The runaway success of the Right to Information Act (RTI) has meant that the government is flooded with applications. The Central government alone, it is estimated, receives an average 800,000 applications every year. Not surprisingly, the Central Information Commission (CIC) is reeling under the increasing work load. Currently, chief information commissioner Satyananda Mishra and the five information commissioners are struggling valiantly to keep pace.
Official hai!
Babu-watchers often wondered why, considering the daunting task Mishra and Co face, the government did not appoint more eminent persons as information commissioners so lessen the burden of the existing commissioners. Finally, it seems the government has given the go-ahead for appointing five more information commissioners to assist the panel. The delay is strange, say sources, since the RTI Act clearly provides for up to 10 information commissioners.
Street lingo as officialese? Hinglish may be how most of us communicate, but for decades the government insisted on the use of “shudh” Hindi or English by its babus. Now Hinglish has gone “sarkari”, with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) finally giving the nod to babus to use a convenient mix of Hindi and English to make their official communications more engaging.
According to the rather comprehensive new guidelines issued by Veena Upadhyay, secretary, department of official language in the Home Ministry, babus are now permitted the use of simple Hindi words and English alternatives rather than search for translations of difficult Hindi terms. The current emphasis is on simplicity, regardless of the language used. While purists undoubtedly are cringing at this assault on the Language Pure, babus hopefully should find their lives getting easier.
Not enough babus
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is preoccupied these days, and it’s with more than just the Maoists. Though when she moved from Rail Bhawan in the capital to Writers Building, Didi brought along a band of trusted babus, the state faces a significant shortage of IAS officers. According to sources, of the allotted 314 IAS officers, West Bengal currently has only 214 officers. Not surprisingly many officials are juggling responsibilities.
The paucity of IAS officers has held up several key schemes and projects of the Trinamool government, including the bifurcation of several districts. The state government has now written to the Centre to requisition more IAS officers. Currently, 42 state cadre babus are posted outside and Mamata is seeking their return. She has also debarred Bengal babus to opt for Central deputation. Among those whose requests were turned down are principal secretary for environment R.P.S. Kahlon and labour secretary Dilip Rath.
