In a blatant contravention of norms set by Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) set a timeframe of just three days for soliciting applications for filling up the high-level post of transaction adviser. CVC guidelines stipulate a minimum window of 21 days.
The CVC also stipulates that such notification has to be issued in at least one regional daily. However, in this case, it was published only in the city edition of one national daily.
The CVC has now received a complaint in this regard against the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of APMDC. According to top officials in the Ministry of Mines, the notification issued on November 25 set November 28 as the last date for submission of applications.
"Besides this, the subject should have been notified and uploaded on the website of APMDC as per the conditions laid out in the CVC norms, but it was not done. The APMDC also did not specify the quantum of work required of the adviser," sources said.
The APMDC was incorporated in 1961, given the state is endowed with rich mineral resources and occupies second place in Mineral Value Production in the Country. The objectives of the Corporation are development of mineral resources including exploration, exploitation, and beneficiation; development of mineral industries with private participation and identification of best technology and investment for development of mineral resources.
Vice Chairman and Managing Director of APMDC Shalini Misra feigned ignorance on the discrepancies. "I do not know, and I am not aware of any such CVC directives. We have followed the laid down procedures," Misra told The Pioneer over phone.
A 1988-batch IAS officer, Misra was embroiled in a controversy earlier too. She faced action from the then N Kiran Reddy government allegedly for failure in the implementation of the Rajiv Swagruha Scheme and 'misuse' of administrative powers during her five-year term as the MD of the APRSCl. It was alleged that there was no proper planning and utilization of funds.