Babu sets example
Awanish Sharan, a 2009 batch IAS officer and District Magistrate of Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur, is in the news these days. He has opted for Government Pragya Primary School of the District Headquarters for the primary level education of his daughter. This is not the first time he has done something like this. Before this, he had sent his daughter to the Aanganwadi school for studies. The decision of Awanish Sharan should open the eyes of those who treat the government schools and untouchable for their wards.
Supplementary repartee
Journalist attending weekly media briefing by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson have this habit of putting supplementary questions in order to extract maximum information or quote from the spokesperson. But this week, the supplementary questions received an interesting repartee. Responding to the series of questions on one issue — tagged as supplementary — Gopal Baglay, spokesperson of MEA, said, “All my life I have passed my exams with good numbers and have never to go for supplementary, and here there are so many before me.” There was a burst of laughter but supplementary did not stop from coming.
Tainted voters
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has disclosed that at least 33 per cent MPs and MlAs, who will vote in the Presidential elections on Monday, have criminal background. According to its report, 184 (34 per cent) out of 543 lok Sabha MPs, 44 (19 per cent) out of 231 Rajya Sabha MPs and 1,353 (33 per cent) out of 4,078 MlAs have criminal cases against them. Similarly, as many as 3,460 MPs and MlAs or 71 per cent of the total members whose affidavits were analysed by ADR are crorepatis. These include 445 lok Sabha and 194 Rajya Sabha MPs as well as 2,721 MlAs.
AIADMK tussle
Grapevine has it that the power tussles in AIADMK is expected to resume afresh after the voting in President election on July 17. Apart from the warring factions of OPS and EPS, s a new owing allegiance to Sasikala is also expected to be engaged in a full-fledged battle for power in the state. This third faction is claiming to have support of around 30 MlAs. DMK Chief Stalin is closely watching the developments.
Doctors for better NPA
Even as the committee of allowance has accepted the recommendations of the 7th pay commission which has reduced their non- practicing allowance (NPA) of the Government doctors from 25 to 20 per cent, the medical fraternity , under the umbrella of the Joint Action Council of Service Doctor Organisation (JACSDO), has demanded NPA as high as 200 per cent! Making their case, they have argued that they are not only overburdened in the collapsing health system, but also facing mental stress leading to increased cases of suicides by doctors.