Non-perturbed Mallya
Absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya remained unperturbed even after the Enforcement Directorate on Sunday seized his Rs1,400 crore worth properties including Kingfisher Towers. In the evening, Mallya tweeted: “life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain - Vivian Greene. One of my favourites!”
Focus on Rajnath
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is fed up with the media running behind him asking the same question about his role in the the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections. Everyone wants to know whether he is going to become BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for the next year election. Sources close to him say that Singh thinks that such peculations are floated by his “enemies”, because if the party were to meet under his stewardship in UP, he would be cut down to size at the Centre.
Junior IAS above all
Tongues have started wagging in the top level bureaucracy over the appointment of new Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao. Officials in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said that Rao has superseded at least 22 IAS officers from 1980 to 1985 batch making it a sort of history in the appointment and transfer cases of IAS officers in the country. While some argue that merit should prevail and it was CM’s prerogative to appoint the CS, others contended this may set a bad precedent and demorlise other deserving bureaucrats.
Rude shock
A top Railway Ministry official, who was travelling with his family, was in a rude shock to notice soiled linens, chewing gums pasted on berths, dirty toilets, etc., in the Shatabdi Express. The official took aam aadmi route and complained to the grievances cell which, however, was quick to respond. The family received another shock when house-keepers conveyed that they have been asked to clean the floors and not berths/seats. Further, the soiled linens had come from the newly installed mechanised laundry. The officer has decided to apprise the Railway Minister about the episode and suggest surprise checks.
Jallianwala Bagh
After the Woman and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi took cudgels against the culling of animals on the basis of Environment Ministry orders, animal lovers have come out in open in her support. While Maneka termed the culling of 200 blue bulls in Bihar as the “worst ever tragedy”, an animal right organisation described it as “Jallianwala Bagh” tragedy. Others said, “The Green Ministry is turning red...” The Ministry officials are, however, unfazed. “The culling orders have not been given for the first time. We act as per the demands of the State, so why are we at the receiving end todayIJ”
Mango fest
Mango lovers waiting for annual Bengal Mango festival 2016 should head towards Handloom Haat, Janpath in the national capital this time instead of Dilli Haat opposite INA market where the fest was held for the last three years. In view of unavailability of an AC hall in Dilli Haat, the West Bengal Government has settled for Handloom Haat. Mangoes from West Bengal’s Malda and Murshidabad districts and pulpy varieties such as Himsagar, laxmanbhog, Champa, Mallika, Anaras and Ranipasand have are a huge draw. The festival of the King fruits, will kick-off from 16th to 30th June.
For Swachchh Bharat
Praveen Prakash, Joint Secretary in Urban Development Ministry who oversees Swachchh Bharat Mission in the urban areas in the country, has written to business tycoon Anil Ambani to help disseminate free of cost or at highly subsidised rates SBM related messages in formats such as stories, jingles and advertisements among others through his BIG FM Channels. Ambani, who was enrolled as SBM Ambassador among many icons in the country, is yet to respond to the Ministry’s request that aims to help bring about the required mindset and behavior change among citizens towards clean and sanitary habits.