Main Article - Feb, 2005
THINKING "BIG"
By
K.R. Sarma, Sr. Dy. Secretary (Retd.), CSIR, Hyderabad
Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest, not the most innovative, but the one who is the most responsive to change who will survive.”
The world has recently become an endless sky if only we have the eye to condense it into our gain. We must therefore respond to this tremendous scope for growth, so that we not only survive but remain ahead of others in the race.
The one big step in this, for success, is “Thinking Big”
When we do a work, we really do it twice – once, while thinking and finally while executing. The first phase of the process, that is, "thinking" is the seed of what we make or do. If that is strong, every thing else will be great.
Ambition is a common thing for every one . But most are satisfied with small ambitions.
Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the President of India says, “It is a sin to dream small achievements. We must dream big. We must think of big achievements.”
As Benjamin Disraeli said, “We must nurture great thoughts -- for you will never go higher than your thoughts”. Desire for great achievements.”
Dr. Kalam also said, “Desire, when it stems from the heart and spirit, when it is pure and intense, possesses awesome electromagnetic energy”.
Thinking takes place in the mind which is like a factory. Production in the mind factory is under the control of two Executives. One executive’s name is ‘success’. His task is production of success. The other executive’s name is ‘defeat’. His task is to produce loss. Both eagerly wait for our orders for production.
If we send signals of confidence and enthusiasm, the executive of ‘success’ starts his work. If we send signals of disappointment, fear, etc, the executive of ‘defeat’ starts his work.
The mind accepts whatever opinion you send to it. It does not judge. It just stores all positive opinions and all negative opinions. When you send more positive opinions, the mind will give an output of ‘positive’ belief. If your mind stores more appreciations, it develops a confidence-belief. If the mind stores more discouraging opinions, it develops fear-belief.
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Then you are sure to succeed in "thinking big".
The capsule of ‘thinking big’ consists of three elements:
1. Belief or faith in yourself
It is the self-confidence. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Men often become what they believe in themselves. If I believe I cannot do some thing, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it, even if I did not have it in the beginning. God has filled us with a very large potential”.
As some one said, “Our life is like a bicycle with ten gears but most of us do not use them.”
A little faith in our ability does miracles.
2. Passion for your dream of big achievements
Passion is a very strong love for it. Your heart is full with its picture. Passion guards your thoughts and ambitions from being stolen. It nourishes the dream through bad days, until sun shine arrives, which is sure to do.
The greater we belong to the organisation, the larger passion we have for big dreams of achievements. If you have the passion for it, you have achieved half of your success. If you don’t have, you have achieved half of your failure.
3. Sharpening of your strengths of planning, performing and reviewing
Identify how much more you need to acquire in the knowledge of the subject or the skills with the people. Acquire what you need to have. Enrich your talents by reading, by observing or listening to role-models
Identify your short term goals in terms of the long term goals set for you. Acting without goals is swimming without direction. It does not give you full thrust. Goals inspire you and prompt you for looking for the best means.
Work for those goals with full enthusiasm and expectation. Act boldly against odds. No matter how much we learn and take care, we do face obstacles. Innovate carefully and cleverly in such situations.
As Martin Luther King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Do not let your weaknesses bother you any time. Use of your strengths abundantly keeps your weaknesses waiting.
Do not imagine mountains of problems and curse those difficulties which are non-existent. Real problem is an opportunity in disguise. It is an opportunity to think more and do better.
In difficulties, initial failure is common. Every successful person had to overcome initial failures, to become what they were .As some one said, in the lighter vein, “Success is the art of making mistakes when no one is observing.”
But ,what is dangerous is not to learn from the lessons of that occasion and to act without a better application of mind and care. Where your strength is not matching the crisis, do not remain a spectator. Do act, with the advice from the experienced colleagues.
For every short term, try to do something beyond what you have already mastered Stretch your self by small steps and let your mind enhance its confidence for the total success.
Pat your own back and show gratitude to yourself for putting up a good performance, and work for constant improvement.
Sharpen your skills every short term continually by review and development.
