SWAMY-VORA TAlK
last Thursday, in the Central Hall of Parliament, Subramanian Swamy and Congress treasurer Motilal Vora were engaged in a long conversation. The talks happened just a day after the trial court asked Vora, along with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it on December 19. After their talks ended, they were approached by several MPs, but they remained tightlipped. Grapevine has it that both discussed the National Herald case.
STAR GAZING
Asked whether the GST constitutional Bill will be passed in the light of the Congress-BJP face-off, senior Congress leader Janardan Diwedi quipped, “The answer to this question could be given by the astrologers from both the sides.”
MANEKA’S CONFESSION
At an event to release the report on status of malnutrition in India last week in Delhi, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi disclosed that though she had been a seven-time MP from Uttar Pradesh, it was only after she headed her present Ministry that she came to know about the existence of aanganwadi workers. Calling them a key member of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), she enlisted several measures taken up for the upliftment of the aanganwadi workers since taking over the Ministry.
NOVEl WAY
The Union Health Ministry will soon start cost-effective text-based smoking cessation interventions using mobile phone to reach out to a large number of users, including youths. The move follows observation that while over 70 per cent of smokers want to quit the habit, they are not able to do so for the want of timely and appropriate suggestions.
TRAFFIC WOES
No wonder Chief Justice of India TS Thakur recently endorsed the odd-even formula for plying cars in the Capital to de-clog our roads. He himself became the victim of Delhi’s congested roads last week when he was held up in traffic for an hour while on way to attend a function. Justice Thakur had to inaugurate a conference on Arbitration organised by FICCI at 6 pm on Friday, but he only managed to reach a little before 7.30 pm. Organisers later informed that the CJI had an important meeting at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
HEADlESS CBSE
An year after Vineet Joshi demitted office in December 2014, the country’s prime school education board — CBSE — is without a regular chairman. Several crucial exams like higher and senior secondary, competitive examinations like engineering, IIT-JEE, medical, etc were conducted by the HRD Ministry officials, who were given additional charge. While one search committee had to be scrapped after six months when the PMO raised objections on its composition, the second search committee has now received 46 applicants from bureaucrats and a large number of academicians. Grapevine has it that the process of interviews will begin soon and probably an academician with “right-mind” may be chosen before the next CBSE exams scheduled in February 2016 end.
THE CRPF DIARY
The publication of dairies and calendar for the incoming year 2016 by CRPF may get delayed as the paramilitary has scrapped the work order granted to a vendor. The CRPF has now sought to make up the time by asking another firm to take up the job. However, the new firm is insisting on a formal work order. The paramilitary publishes diaries and calendars every year for distribution among the personnel, prominent Government officials and mediapersons.