With ministers under scanner, changes afoot? : India

New Delhi, Jan 31 - For those who haven't performed, there may be a price to pay. With the Prime Minister's Office - evaluating various ministries, the working of some senior ministers has come under the scanner.

Even the Congress leadership is reportedly unhappy with their performance and the buzz is they may be moved around.

The problem is a large chunk of them are from allies like the Trinamool and the DMK and the leadership of these parties has either refused to see the warning signals or just ignored them. In the list are also some 'inefficient' Congress ministers.

-

-

Password protected please

First, Chinese hackers eyed government computers this month, then there was the goof-up by a ministry, which carried a photograph of a former Pakistan Air Force chief in a government advertisement. Twice bitten, the government is now strictly scrutinizing even e-mail.

Proof of this was seen in President Pratibha Patil's address to the nation on the eve of the 61st Republic Day. Officials at Rashtrapati Bhavan agreed to provide an advance copy of her speech to the media corps if they agreed to come to Rashtrapati Bhavan with a pen drive.

'Sorry, there is no way we are going to e-mail it, especially after the red flag was shown in the two incidents,' remarked an official. And to ensure that there was yet another level of precaution, even the speech on Microsoft doc was password protected!

-

-

Skeletons in Rodrigues' cupboard?

Now that former Punjab governor Gen S.F. Rodrigues is back in Delhi after a rather controversial innings as Chandigarh administrator, insiders point out that he may not find the going easy.

Rodrigues had rubbed union ministers Pawan Kumar Bansal and Ambika Soni the wrong way by raking up an old issue of land allotment to a school in Chandigarh.

Both ministers had strongly refuted his allegations of irregularities in the allotment of land to the school, which has members from their families in its management. In fact, Rodrigues has had an uneasy relationship with Bansal, who is the MP from Chandigarh.

Days after Rodrigues demitted office after completion of his term, the Central Bureau of Investigation - initiated two preliminary inquiries into the allotment of mega projects to private builders by officials of the Chandigarh administration.

Some skeletons can be expected to tumble out of cupboards in the days to come.

-

-

Paid to keep his mouth shut

New National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon is not talking. 'I am paid to keep my mouth shut,' he quipped to some eager beaver reporters when asked for an interview.

Menon said he believes in doing his job quietly and pointed out that even in his previous avatar as foreign secretary he never gave a single interview.

His attitude stands out in sharp contrast to his predecessor M.K. Narayanan who enjoyed publicity and relished all the media attention. Whenever he had something important to say, which was quite often, Narayanan would appear on Karan Thapar's the 'Devil's Advocate' programme.

Maybe the influential Thapar should use his contacts and resources to net Menon. Going by what he says, Menon may be a hard nut to crack.

-

-

Of babus and leather bags

The babus' fondness for freebies is well known in India's iron frame of bureaucracy. Even with the renewed thrust on performance, this is one baggage that senior bureaucrats are finding hard to shed - literally.

At an important conclave of education secretaries here, the human resources development ministry was keen to take stock of some of its pilot programmes.

An important presentation on elementary education and drop-out rates in secondary schools was on when simultaneously one of the organisers began distributing chic black leather bags to the audience.

Needless to say, scant attention was paid to the lecture as the delegates dived to pick up their free gifts and rummage to see what was inside. So much for ushering quality in education!

-

-

German pat for Indian media

Not often does the Indian media get a pat on the back for fairness and objectivity. German Ambassador to India Thomas Matussek, who served as press counsellor in the embassy over two decades ago, is however relieved to be back among friends.

The suave Matussek should know better after getting a taste of the aggressive British press in his previous stint as Berlin's ambassador in London. The wounds are yet to heal, the envoy quipped while referring to his experience of dealing with the British media.

In a PR act just before the German president's trip to India, he said he had never had such problems with the Indian media in the two months that he has been here as ambassador.

-

-

No 'common' cause for Kalmadi-Gill

As the deadline for the Commonwealth Games draws near, bickering has intensified between camps tasked to complete the projects. Leading the charge are Indian Olympic Association chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill.

Last week, Gill inaugurated a revamped swanky National Stadium, which is the the first Games venue to be inaugurated. But the conspicuous absence of Kalmadi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit raised eyebrows.

The simmering tension between the two camps was further confirmed a couple of days later when Gill was nowhere to be seen at the inauguration of the Ludlow Castle wrestling training venue for the Games. Now the million-dollar question being asked is: does it help the deadline?

-

-

All is well that starts well?

On the Commonwealth Games again, Delhi Tourism has launched a stunning limited edition calendar to commemorate the event. Featuring the works of 12 of India's most renowned artists, it was launched by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at a glittering function.

Among those whose works adorn the calendar are well-known names like Satish Gujral, Paramjit Singh, Arpana Caur, Jamini Roy and Manjit Bawa.

At the function a delegate nervously remarked, 'The calendar is an artistic start to the year ahead when Delhi will be the proud host city. But I dread to think how it will end.'