Polish your work constantly, and polish it again and again. That keeps a glow and a winning edge for you as one who thinks
“ BIG ”
_________
FUNDING OF CSIR AND ITS CONSTITUENTS
By
B J Acharyulu, Finance & Accounts Officer, CSIR, New Delhi
To know the CSIR budget let us first examine what is a Government Budget from where CSIR gets its funding. Needless to mention, CSIR gets its funding from the Govt. of India through the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Every financial year a statement of Estimated Receipts and Expenditure of the Govt. of India has to be laid before the Parliament as required under Article 112 of the Constitution of India which is known as Annual Financial Statement or Budget Document. Government Accounts are kept in three parts (a) Consolidated Fund (b) Contingency Fund and (c) Public Account.
Consolidated/Contingency Fund of India
Consolidated Fund of India constitutes all revenues received and loans raised by the Govt. and the recoveries of loans sanctioned by the Government. All expenditure of the Government is made from the Consolidated Fund of India and no amount can be drawn from this fund without authorization from the Parliament.
K.R. Sarma, Sr. Dy. Secretary (Retd.), CSIR, Hyderabad
Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest, not the most innovative, but the one who is the most responsive to change who will survive.”
The world has recently become an endless sky if only we have the eye to condense it into our gain. We must therefore respond to this tremendous scope for growth, so that we not only survive but remain ahead of others in the race.
The one big step in this, for success, is “Thinking Big”
When we do a work, we really do it twice – once, while thinking and finally while executing. The first phase of the process, that is, "thinking" is the seed of what we make or do. If that is strong, every thing else will be great.
Ambition is a common thing for every one . But most are satisfied with small ambitions.
Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the President of India says, “It is a sin to dream small achievements. We must dream big. We must think of big achievements.”
As Benjamin Disraeli said, “We must nurture great thoughts -- for you will never go higher than your thoughts”. Desire for great achievements.”
Dr. Kalam also said, “Desire, when it stems from the heart and spirit, when it is pure and intense, possesses awesome electromagnetic energy”.
Thinking takes place in the mind which is like a factory. Production in the mind factory is under the control of two Executives. One executive’s name is ‘success’. His task is production of success. The other executive’s name is ‘defeat’. His task is to produce loss. Both eagerly wait for our orders for production.
If we send signals of confidence and enthusiasm, the executive of ‘success’ starts his work. If we send signals of disappointment, fear, etc, the executive of ‘defeat’ starts his work.
The mind accepts whatever opinion you send to it. It does not judge. It just stores all positive opinions and all negative opinions. When you send more positive opinions, the mind will give an output of ‘positive’ belief. If your mind stores more appreciations, it develops a confidence-belief. If the mind stores more discouraging opinions, it develops fear-belief.
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Then you are sure to succeed in "thinking big".
The capsule of ‘thinking big’ consists of three elements:
1. Belief or faith in yourself
It is the self-confidence. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Men often become what they believe in themselves. If I believe I cannot do some thing, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it, even if I did not have it in the beginning. God has filled us with a very large potential”.
As some one said, “Our life is like a bicycle with ten gears but most of us do not use them.”
A little faith in our ability does miracles.
2. Passion for your dream of big achievements
Passion is a very strong love for it. Your heart is full with its picture. Passion guards your thoughts and ambitions from being stolen. It nourishes the dream through bad days, until sun shine arrives, which is sure to do.
The greater we belong to the organisation, the larger passion we have for big dreams of achievements. If you have the passion for it, you have achieved half of your success. If you don’t have, you have achieved half of your failure.
3. Sharpening of your strengths of planning, performing and reviewing
Identify how much more you need to acquire in the knowledge of the subject or the skills with the people. Acquire what you need to have. Enrich your talents by reading, by observing or listening to role-models
Identify your short term goals in terms of the long term goals set for you. Acting without goals is swimming without direction. It does not give you full thrust. Goals inspire you and prompt you for looking for the best means.
Work for those goals with full enthusiasm and expectation. Act boldly against odds. No matter how much we learn and take care, we do face obstacles. Innovate carefully and cleverly in such situations.
