OFF THE RECORD review on some of today’s headlines…
- Mantralaya Entry
It is a total mess. People coming from different parts of the city/state are made to stand in the queue and god forbid if they fail to have facial recognition it is horrendous, the waiting time to get it again as the queue is so long. People reading this are advised to use the DigiPravesh App, but make sure you reach the Garden Gate of Mantralaya at least 1 hour prior to your appointment. This is for visitors who are honest and willing to stand the heat and rain in order to get their work done inside Mantralaya. Now, authorities, please explain to me, are you in a mood to tackle the people entering Mantralaya via ‘private’ or ‘government’ cars? A car that has a Mantralaya entry pass, inside the car there are people who don’t even carry ID cards, forget entry passes and they are let in just like that. Have you people devised any plan to track these people? Mind you, dalaal/liaisons and agents working in and out of Mantralaya are entering Mantralaya in these cars. No one is checked who is sitting inside. By the way, these cars are sent by Secretary, MLAs and Ministers to fetch ‘their people’ of interest inside Mantralaya. Dream of Devendra Fadnavis was to find out which person goes where in Mantralaya. But the majority of them are entering in these cars and the officers sitting next to the facial recognition machine are scanning their own ID cards to let these people in…So no use of this system that is not full proof. What needs to be done now? If car passes are issued to the cars that are allowed inside, identification and verification of people sitting inside the car should be mandatory. Also, if cars are entering on busy days like that of Tuesdays and Wednesdays of the week, there shouldn’t be cars parked on either side of the roads that are leading to traffic jams around the garden gate of Mantralaya. Then only there will be a smooth flow of traffic and actual data will flow in as to who goes where. Also, in all of this those who know their way in, will be inside MAntralaya, but the sufferer of this newly introduced system is the common man coming from Gadchiroli, Akola, etc..and those agents/dalaal’s/liaison whom you think will meet the bureaucrat or minister in Mantralaya, you have mistaken. Bunglows of Ministers, 5 star hotel suites, and guest houses are the places.
- Ex-CBI director, Ex-Maharashtra DGP Subodh Kumar Jaiswal…
Heard from someone in the corridors of power that retired veteran bureaucrat Subodh Kumar Jaiswal who served our country as CBI director after his stint as DGP Maharashtra got over, is getting bored sitting at home. It seems Jaiswal is searching for a new posting in Maharashtra these days, one that is for retired babu’s, with the help of his few friends who are ex IPS police commissioners and DGP’s. This will keep him busy and few racketeers who ruled IPS lobby for so many years from 2000’s to 2014 will also get some motivation that ‘Apna Abhi bhi chalta hai’, if Jaiswal is given any posting. I am not against a person like Jaiswal who was known for his non-corrupt background but it was back then…What I know that the role of CM Devendra Fadnavis was extremely crucial in those days when the DGP wanted to become CBI director…but someone close to CM tells me, not much favour was returned back when someone needed small help…Anyway, past is past, I am not against bureaucrats working after retirement, look how Praveen Pardeshi is helpful to the state…the same way even Jaiswal can be helpful, but at what post will he come? Retiring as CBI Director and having served as DGP Maharashtra, any role in any small/big Corporation will be smaller and of no status…
- Devendra Fadnavis sets up the system of Maharashtra
Respect is given to the Ministers and MLAs letters, but everyone knows the final call is that of CM Fadnavis in any file and posting. Even as small as DPDC funds whom to allocate and which contractor to be selected, it is the CMO which controls 60% to 70%…This time Devendra Fadnavis has not given any ‘mandate’ to anyone, so people in reading, those who will tell you I can get this work done, nothing can be believed until the work is done. Also, in transfers and postings department suggestions are generally not ignored by Fadnavis, is what is being told to me. I spent nearly 2 hours in the Chief Minister’s cabin the other day. Everyone is entertained, every letter gets remarked by the CM, every bouquet is received,everyone gets a photo… but finally only on merit the file’s course is decided. Way to go, CM, Maharashtra needed this! Also, Eknath Shinde and DCM Ajit Pawar are treated with utmost respect and yes, DF does not counter their suggestions, manier times…
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
