“WHILEKarnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa was facing the music from his opponents in the state, his Information and Publicity Director, Muddu Mohan, was singing songs in a London music festival. In his absence, there was no media management. After being appointed Information Director, Mohan got an invitation to perform in the London cultural festival. And, instead of manning his post, particularly in the hour of need of his benefactor, Yeddyurappa, he rushed off to London and stayed put for 10 days.
His appointment itself flouted rules as only IAS officers can be appointed Directors. But Mohan is a singer, not a civil servant. The media is also unhappy because files relating to accreditation of journalists are piling up in his office and special rail passes for scribes are awaiting his signature. But the Information Director remains oblivious.”
Rajya Sabha
conundrum
WHYlaunch Rajya Sabha TV when Lok Sabha TV is already functioning? This question is being raised in Parliament “as well as in drawing rooms. And most members of the Upper House feel exactly the way most citizens do. Initially, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat wrote to its Lok Sabha counterpart, suggesting that both Houses join hands and cre“ate a joint identity to disseminate information about themselves. The suggestion was made a year ago. Had common sense prevailed, the country’s exchequer would have been saved a few crore rupees. But the file never saw the light of day, irrespective of several reminders. After waiting in vain, the Rajya Sabha decided to launch its own TV channel.
Insiders say that the Lok Sabha Secretariat officials fear losing their authority. Currently, financial sanction is done by the Lok Sabha’s top officials. But who takes the decisions in the Lok Sabha Secretariat— an official, the Speaker or a Parliamentary Committee? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
Never-say-die
Ramachandran
WHENone door shuts, it’s a matter of time before another one opens.“Those who know this never give up. So M Ramachandran, a 1972 batch retired IAS officer, did not lose heart when he missed the coveted Cabinet Secretary’s post owing to KM Chandrasekhar being given a year’s extension in June 2009. Other officers who had also been in the running were compensated. PJ Thomas became Chief Vigilance Commissioner. Sudha Pillai, a batchmate of Ramachandran’s, was appointed Member Secretary of the Planning Commission.
But Ramachandran had to keep waiting until now. He had earlier been Chief Secretary in Uttarakhand and also steered the Central programme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), as Secretary, Urban Development. His role in infrastructure development had caught the eye of none other than UP Chief Minister Mayawati. She has appointed him Adviser (Infrastructure) with the rank of a Cabinet Minister to speed up infrastructure projects in Uttar Pradesh. Whose loss this is, is anybody’s guess
Wily Samaritan
KILLINGtwo birds with one stone is a skill that Arup Roy Choudhury, Chairman and Managing Director of the National Thermal Power Corporation, has mastered. Fast becoming a hero among the employees of the corporation, he called the senior management together and explained his vision for the future of NTPC employees. Every employee, he said, should have two houses on retirement – one to live in and the other to generate an income for the old person to live on. Some officials who know him well smiled.
Now the total number of houses needed for NTPC employees across the country is being tabulated. But NTPC is a power generation company, it does not construct houses. So who will do this? Sources say the houses will be built by the National Building Construction Company (NBCC). Choudhury was its CMD and hauled it out of the red. Since he left, it is again not doing very well. This way, he will have a grip on NBCC as well