As Martin Luther King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Do not let your weaknesses bother you any time. Use of your strengths abundantly keeps your weaknesses waiting.
Do not imagine mountains of problems and curse those difficulties which are non-existent. Real problem is an opportunity in disguise. It is an opportunity to think more and do better.
In difficulties, initial failure is common. Every successful person had to overcome initial failures, to become what they were .As some one said, in the lighter vein, “Success is the art of making mistakes when no one is observing.”
But ,what is dangerous is not to learn from the lessons of that occasion and to act without a better application of mind and care. Where your strength is not matching the crisis, do not remain a spectator. Do act, with the advice from the experienced colleagues.
For every short term, try to do something beyond what you have already mastered Stretch your self by small steps and let your mind enhance its confidence for the total success.
Pat your own back and show gratitude to yourself for putting up a good performance, and work for constant improvement.
Sharpen your skills every short term continually by review and development.
Polish your work constantly, and polish it again and again. That keeps a glow and a winning edge for you as one who thinks
“ BIG ”
_________
FUNDING OF CSIR AND ITS CONSTITUENTS
By
B J Acharyulu, Finance & Accounts Officer, CSIR, New Delhi
To know the CSIR budget let us first examine what is a Government Budget from where CSIR gets its funding. Needless to mention, CSIR gets its funding from the Govt. of India through the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Every financial year a statement of Estimated Receipts and Expenditure of the Govt. of India has to be laid before the Parliament as required under Article 112 of the Constitution of India which is known as Annual Financial Statement or Budget Document. Government Accounts are kept in three parts (a) Consolidated Fund (b) Contingency Fund and (c) Public Account.
Consolidated/Contingency Fund of India
Consolidated Fund of India constitutes all revenues received and loans raised by the Govt. and the recoveries of loans sanctioned by the Government. All expenditure of the Government is made from the Consolidated Fund of India and no amount can be drawn from this fund without authorization from the Parliament.
Contingency Fund of India is the corpus fund authorized by the Parliament to meet urgent unforeseen expenditure incurred pending approval of the Parliament. The amount will be recouped to the fund periodically after due authorization of the Parliament. Present level of this fund is Rs. 50 crores.
Public Account
Amount received in the Government in the form of Provident Fund, Small Savings under different Schemes etc. is kept separately under Public Account. Disbursement from this Account does not need authorization from the Parliament.
Annual requirement of each Ministry/Department is given in the Form of Demands for Grants as required under Article 113 of the Constitution and is voted. The detailed demands for Grant is presented in respect of each Ministry or Department in the Parliament.
CSIR Budget
CSIR’s budget is included in the Demands for grant of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under the head "Assistance to CSIR".
The Plan Budget allocation is made for the Schemes approved by the Planning Commission every year and the Non-Plan Budget directly from the Ministry of finance, both to CSIR through DSIR.
CSIR gets its budget presently under the following Schemes:
1. Central Administration
2. National Laboratories
3. Scientists’ Pool
4. Research Schemes, Scholarships and Fellowships
5. Intellectual Property and Technology Management (IPTM)
6. New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)
7. Infrastructure Renovation and Refurbishing (IRR)
Schemes at Sl. Nos. 5, 6 and 7 above are totally funded by the Plan support while the Scheme Scientists’ pool is totally a Non-Plan Scheme. All other Schemes have inflow of both Plan and Non-Plan funds.
CSIR gives its requirements to the Ministry of Finance through DSIR during the months of October/November every year in the form of Revised Estimates for the current financial year and Budget Estimates for the next financial year. During the pre-budget discussions the sanctioned Budget Estimates vis-à-vis progress of expenditure till September of the year is examined by the Ministry of Finance / Planning Commission and the limit for Revised Estimates is fixed. Simultaneously the Budget Estimates for the next financial year are also indicated. Any adjustments in the Revised Estimates have to be got approved in the shape of Supplementary demands depending upon the amount of variation involved either resulting additional requirement or surrender to the DSIR. At the end of the financial year CSIR is required to furnish the "Utilization Certificate" to the DSIR.
