Dilip Cherian

Mar 31, 2010
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Dilip Cherian

Babu blues for Mayawati

Already under fire from the courts for her government’s land acquisition policy, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati now finds herself in trouble with the Allahabad high court.

Return of the native

When Pulok Chatterji, currently executive director at the World Bank, apparently missed out on myriad “big posts”, it was widely believed he would only return to join the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). And so he has. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has ordered the babu’s return, though his World Bank term ends February next year.

Reforms in the air

No one will dispute the fact that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) desperately needs a makeover. The DGCA came in for a lot of criticism after last year’s air crash in Mangalore and subsequently for its role in the fake pilots scam and reports of corruption. The government now proposes a revamp of the regulatory body, which will go beyond renaming DGCA as Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Babus under political heat

It could be the stress of investigating high-profile cases or simply overwork, but the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seems to be losing sleuths at a rather alarming pace.

Foreign affairs

The naming of Ranjan Mathai as India’s foreign secretary has ended an intense race for the prestigious job, much of which was played out beyond the public gaze. Mr Mathai has been serving as India’s ambassador to France since January 2007 and had to contend with the claims of Hardeep Puri, ambassador to the UN, and Sharat Sabharwal, high commissioner to Pakistan, among other notables.

Route change

Amid talks of a Cabinet reshuffle soon, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent directive to surface transport minister C.P. Joshi to work on restructuring the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has set tongues wagging.

Crisis training

Few knew that Ajit Seth, who is taking over from K.M. Chandrasekhar as the new Cabinet Secretary, too went to receive Baba Ramdev at the Delhi airport. But since the babu maintains a low profile he escaped media attention, which focused on the four Cabinet ministers led by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Crisis training

Few knew that Ajit Seth, who is taking over from K.M. Chandrasekhar as the new Cabinet Secretary, too went to receive Baba Ramdev at the Delhi airport. But since the babu maintains a low profile he escaped media attention, which focused on the four Cabinet ministers led by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. Apparently, the view was

Mamata makes waves

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is keen to distance herself from the working style of her predecessor Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Whether or not her stint in Delhi as a Union minister influenced this decision, it seems that didi is keen to replicate the Prime Minister’s Office model in Writers’ Building. Ms Banerjee’s chief minister

Out of favour?

Another babu bites the dust. Gujarat’s officialdom is undergoing a churning. But since the churning is taking place against the backdrop of two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers facing serious corruption charges, there is heightened interest in the goings-on in Modi-pradesh.

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