Govt shortlisting names for appointing NATGRID CEO

The government is shortlisting names to fill up crucial vacancies in the Union Home Ministry, including the new CEO of NATGRID, an intelligence gathering and coordination mechanism.
Official sources said that other vacancies that will be filled up are that of Special Secretary (Internal Security), a post lying vacant for nearly 10 months, Additional Secretary (Centre-State) and Additional Secretary (Naxal Management).
While names of three senior IPS officers have been zeroed in on for the post of Special Secretary (Internal Security), sources said, adding that others are being looked into.
The post of NATGRID chief fell vacant after the government decided not to renew the contract of then CEO Raghu Raman last month. The decision to replace 50-year-old Raman came days after the Narendra Modi government assumed office.

Raman, who was brought in from the private sector, was drawing a salary of Rs 10 lakh per month, besides other entitlements of top officers.
Sources said the Modi government was also looking at tapping private individuals with an IIT background for the job, though a final decision is yet to be taken.

Asked by when the government is likely to zero in on a name, a source said, "The initial process is on. A final decision is likely to be taken only after the Parliament session."
The National Intelligence Grid, one of the previous UPA government's biggest showpiece internal security projects, was set up after the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

It will give access to 21 categories of data sources like railways and air travel, income tax, phone calls, bank account details, credit card transactions, visa and immigration records, property records, driving licence of all citizens in the country.
While the clearance for the Rs 3,400 crore project came in 2011 from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), execution of the same slowed down after the exit of Home Minister P Chidambaram in July 2012.
There are around 70 personnel, drawn from both the government and the private sector, in NATGRID.