Harder look at big consultants
From SFIO assignments to women’s safety frameworks, Big Four firms are now deeply involved in government work. They draft policy papers, design tenders, manage bids, and sometimes oversee implementation. In several cases, they act like end-to-end operators while the official machinery only signs approvals and clears payments worth thousands of crores. Insiders say this outsourcing wave has blurred accountability lines. Core state functions are becoming consultant-driven. This raises questions about institutional capacity. The Cabinet Secretariat is reportedly now reviewing this dependence. The concern is not only financial but also structural, as accountability and administrative responsibility remain under question here.
Bihar to take lead on women’s quota?
Amid the BJP’s efforts to build consensus around parliamentary amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, there appears to be some curious political signalling underway. One line of speculation suggests that the party could set an early example in a state such as Bihar, where women’s reservation at the panchayat level has been in place for years under the NDA framework. In this context, there is some chatter that projecting a woman leader as a potential chief ministerial face could serve as a symbolic demonstration of intent ahead of the special three-day Parliament session scheduled from April 16. However, within party circles, this is still being discussed more as a possibility than a settled plan.
Briefcases have their budgets, too
CPWD has decided how much officers can spend on official briefcases, bags, and even ladies’ purses from public coffers. It sounds routine, but it has sparked a ripple of amusement. According to an official note, the Director General (D-G) can go up to 10,000 plus GST for an attaché case or bag. The lower ranks have more modest limits, ranging from 5,000 to 3,500. The ADG and DDG level officers are entitled to 8,000 and 6,500, respectively. The brands and retailers are left to the officers’ choices. But the bills must bear the shop or company’s valid name and address, and the shop or company must have a valid GST for reimbursement claims. The indulgence is permitted just once every three years, the note states.
Diplomacy rush expected in May
March and April felt like a nonstop sprint on the diplomacy front in the country due to the West Asia war. Can’t expect a quieter May either. There’s talk of PM Modi possibly heading to Kenya for a France-Africa summit, with ‘friend’ Emmanuel Macron extending the invite. At home, India is preparing to host BRICS meetings, with Marco Rubio confirming a visit in May. The Quad foreign ministers’ meeting is another gathering. Though not yet announced, a likely visit to Norway and a broader European tour by Modi are again on the cards. Then, the India-Africa summit by late May and a possible Big Cat Alliance meet, too. Diplomacy has no downtime.
What’s Raghav Chadha up to?
AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha is seen going through a political transition after being removed as Deputy Leader in the Upper House. Interestingly, his political acumen and focus on public issues are increasingly discussed in BJP circles more than within his own party. Senior BJP leaders have praised his oratory and people-centric concerns, suggesting these align better with their approach. A BJP leader said he raises genuine public issues which “would find a more natural home in a party like ours”. Chadha has not indicated joining the BJP but is reportedly weighing options. Speculation suggests he may consider forming a new political outfit. His cryptic posts, including “silenced, not defeated,” and reduced criticism of BJP, have fuelled debate.