Retd. Secretary, Govt. of India

Usha Mathur, IRAS (1974)

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):

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 Service
From 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