Delhi Confidential: Work As Usual

IN A departure from the norm, newly-appointed Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav turned up to work on Sunday at the ministry headquarters, Indira Paryavaran Bhavan. Yadav has already said he will start work as soon as he is briefed on the ministry’s work by all officials, and with the monsoon session of Parliament coming up, he isn’t wasting any time. It was a normal working day at the ministry, with staff of most departments, including senior officials, turning up for work. Those who were not briefing the new minister on Sunday, were working on presentations which will be made to the minister on different environmental issues over the next few days.

Voice of Support

MEETING THE newly elected panchayat members in his erstwhile constituency Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday addressed the issue of the state’s proposed two-child policy. Hitting out at the Opposition, Naqvi said the issue was being given a communal colour, which is neither in the interest of the country or society. Calling population control the “need of the hour”, Naqvi said it was “heartening” to see it being kicked off in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state. Naqvi said that those who are linking the population control mission to a particular religion show a “distorted mentality and communal thinking”, and are against inclusive development.

No Flab, Please

NEW CBI Director Subodh Jaiswal appears to be not just a stickler for rules, but also for fitness. In a recent visit to the CBI Academy, when Jaiswal found some inspector-level agency officials with a paunch, he admonished them and increased their training period to accommodate time for regaining fitness. Earlier, while taking charge, Jaiswal had refused to remove his mask for photographs, saying it would not be Covid-appropriate behaviour.