Embassy of India
Panama
Disclosure under Section 4(1)(b) of the Right to Information Act 2005
(i) Particulars of Embassy of India, Panama, its functions and duties:
Embassy of India, Panama is headed by Shri Yogeshwar Varma, Ambassador
and this Embassy is concurrently accredited to El Salvador, Honduras and
Nicaragua. Embassy of India in Panama is small in size with seven India based
officials and seven local staff. As any Indian Embassy abroad, Embassy of India,
Panama is also entrusted with various activities and functions such as political,
commercial, consular, information and culture.
(ii) The powers and duties of its officers and employees:
The officials perform various functions assigned to them under the overall control
and supervision of Ambassador. At present, the distribution of works is as
follows:
i. Shri Raj Kumar, First Secretary
ii. Shri Hitesh Rajpal, Second Secretary
iii.Shri Sanjiv Tandon, Second Secretary
iv.Shri R. Selvam, Second Secretary
v. Shri Mukesh Kaushik, Second Secretary
vi.Shri Naresh Kumar, Assistant
vii. Shri Arvind, Assistant
Information, Culture and ITEC
Political and Commercial
PPS to Ambassador
Head of Chancery
Consular
Administration
Accounts
(iii)The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of
supervision and accountability:
Decisions are made or arrived at based on the provisions prescribed in the
various Government of India Manuals applicable to running a Government of
India office / organisation. Whenever there is a doubt or clarification, the same is
obtained from the Ministry of External Affairs. Requisite approvals / Sanctions
from Headquarters are also sought wherever necessary. As regards supervision,
both Accountant and Administrative Assistant perform duties under the
supervision of Head of Chancery / Ambassador while other officers perform
duties under the supervision and guidance of Ambassador. As regards
Accountability, Mission's records and accounts are subject to periodic audit
scrutiny.
(iv) The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions:
Its functions are discharged as prescribed in the Government Manuals which are
updated and amended from time to time. These are brought to the Mission's
1
notice by the Ministry of External Affairs for compliance. Every effort is taken by
this Mission to adhere to these norms.
(v) The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under
its control or used by its employee for discharging its functions:
As regards Administration is concerned, the prescribed Manual is IFS (PLCA)
Rules, 1961. Consular Manual and Visa Manual are connected with works
relating to Consular matters. Regarding other works, there is no particular
manual as such, however, the works are executed based on innumerable
circulars and guidelines issued by the concerned government authorities from
time to time.
(vi) A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its
control:
The documents are held in the form of files which may run into several hundreds.
These may be broadly categorised into political, commercial, consular,
information, cultural and administrative files.
(vii) The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or
representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its
policy or implementation thereof:
The Embassy derives its powers from the Ministry of External Affairs and hence
for any basic policy change or implementation thereof, the approval needs to be
obtained from the Headquarters in New Delhi. The members of the public can
always meet the Ambassador in this regard.
(viii) A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting
of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and
as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies
are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public:
It has not been found feasible to constitute such a committee / board as its need
has not been felt. Also, the Mission's limited man power resources is another
constraint.
(ix) A directory of its officers and employees:
India based
Shri Yogeshwar Varma, Ambassador
Shri Raj Kumar, First Secretary
Shri Hitesh Rajpal, Second Secretary
Shri Sanjiv Tandon, Second Secretary
Shri R. Selvam, Second Secretary
2
Shri Mukesh Kaushik, Second Secretary
Shri Naresh Kumar, Assistant
Shri Arvind, Assistant
Local staff
Ms. Kathleen Sosa, Translator
Ms. Yanela de Sanjur, Clerk-cum-Typist
Ms. Pinky Samaniego de Coronas, Receptionist-cum-Marketing Assistant
Ms. Marlyn Margot Montenegro, Clerk-cum-Typist
Mr. Jose O.Henriquez, Chauffeur
Mr. Roberto A. Lopez, Messenger
Ms. Raquel de Gonzalez, Cleaner
(x)The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees,
including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations:
India based
Shri Yogeshwar Varma, Ambassador
Shri Raj Kumar, First Secretary
Shri Hitesh Rajpal, Second Secretary
Shri Sanjiv Tandon, Second Secretary Shri R. Selvam, Second Secretary
Shri Mukesh Kaushik, Second Secretary Shri Naresh Kumar, Assistant
Shri Arvind, Assistant
Local Staff
Ms. Kathleen Sosa, Translator
Ms. Yanela de Sanjur, Clerk-cumTypist
Ms. Pinky Samaniego de Coronas,
Receptionist-cum-Marketing Assistant
Ms. Marlyn Margot Montenegro,
Clerk-cum-Typist
Mr. Jose O. Henriquez, Chauffeur
Mr. Roberto A. Lopez, Messenger
Ms. Raquel de Gonzalez, Cleaner
Rs. 67000-79000 (Revised HAG)
Rs. 15600-6600-39100 (PB-3)
Rs. 15600-6600-39100 (PB-3)
Rs. 15600-6600-39100 (PB-3)
Rs. 15600-6600-39100 (PB-3)
Rs. 15600-6600-39100 (PB-3)
Rs. 9300-4600-34800 (PB-2)
Rs. 9300-4600-34800 (PB-2)
-
US $ 975.80
US $ 1890.91
-
US $ 1154.30
-
US $ 833.00
US $ 1786.19
US $ 1047.20
US $ 815.15
(xi)The budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all
plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made:
Chancery budget
Head
Salary
Wages
2009-10
23075
Nil
2010-11
21836
Nil
3
(actual in thousand Rupees)
2011-12
20262
30
Overtime
Allowance
Travel Expenses
Office Expenses
Publicity
Information
Technology
Minor Works
Total
457
536
366
10309
8844
312
297
7308
8559
264
388
11471
9497
555
294
1934
45228
2126
41017
1357
43832
2010-11
663
0
663
(actual in thousand Rupees)
2011-12
637
900
1537
Commerce budget
Head
Salary
Trade Promotion
Total
2009-10
588
101
689
(xii)The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts
allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes:
Not Applicable.
(xiii)Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by
it:
Not applicable.
(xiv)Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an
electronic form:
As already indicated, action is executed in file. Hence, files are opened under
various subjects which may run into several hundreds.
(xv)The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information,
including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public
use:
There is a Library along with a reading room in the Embassy. Public can make
use of the library and spend time in the Reading room for newspapers,
magazines and books. This is open during the office hours from 8.30 a.m. to 5
p.m.
4
(xvi)The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information
Officers
Shri Hitesh Rajpal, Second Secretary is the designated Public Information Officer
and Shri Yogeshwar Varma, Ambassador is the Appellate Authority under the
Right to Information Act, 2005.
5