Replying for Minister!
Two Union Ministers looked amused when a MP replied to questions put up by another one in the lok Sabha. When Mohd Salim (CPM) inquired about the progress of Kolkata East-West Metro project, Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) stood up to say that all issues had been resolved due to the efforts of CM Mamata Banerjee. When Urban Housing Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said since the matter related to railways Suresh Prabhu could give the reply, the TMC member again took upon himself to respond. Bandyopadhyay went on to say that he was giving the reply “on your (ministers’) behalf with credit to TMC under Mamata Banerjee”.
Work Pressure
Judges are beginning to feel the pressure of work at the Supreme Court. Exasperated by the listing of as many as 80 cases on Monday before him, Justice JS Khehar recently asked a senior advocate to plead his case before the Chief Justice of India. “We can’t hear 80 matters on a miscellaneous day and then sit to hear batch matter cases. Please get some favourable orders from the CJI’s court,” the Judge reportedly told the lawyer.
Friend, not Foe
In an election year, the Uttar Pradesh Government is treading cautiously in dealing with all sensitive cases before the Supreme Court. Take a matter related to power of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to delegate signing of official files to his subordinates. When Justice Dipak Misra wanted to appoint amicus curiae (friend of court), the UP Government kept dragging tis feet to agree on a name. The Court first proposed Attorney General but the State refused, apprehending trouble from the Centre. There was again no consensus on senior advocate KK Venugopal as he has been appearing for BSP chief Mayawati. The State finally settled on the name of former Attorney General Ashok Desai.
Wait & Watch Seceretary!
In an unsusal case in Indian bureaucracy, an IAS officer empanelled as Secretary will have to wait for over 17 months to take over as Secretary in a Ministry or any department of the Central Government. 1982-batch Gujarat cadre IAS officer Dr Amarjeet Singh was empanelled as Secretary in August 2015. But then he was appointed Special Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources the following month. Thereafter, Singh was appointed OSD in the same Ministry last month. He will continue in the same position until he takes over as Secretary of the same Ministry after the superannuation of incumbent Secretary Shashi Sekhar on December 31, 2016.
Ganga anthem
Experts and scholar may keep debating the success of of the Namami Gange Programme, but the newly composed anthem on the country’s premier flagship programme is expected to be a huge draw. A senior Babu from the Ministry of Water Resources quipped, “While the water of the river may take time to be clean, the anthem composed by Trichur Brothers in classical Carnatic style, would instantly purify your soul.”
Gehlot’s priority
With Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment showing keen interest to ensure that the proposed National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) comes up at the earliest in Bhopal, officials in his Ministry are burning midnight oil to realise his wishes. The Project, a first of its kind in the country, will be a self-sufficient centre for mental health rehabilitation and academics. The segment is facing acute shortage of manpower. Once it gets the EFC clearance, the project will be put up for Cabinet approval. Ghelot is the Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh.
Caught out
The plight of our athletes echoed in the Rajya Sabha last week when BJD leader and former Indian hockey captain Dilip Tirkey and world champion boxer Mary Kom drew the attention of the House to the apathy towards our sporting heroes. When Rajiv Shukla (Congress) tried to defend cricket, PC Gupta (RJD) said it is a cash-rich sport and objected that Shukla cannot raise the issue as he is associated with cricket bodies. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien quipped “you are caught out”. The entire House had a good laugh.