Usha Mathur, IRAS (1974)
Retd. Secretary, Govt. of India
Bio-Data
1. Name:Usha Mathur
2. Father’s Name:V.N. Mahadevan
3. Date of Birth:May 23, 1951
4. Full Mailing addressB-1/1122,Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, 110070
(with Telephone-landline & 011-41061122 (R); +91 9910487373 (M)
Mobile No. and E-Mail address):
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Usha Mathur, IRAS (1974)
Retd. Secretary, Govt. of India
5. Educational & Professional Qualification (Graduation onwards; in reverse chronological order):
Name of University/Institution / Degree / Year of Passing / Division/%age of marks obtained / Subjects/
Specialization
Faculty of Law
Delhi University / LLB / 2001 / 59.37% / Commercial Laws
Madras University
Stella Marris College / MA
(Economics) / 1973 / 57% / Economics with specialization in Econometrics and Industrial Economics
Madras University
Stella Marris College / BA
(Economics) / 1971 / IInd Division / Economics with Statistics, Modern Governments.
6.Work Experience(In chronological order starting with last post held and upto Joint Secretary Level):
An officer of the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) 1974, I superannuated in May 2011 as Secretary to Government of India.
Name and address of employer / Designation, scale of pay and whether on regular/deputation/ad-hoc basis / Period of ServiceFrom To / Nature of work/
Experience
a. / Ministry of
Parliamentary Affairs,
Parliament
House, New Delhi / Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs,
Rs. 80,000 (fixed)
Regular / Sept 2010 / May
2011 / Administrative head of the Ministry of Parliamentary affairs; Secretariat for the Cabinet Committee for Parliamentary Affairs and Government’s Standon Private Member’s Bills and Resolutions;
Planning & coordination of legislative and other official business in both Houses of Parliament; monitoring progress of Bills duly interfacing with sponsoring Ministries and the Ministry of Law and Justice; issue of guidelines and follow up on recommendations of Parliamentary Committees common to all Ministries; advice to Ministries on procedural and other Parliamentary matters.
b. / Ministry of Railways,
Railway Board, New Delhi / Additional Member (Finance)/
Railway Board
(HAG +)
Rs.75500-80000/-
Regular / Nov.
2009 / Sept.
2010 / Planning, Manufacturing and Procurement policy of Indian Railways for rolling stock, track, signal and telecommunication; formulation of financing structures/delivery mechanisms like JVs/SPVs, assured purchase agreements, track access charge arrangements, BOT and other PPP solutions duly addressing level playing field concerns of policy makers, stakeholders, competitors, users and the public; oversee the Economic Appraisal Division and Traffic Costing & Statistics Directorate of the Ministry of Railways.Span of control covered one AS level and 6 JS level officers.
c. / General
Manager/
Northern Railway, Baroda House, New Delhi / Financial Adviser & Chief Accounts Officer/Const-ruction Organization, Principal HOD
Northern Railway
(HAG)
Rs.67000-79000/-
Regular from Oct2005
onwards
AS level / Aug. 2005 / Oct. 2009 / Principal Head of Department overseeing the work of 4 SAG Officers,(JS level) handling all aspects of financial management of mega railway infrastructure projects,( including the Srinagar Railway Line);resolving post-contractual disputes in both conventional and PPP structures.
d. / General Manager, South Western Railway, Hubli / Divisional Railway Manager, Mysore
(SAG)
Rs.18400- 22400/-
(pre-revised)
Regular
JS level / May 2003 / Aug. 2005 / Administration and strategic management of the rail network spanning over 1100 kms; reconciling service provider vs. user issues relating to cost and quality of service in freight and passenger operations; increasing throughput by massive technology upgradation of signaltelecommunications systems and track modernization; public relations; tender acceptance; vigilance; monitoring assets utilization and adopting best practices to sustain long term growth of traffic/revenues.
