Mumbai confidential: Watered Down

.What is now being considered is a much watered-down version when compared to Fadnavis’s private Bill. Sources said the senior bureaucracy was not comfortable with the idea of providing investigation powers to the ombudsman.

Watered Down

While in Opposition, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had tabled a private members’ Bill seeking independent investigation powers for the Lokayukta in corruption complaints. But his own government does not seem to be walking the talk. While a proposal to lend more teeth to the ombudsman is now in the works, sources said it does not include the proposal for providing such investigation powers or even placing the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) under the institution, as had been sought in Fadnavis’s private Bill. What is now being considered is a much watered-down version when compared to Fadnavis’s private Bill. Sources said the senior bureaucracy was not comfortable with the idea of providing investigation powers to the ombudsman. Retired bureaucrat Satish Tripathi, who had served as the General Administration Department (GAD) secretary, recently submitted his report regarding reforms that could be carried out in the Lokayukta Act.

First Among Equals

Eyebrows are being raised in the corridors of powers on how a select group of retired bureaucrats are lapping up cushy post-retirement sinecures and inquiry committees. The group includes a former Chief Secretary and a former Additional Chief Secretary, who have bagged more than three post-retirement assignments, back to back. A former Bombay High Court judge — who has been nominated as the head of three inquiry panels in three years — is also being spoken in the same measure. All of them are seen as being first among equals.

Caught & Bowled

Self-promotion can often have a negative impact. A serving IAS officer from the state learnt it the hard way. This senior bureaucrat, a Principal Secretary-rank officer, would till recently often brag about his closeness to the Prime Minister, and even throw his weight around Cabinet ministers in the state. But word is that the PM, during one of his recent visits to the state, did not seem overly pleased when he came face to face with the bureaucrat during a function. The fact that all this happened in front of the CM, other senior Maharashtra ministers and bureaucrats hasn’t done the bureaucrat’s reputation any good. He has since been low key.

No Nonsense

Dr Sudhakar Shinde, a 2007-batch IRS officer, is fast earning the reputation of being a no-nonsense bureaucrat. Ever since he took over reins as the Chief Executive Officer of the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, he has been cracking down on errant and non-performing hospitals. But word is that this hasn’t gone down all too well with some ruling party politicians. Sources recount how an influential BJP leader, who is also a trustee in one such hospital that had been pulled up for violations, lobbied for a concession. But Shinde politely refused. A similar attempt by another ruling party politician was also thwarted. Even during his previous stint as the municipal commissioner of Panvel, Shinde had been at constant loggerheads with ruling party leaders and was eventually shifted out prematurely.

One For The Ally

The BJP is all set to become the single largest party in the Legislative Council for the first time since the Devendra Fadnavis government came to power in 2014. Elections to 11 seats in the Upper House later this month will see the ruling party overtake the NCP as the party with the highest representation in the House of Elders. Speculation is that the CM wants to use this as an opportunity for making another attempt to reach out to its bitter ally, the Shiv Sena. With both the Chairman and Deputy Chairman positions up for grabs, sources said Fadnavis may offer the Deputy Chairman’s post to Uddhav Thackeray’s party. Meanwhile, Vijay (Bhai) Girkar, a veteran BJP legislator, is being seen as a frontrunner for the Chairman’s post.

Taking A Stand

Rashtriya Samaj Paksha leader and Maharashtra’s Animal Husbandry Minister Mahadev Jankar showed this past week that he is a consummate politician. He refused to file nomination papers for his re-election to the Legislative Council on BJP ticket, insisting that he would only contest on his party’s symbol. The BJP had announced his name as one of the five BJP candidates and did everything possible to convince Jankar to contest on its symbol. But keen to retain his own identity with the 2019 polls coming, Jankar refused to budge. He has even shown his willingness to give up his ministership if this is not acceptable, but sources said the CM has assured him that his ministership will remain.