With news of the Samba and Kathua attacks reaching the Prime Ministers entourage,a sombre mood prevailed on the aircraft that was flying the delegation to New York. While a small celebration had been planned out as it was Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs 81st birthday Thursday,all planned events were cancelled after the news of the attacks came in.
The replacement
While the Pallam Raju-led Human Resource Development Ministry had wasted no time in retiring Prof Yogendra Yadav from UGC within days of shooting off a showcause notice to him,it has been equally quick to find his replacement. Former IIT Kanpur Director Prof Sanjay Dhande,who was a contender for the IGNOU top job earlier,has been nominated to the UGC by the ministry to fill up the vacancy.
Confusion on air
The Supreme Court may have restricted all authorities from denying a benefit or service to any citizen of India for not having an Aadhaar card,but the Delhi governments advertisement on radio about the National Food Security Act continues to indicate that beneficiaries will need Aadhaar to get the national food security card that would make them eligible for the scheme. The advertisement,which narrates how the Delhi government has implemented the Act and what its benefits are,ends by saying all beneficiaries should bring their Aadhaar cards or enrolment numbers to collect the food security card.
Another obstacle
Sonia Gandhis pet project,the rail coach factory,appears to have hit one more roadblock and this time it is not from the Railways. Months after deciding to let the HRD Ministry build a Kendriya Vidyalaya at the factory premises to allure staff with children to join the factory,the school project lies standstill. Land has been given and all formalities are complete. But it turns out that the Ministry has exhausted the number of schools they were supposed to open this year. So,to open one more would require a special Cabinet nod. All eyes are now on the HRD Ministry.
Banking on delay
With announcement of dates for the Delhi Assembly elections expected any moment now,one party that would be counting on a delay is the BJP.
With the state unit going all out to make Narendra Modis rally in Delhi on September 29 a roaring success and predictably sparing no expenses,announcement of dates before that would mean all the spending on the Modi gala would be taken as election expenses as per Election Commission rules.