Project-II (World Bank Project) took up, apart from repair, reconstruction and expansion of Hospitals and Health Centres, measures for bringing about attitudinal change through training in the field of Disease Surveillance and Referral Systems; I.E.C. and Waste Management, Coordination between different governmental implementing agencies, Municipal and panchayat bodies.
As Director, (Mass Education), West Bengal was responsible for Programme planning and management of Literacy Programmes, advocacy with other Government Departments, Panchayat Raj Bodies and N.G.Os; Planning and monitoring; allocation and utilization of funds; review of the progress achieved and mid-course corrections; providing support to the District level Zilla Saksharata Samities, Assessing, modifying and finalising Project Reports submitted by Zilla Saksharata Samities.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia engaged an external agency for evaluation of the Post Literacy Programme. The agency rated the programme high on the women development index. After successful completion of the programme the Continuing Education proposal was formulated for implementation.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia conceived and implemented innovative measures to tackle the problem of arsenic in drinking water. Low cost community-based arsenic water filters were installed on a pilot basis.
As Joint Secretary, (Mass Education) initiated a proposal for preservation and maintenance of rare manuscripts of Uttarpara Joykrishna Public Library. Collaborating with Indian Conservation Institute, Lucknow, a project proposal was finalized, funding tied up and the project implemented.
As Director, (Mass Education) implemented the scheme of scholarships to 13,000 disabled students. The Central Government scheme of giving scholarship to disabled students had been discontinued several years earlier. Fresh approval of the scheme was received at the end of January, 1999. Although, only two months were left for the financial year to close I insisted on its implementation from the current year itself. Necessary meetings were held, advertisements issued and even allotment made in advance on an ad-hoc basis without waiting for specific requirement. All these efforts were fruitful and 13,000 disabled students were provided with scholarships.

Co-ordinating and networking with interest groups and institutions:

As Deputy Secretary, Deptt. of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education responsible for coordinating with UNFPA for the implementation of the Population Education Country Programme VI.
As District Magistrate, Nadia organized a series of workshops, Posters Exhibitions and Film Shows, for an Awareness Programme protesting Violence against Women in association with the British Council and SWAYAM, an N.G.O. Evolved a mechanism for ensuring continuity of the programme by involving local teachers, parents and school children.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia, revived the Integrated Child Development Scheme (I.C.D.S.) Projects in the district after the devastating floods, interacting with 'UNICEF' and 'Save the Children Fund' for provisions of utensils and weighing machines.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia initiated measures to provide relief to flower growers after the floods. Formulated a proposal to provide interest free loans for purchase of seeds. UNICEF accepted the proposal and provided a sum of Rs.0.49 million for the purpose.
As District Magistrate & Collector, Nadia links were established SPIC-MACAY for promotion of Indian culture and music among local youth and children. 12 concerts were organized in schools and colleges.
As Additional Executive Officer, Malda Zilla Parishad personally contacted the Water Resources Engineering Department of Jadavpur University and convinced them to come to Malda, study the topography & agree to take up a pilot project in the Habibpur Block leading to an Irrigation Master Plan.