In a lighter vein
Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan showered lavish praises on the Telangana government for its effective policies to supply round-the-clock, uninterrupted power to all sections.
Speaking at a meeting to give away energy conservation awards, she lauded the State for standing first in energy conservation and second in the quantum of solar power being generated here. In the process, the Governor shared her experience with power cuts in a lighter vein.
A doctor by profession, she recalled her visit to a hospital where a normal delivery took place, but the newborn was yet to cry.
Puzzled, she enquired with the nurse, whose reply was: “Because there is darkness around, the baby is unsure whether it has come out,” she said evoking laughter and applause from the gathering.
Spicy politics
One never knows when the time and tide changes in politics as is happening in case of Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind. Months before the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, he owned up the cause of turmeric farmers of combined Nizamabad district who had already taken to the streets demanding setting up of a turmeric board to ensure remunerative price. This was at a time when there was a drastic drop in open market price of the crop, considered one of the key ingredients of Indian cooking.
The impact of turmeric crop was so much that the farmers cultivating the crop ensured victory of Mr. Arvind and defeat of K. Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, after the latter failed to keep her promise of getting the turmeric board established in Nizamabad. Now, the same issue has come to haunt Mr. Arvind as a section of farmers has taken to streets to step up pressure on the MP reminding him that he too has reneged on the promise. “It’s just getting spicy for Mr. Arvind after it turned bitter for Ms. Kavitha,” a ruling party leader quipped.
Promotions sans hike
The State government on Saturday promoted five engineers for their role in successful execution of Kaleshwaram lift-irrigation project but issued orders with too many riders that almost diluted their joy.
First, the orders said they will not get pay hike and that they were being promoted outside of the purview of Telangana Subordinate Service Rules. They will only function as in-charges in the new posts and continue to draw their old pay.
The orders were also explicit that the promotions were purely temporary and the directions of Supreme Court and High Court in pending cases related to these posts will be binding on them. Lastly, the government said it reserved to itself the right to withdraw the promotion of officials at any stage. They will not be entitled to retirement benefits if they retired as in-charges in the new posts.
The officials will not have any say in the matter!
Slip ’twixt cup and lip
Lakhs of first-time voters are expected to miss the bus to exercise their franchise in the upcoming municipal elections if they are held in January-February.
Since the State Election Commission has resolved to go ahead with elections with voter lists as on January 1, 2019, it is likely that youths who attained the age of 18 after that date will not get a chance to elect their leaders.
This is because the Election Commission of India has announced that it will publish its next voter list only on February 7 by when the municipal elections are likely to be over.
The gap of 38 days has made such a big difference to them!
(M. Rajeev, B. Chandrashekhar and N. Rahul)
