| Just Generous Delhi: Union Finance
Minister Yashwant Sinha has finally caved in to the swadeshi lobby in the BJP and reversed
the decision to wind up the Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR).
Sinha's predecessor P. Chidambaram had decided to wind up the board after it was found
that it was unable to serve its purpose in the changed economic scenario. Sinha has not
only dropped the move altogether, but has also decided to enhance its strength to help
sick units which have become victims of liberalisation. The chairman of the board, who got
two extensions after retirement, is now hoping to get another term. Several vacancies on
the board are being filled with Hindutva-friendly retiring bureaucrats and other experts.
Sinha is strongly advocating restructuring of the BIFR to placate the swadeshi lobby
though the Government has no surplus funds to revive sick units.
Pollution Solution
Bangalore:
Guess where the Bangalore mayor went to study environmental pollution? Honolulu in Hawaii.
One of the first priorities of Mayor K.H.N. Simha after taking charge two months ago was
to make sure he and 11 others -- including opposition leader Gangabyraiah of the BJP --
attended the four-day Asia Pacific Environmental Conference on an invitation from his
Hawaii counterpart. The city corporation had okayed the trip for the mayor and three
others but the number swelled to 12, including Simha's wife. Although it was a four-day
conference, the group that left on January 23 will be away for 15 days, holidaying in the
US. Did someone say environmental pollution?
No Nigthmares Yet
Jaipur: Chief
Minister Ashok Gehlot knows that he can't change things overnight in a feudal state like
Rajasthan. But unlike his predecessor Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Gehlot seems to have the
social organisations on his side. Recently, some upper-caste people stoned a wedding
procession in a village near Jaipur. The reason: the grooms -- two brothers from a lower
caste -- were riding a mare. Seven persons were injured and the weddings had to be
solemnised under police supervision. While similar incidents in the past were reason
enough for the social groups to pillory the BJP regime, this time around they did not even
issue a one-line statement condemning the episode. Perhaps the NGOs and women's groups
have decided to give Gehlot an extended honeymoon before they crack down on the Congress
Government too.
Babudom's Maze
Bhopal:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's reformist zeal seems to be cutting little
ice with the state bureaucracy. Soon after beginning his second innings in power two
months ago, he had said that the post of divisional commissioner would be abolished. But
the bureaucracy has prevailed upon him to continue with the largely ornamental post. His
other plan to merge the various directorates with the secretariat too has been neatly
countered. The directors will now move into Mantralaya and share the same roof with the
secretaries -- no doubt because abolition of the director's post would deprive the IAS
officers of a scapegoat whenever it suits them. Looks like an uphill task for Digvijay to
reform the system.
Story of His Life
Hyderabad:
After placing his grandiose "Vision 2020" document before the people, Chief
Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is looking forward to another grand "vision" -- of
himself. It's a proposed book chronicling his rags-to-riches story, to hit the stands
before the assembly polls. The only hitch: a credible name as author. Not surprisingly, a
pr man-turned-journalist has offered to do the job for a price. Whatever the deal, the
Naidu biography is certain to see the light of day -- unlike the one Lakshmi Parvati set
out to write on his late father-in-law NTR, but ended up marrying him. |
