Now that the belt-tightening phase and Parliament session is over, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is still keen that ministerial excesses in this period of exuberance is kept in check
Now that the belt-tightening phase and Parliament session is over, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is still keen that ministerial excesses in this period of exuberance is kept in check. The directive may sound odd, coming on the heels of a massive pay hike that our MPs have just given themselves, but clearly Manmohan Singh is unhappy with the frequent foreign trips made by his Cabinet members, especially those of the "private" kind. It may also be an attempt to rein in certain high-profile cabinet ministers who seem to be spending more time in the air than in their offices.
So with Singh cracking the whip, ministers will face a lot more hurdles (read clearances) before they can embark on a foreign trip, even if it's a private one. Dilli is curious to see how effective this new policy decision will be in curbing our minister's natural affinity for foreign shores.
Season of woeThe outbreak of dengue fever has added to Dilli's misery, which is still trying to come to terms with the fallout of the incessant rains and the ongoing mess called the Commonwealth games. The ill-timed epidemic is slated to peak just when the games get underway and with dengue cases already touching the four-figure mark, the government's concern is natural.
While Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit is confident that Dilli is well prepared to manage the issue, the raging epidemic is causing some nervousness among nations participating in the games next month. Malaysia and Australia have issued travel advisories against travelling to India, which cannot but add to the already considerable woes of the games organisers. On the brighter side however, fewer visitors may actually be a boon for the long suffering Dilliwalas who are dreading the traffic snarls expected during the games.