e. / Ministry of Finance, North Block, New Delhi / Joint Secretary
(Personnel)
Dept. Of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance
(SAG)
Rs. 18400-22400 –
(Pre-revised)
Under Central Staffing scheme / Oct. 1999 / May 2003 / Nodal agency for policy relating to control of Non-Plan Expenditure; GFRs;policy guidelines concerning tendering for construction, procurementand consultancies and licensing of services,levy of user charges; Delegation of Powers; austerity/economy orders to ensure fiscal and financial prudence; right sizing and all personal/ personnel matters in the Administration and Establishment Division of Department of Expenditure, administration of the Internal Financial Advisers’ Scheme in all Ministries; scrutiny of procurement tender cases from Defence Ministry; Govt. Director and Audit Committee Member on the Board of Indian Overseas Bank (a public sector bank).
f. / Ministry of Railways, Railway Board, Rail Bhavan, New Delhi / Executive Director/ Finance (Expenditure) Railway Board
(SAG) Rs.18400-221400
(Pre-revised)
Regular
JS level. / Jan 1996 / Oct 1999 / Capital Budget of Indian Railways; Infrastructure Planning and Funding; Innovative resource mobilization;Project Appraisal; Contract Policy and Management; Government Director and Audit Committee Member of IRCON International Ltd, a Schedule A Company funding & executing infrastructure projects (in India and abroad), including PPP initiatives.
Member of Working – Group to prepare Guidelines and Bid Documents for BOT &BOLT Railway Projects.
g. / General Manager/
Northern Railway, Baroda House, New Delhi / Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer/ Construction Organization
(SAG)
Rs. 18400-22400
(pre-revised)Regular JS level / July 1993 / Dec 1995 / Financial Management of Railway infrastructure projects relating to New lines Doubling, Gauge Conversion, Electrification; Signal and Telecommunication; served as an Arbitrator in Railway Arbitration cases, Tender Committee member for Railway Board level contracts.
7.Whether SC/ST/OBC/Minorities/Women:Yes; Woman
(if yes, indicate the relevant category)
8. Present Position:Central Government Pensioner since May 31, 2011. Post retirement engagements:
- Member,Task Force on MOUs for 2013-2014,constituted by DPE for conducting MOU Negotiations with CPSEs and Administrative Ministries
- On the Panel of Conciliators/Arbitrators of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd(DFCCIL)
- Presently functioning as Co-arbitrator in a 3 member Arbitral Tribunal
9. Areas of specialization with numbers of years of experience:
- Experience in Financial Management, with knowledge of Economics and Law (Masters in Economics & L.L.B. Degree): Over 36 years’ experience in Financial Management, of which 12 years has been at JS level, and a further 5 years at AS level and above, covering all aspects of finance and accounts. This, reinforced by my Economics and Law background, has given me a sound appreciation of the various issues (sometimes conflicting) relating to the mobilization, allocation and judicious management of scarce financial and material public resources.
- Experience of administration and governance in Ministries of Finance, Railways (Railway Board) and Parliamentary Affairs: The macro-level experience (of more than 9 years) gained from working in various administrative capacities at JS level and above in the MOF( JS/Pers), Railway Board (Executive Director/Additional Member), and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (Secretary) has provided me invaluable insights into various governance issues that continuously emerge in an economy driven by a plethora of competing forces - economics vs. social considerations, market determined tariffs vs. subsidized user charges, industry demands vs. consumer interests, - and the challenges that are encountered by the government/regulator in harmonizing these.
- Experience as a Chief Executive, i.e. as Divisional Railway Manager of Mysore Division, spanning over 1100kms (July 2003 to Aug. 2005): As a transport service provider operating in a fiercely competitive environment, in both freight and passenger segments, I obtained a good grasp of the various factors affecting competition, and the severe revenue limitations that the Indian Railways face in not being able to exploit their natural advantage as a bulk carrier and fix tariffs freely; either in terms of the “cost of service” or “what the traffic can bear” principles.
10. Indicate how you fulfill the laid down criteria (Refer Annex):
- I had put in nearly 18 years of service in JS level& above at the time of my retirement as Secy to GOI in May 2011.
- I fulfill the educational qualifications criteria laid down.
- I am 62 years old and therefore fulfill the age criteria.
11. Directorship held in companies (both CPSEs and Private):
- Government Director on Board of Ircon International (a Schedule A,CPSE) during
1996 to 1999.
- Government Director on Board of Indian Overseas Bank(a public sector bank)during2000 to 2003
Usha Mathur
October 30, 2013
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