The above is the way in which CSIR gets funds from the Govt. of India and how it allocates the funds to its Laboratories. Practically the following happens between the National Laboratories/Institutes and the CSIR every year.
Allocation to Labs./Instts.
Vote on Account to run the show during the months of April and May is communicated to all the Laboratories. In the mean time the Sanctioned Budget Estimates are received duly approved by the Parliament. Then regular allocations are made to all the Laboratories in the following Heads of Account:
Pay & Allowances (allowances include salary linked allowances and other allowances like T.A., Honorarium, LTC, etc., Contingencies, Human Resources Development Lab Maintenance, Chemicals & Consumables Capital Expenditure - Works and Services, Apparatus & Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures, Library Books and other capital heads), Staff Quarters (Maintenance and Capital). In addition funds are also allocated for Centrally Operated Heads like payment of pensionary benefits, advances to staff, and expenditure concerning Extramural Research/Research Fellowships, etc.
Provision for salaries, contingencies and maintenance will be based on the total strength of the Laboratories and previous year’s expenditure. Allocation under other Heads of Accounts will depend upon the research projects undertaken by the Laboratories/special requirements if any, commitments of the Laboratory/potential for generating External Cash Flow (ECF) etc. It also predominantly depend on the policies of the Govt., directives of the Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance. Everything, of course, is subject to the resource availability.
Progress of the expenditure is observed upto September of the year, i.e. during the first six months of the financial year and then Revised Estimates for the year are sought from all the Laboratories which are consolidated and sent to DSIR/Ministry of Finance for their consideration. The Ministry of Finance/ Planning Commission will hold pre-budget discussions at this stage and will fix the ceilings for the Revised Estimates. These will again be communicated to all the laboratories/institutes which will constitute the final budget for that particular year unless some additions are subsequently provided or some savings are surrendered.
Based on the final expenditure as on 31st March of each year, the final accounts are made. The Laboratories will send their final accounts to the CSIR HQs. The CSIR HQs. will consolidate the accounts, get them audited and placed on the table of the Parliament through DSIR every year.
Plan and Non-Plan Expenditure
Specific guidelines have been circulated on Plan and Non-Plan allocations/ expenditure by CSIR. However, some idea on the plan and non-plan expenditure is given below. This is not sacrosanct but a guideline based on which the expenditure can be booked subject to the official circulars and instructions on the subject:
Entire expenditure incurred against the Plan Schemes irrespective of the nature of the expenditure (whether Capital or Recurring) and Capital Expenditure in other Schemes, Chemicals & Consumables for R&D efforts and minor percentage of other recurring heads like salaries (say between 10 to 15%), contingencies and maintenance (say 5 to 10%) upto agreed and approved limits by CSIR is considered to be the Plan Expenditure while all other expenditure is Non-Plan expenditure.
Funding Major Projects depends upon the approval of the competent constituent bodies like Standing Finance Committee (SFC), Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), Public Investment Board (PIB), etc. The powers and limitations of these bodies is amply discussed in delegation of financial powers.CSIR is a wonderful organization catering to the scientific and technical needs of the Country and the Government is whole heartedly supporting this noble cause of which we should be proud to be part of.
Public Account
Amount received in the Government in the form of Provident Fund, Small Savings under different Schemes etc. is kept separately under Public Account. Disbursement from this Account does not need authorization from the Parliament.
Annual requirement of each Ministry/Department is given in the Form of Demands for Grants as required under Article 113 of the Constitution and is voted. The detailed demands for Grant is presented in respect of each Ministry or Department in the Parliament.
CSIR Budget
CSIR’s budget is included in the Demands for grant of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under the head "Assistance to CSIR".
The Plan Budget allocation is made for the Schemes approved by the Planning Commission every year and the Non-Plan Budget directly from the Ministry of finance, both to CSIR through DSIR.
CSIR gets its budget presently under the following Schemes:
1. Central Administration
2. National Laboratories
3. Scientists’ Pool
4. Research Schemes, Scholarships and Fellowships
5. Intellectual Property and Technology Management (IPTM)
6. New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)
7. Infrastructure Renovation and Refurbishing (IRR)
Schemes at Sl. Nos. 5, 6 and 7 above are totally funded by the Plan support while the Scheme Scientists’ pool is totally a Non-Plan Scheme. All other Schemes have inflow of both Plan and Non-Plan funds.
