October 29: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will resume duty formally on Monday three weeks after under-going knee replacement surgery.He has summoned the first meeting of the Union Cabinet on the morning of October 30 at his 7 Race Course residence. Though there are 12-odd items on the agenda for discussion before the Cabinet, the issues will take up less than one hour. The meeting has been called to send a clear signal that the ``PM is back at work,'' sources say.Authoritative sources in the Cabinet Secretariat assert that there is no provision in the rules for leave for the head of the government.Although Vajpayee was admitted to the Breach Candy hospital for his knee replacement surgery, he was fully active and kept himself informed of the state of affairs in the country. Even after his return to the Capital on Sunday last, he was kept posted on every development.The scheduling of the first Cabinet meeting after his recovery, although with a less-than-usual agenda, is aimed at sending out the message that the Prime Minister is back at work.Among the items on the agenda would be Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley's request for approval to repeal certain judicial provisions and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan's demand of approval to summon Parliament on November 20.Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav too has put forward a demand before the Cabinet to fix subsidy and relief for Haj pilgrims while the Tribal Affairs ministry wants to set up a new commission.However, the most tricky business to be dealth with would be the Cabinet's nod for the formal closure of Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. Sports and Mines Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has already ordered the closure of the company founded by the British.After a series of discussions with the workers' unions and others, a relief and rehabilitation package has been prepared. The standing committee of parliament under Ram Dass Agrawal has also studied the package and made certain recommendations.Dhindsa too has added a few more measures to boost relief provided through this package. Thus, Monday's meeting would send a signal that the government will not buckle under any pressure and would go ahead with its economic agenda.
