by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Modi brings Chinese Acupuncture to India
Prime Minister Modi's love for China is growing faster than expected after the unprecedented and historic meet at Wuhan between President Xi and Modi. In a major decision, the Modi Government cleared the Chinese therapy –Acupuncture – to be taught and practiced officially in India. If the Chinese can practice Yoga why can't Indian take advantage of the Chinese medical science, goes the argument. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), after months of discussions and studies, has given its consent that the Acupuncture can be taught and practiced. A full-fledged degree course has been cleared and soon one may find acupuncture Hospital and clinics. Though a couple of state governments had allowed Acupuncture to be practiced. But it was never recognized by the Government of India. The file moved before Modi's visit to China and after confabulations, it has now been cleared. Acupuncture will be an Independent therapy like other forms of treatment. It will be five year degree course. The move was opposed by Yoga and Ayurveda practitioners tooth and nail. They suggested that it be made part of the Naturopathy since its like Acupressure. However, the ICMR expert committee felt that its an intrusive technique and different from the acupressure.
Dalit Out-reach given quiet burial
Prime Minister Modi's pet project of “Dalit Out-reach” has been given quiet burial. The PM wanted that BJP Mps and top leaders and even workers should interact with the Dalits, go to their homes, mingle and have dinners/lunches at their homes. The idea was to bring them closer to the party. The program was launched with big fanfare after serious backlash from the Dalit community who were attacked by the activists considered close to the BJP. But the Dalit Out-reach program made headlines in newspapers and juicy TV stories of a different kind. Sensing that it is proving counter-productive and coming under criticism, it has now been decided toi shelve for some time. Even the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested that Dalits be invited for dinner/interaction rather than people going to their houses who themselves have meagre means. It is learnt that the program has been given a burial.
How P K Sinha’s extension opened new possibilities
The one year extension to Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha has opened new possibilities for IAS officers who were two notches down the ladder in seniority. By the time Sinha completes his four year extended tenure, the entire 1980 batch of IAS officers would retire including K D Tripathy, Rita Tiwetia and even Hasmukh Adhia. Similarly, some of the 1981 batch officers, too, would attain superannuation in January and March next year. Prominent among them are Rajiv Nayan Choubey and Rakesh Srivastava. This will open immense possibilities for the 1982 batch IAS officers to be new Cabinet secretary post Lok Sabha polls 2019. Irrespective of who wins the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the officers for such coveted posts are selected on merit. P K Sinha was no Modi-Bhakt and had almost given up the hope when the call came from PMO that he had been selected. And he will be Cabinet Secretary for four years.
It transpires that Cabinet Secretary will be for the 1982 batch that include Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Telecom Secretary Ms. Aruna Sundararajan. Gauba, by virtue of topping the merit list of the batch, will be best positioned to get the job. Of course, everything will depend on NaMo’s fortunes in the next General Election. For Hasmukh Adhia, there are many possibilities after November 2 when he retires. Either he will continue for extended term of one more year in the Finance Ministry after superannuating or may move to the PMO.
NCLT new power center
If you thought Supreme Court is the biggest grosser place for senior advocates who charge astronomical fee from clients, you may be in for some surprise. It transpires that National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) which came into being on June 1, 2016 is the most crowded place. Be it lawyers, businessmen, professionals, companies, advisers all are making a bee line for the big mega bucks. There are around 600 companies which are up for the grab under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) through a cumbersome process of bidding. These 600 odd-companies have NPAs of almost Rs 10 lakh crores of the banks. Now the banks have initiated the process of recovering their monies through the NCLT. In the first phase, 12 major companies involving Rs 2 lakh crores are to be settled within the next 60 days. The deadline for these 12 companies was 270 days which is now coming to an end. Interestingly, the lender banks are taking a haircut of as much as 75% of loan amount. Obviously, the buyers are surely making a killing. The big money is on the table and hence the big line up. The lawyers and Insolvency Professionals are making a killing, sources say and almost all senior counsel preferring to be at the NCLT building rather than at the SC.
Sword hangs over contractual employees in Prasar Bharati
After the Information & Broadcasting Ministry sent a missive early this year suggesting that Prasar Bharati stop engaging consultants on contract and also not grant extension/ renewal to them, it created a flutter. The Prasar Bharati has more than one thousand contractual employees on its rolls. The number in Doordarshan and Prasar Bharati as on 31st January, 2018 was as high as 336 and 885 respectively. It had been alleged that consultants are hired in Prasar Bharati at whims & fences without assessment of need, formal approval or selection by transparent manner with reference to a set of qualification, skills and experience. The ministry pointed out in its letter that the engagement was without ‘assessment of need, the formal approval or selection by a transparent manner with reference to a set of qualifications, skills and experience’. Though the ministry made it clear that it is not issuing a directive to Prasar Bharati to terminate the services of the contractual employees. But asserted that such contractual hiring contravenes the order of Department of Expenditure.