CSIR gives its requirements to the Ministry of Finance through DSIR during the months of October/November every year in the form of Revised Estimates for the current financial year and Budget Estimates for the next financial year. During the pre-budget discussions the sanctioned Budget Estimates vis-à-vis progress of expenditure till September of the year is examined by the Ministry of Finance / Planning Commission and the limit for Revised Estimates is fixed. Simultaneously the Budget Estimates for the next financial year are also indicated. Any adjustments in the Revised Estimates have to be got approved in the shape of Supplementary demands depending upon the amount of variation involved either resulting additional requirement or surrender to the DSIR. At the end of the financial year CSIR is required to furnish the "Utilization Certificate" to the DSIR.
The above is the way in which CSIR gets funds from the Govt. of India and how it allocates the funds to its Laboratories. Practically the following happens between the National Laboratories/Institutes and the CSIR every year.
Allocation to Labs./Instts.
Vote on Account to run the show during the months of April and May is communicated to all the Laboratories. In the mean time the Sanctioned Budget Estimates are received duly approved by the Parliament. Then regular allocations are made to all the Laboratories in the following Heads of Account:
Pay & Allowances (allowances include salary linked allowances and other allowances like T.A., Honorarium, LTC, etc., Contingencies, Human Resources Development Lab Maintenance, Chemicals & Consumables Capital Expenditure - Works and Services, Apparatus & Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures, Library Books and other capital heads), Staff Quarters (Maintenance and Capital). In addition funds are also allocated for Centrally Operated Heads like payment of pensionary benefits, advances to staff, and expenditure concerning Extramural Research/Research Fellowships, etc.
Provision for salaries, contingencies and maintenance will be based on the total strength of the Laboratories and previous year’s expenditure. Allocation under other Heads of Accounts will depend upon the research projects undertaken by the Laboratories/special requirements if any, commitments of the Laboratory/potential for generating External Cash Flow (ECF) etc. It also predominantly depend on the policies of the Govt., directives of the Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance. Everything, of course, is subject to the resource availability.
Progress of the expenditure is observed upto September of the year, i.e. during the first six months of the financial year and then Revised Estimates for the year are sought from all the Laboratories which are consolidated and sent to DSIR/Ministry of Finance for their consideration. The Ministry of Finance/ Planning Commission will hold pre-budget discussions at this stage and will fix the ceilings for the Revised Estimates. These will again be communicated to all the laboratories/institutes which will constitute the final budget for that particular year unless some additions are subsequently provided or some savings are surrendered.
Based on the final expenditure as on 31st March of each year, the final accounts are made. The Laboratories will send their final accounts to the CSIR HQs. The CSIR HQs. will consolidate the accounts, get them audited and placed on the table of the Parliament through DSIR every year.
Plan and Non-Plan Expenditure
Specific guidelines have been circulated on Plan and Non-Plan allocations/ expenditure by CSIR. However, some idea on the plan and non-plan expenditure is given below. This is not sacrosanct but a guideline based on which the expenditure can be booked subject to the official circulars and instructions on the subject:
Entire expenditure incurred against the Plan Schemes irrespective of the nature of the expenditure (whether Capital or Recurring) and Capital Expenditure in other Schemes, Chemicals & Consumables for R&D efforts and minor percentage of other recurring heads like salaries (say between 10 to 15%), contingencies and maintenance (say 5 to 10%) upto agreed and approved limits by CSIR is considered to be the Plan Expenditure while all other expenditure is Non-Plan expenditure.
Funding Major Projects depends upon the approval of the competent constituent bodies like Standing Finance Committee (SFC), Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), Public Investment Board (PIB), etc. The powers and limitations of these bodies is amply discussed in delegation of financial powers.CSIR is a wonderful organization catering to the scientific and technical needs of the Country and the Government is whole heartedly supporting this noble cause of which we should be proud to be part of.
