Mumbai, Jan 9 (TOI): NCP President Sharad Pawar lost his temper when a Nashik-based NCP worker was caught by the police for printing fake currency notes. Pawar felt that people involved in fake currency notes should be dealt with an iron hand. In fact, he said they should be hanged. It all began immediately after Devendra Fadnavis took over the reins in October 2014. In December 2014, Fadnavis granted permission to the anti-corruption bureau to conduct an open inquiry against Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal. ACB has registered offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code, but so far, it has not named Ajit Pawar or Tatkare. However, an offence was registered against Bhujbal for his dubious role in the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in New-Delhi. He was arrested by the enforcement directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Bhujbal and his nephew Samir are in judicial custody, former Lok Sabha member Devidas Pingle too has been arrested by the anti-corruption bureau in a Rs 57 lakh case. It was learnt that Pingle was involved in the land scam too. Even as Pingle's case was fresh, a high profile NCP worker was detained for possessing huge cash after demonetisation. It was found that the NCP activist was printing fake notes at his residence. It happened a few days before Pawar's public rally in Nashik. He took a serious note of this and made critical observations. It seems peace is eluding Pawar.

NCP man’s fake note racket leaves Sharad Pawar red-facedNCP President Sharad Pawar lost his temper when a Nashik-based NCP worker was caught by the police for printing fake currency notes. Pawar felt that people involved in fake currency notes should be dealt with an iron hand. In fact, he said they should be hanged. It all began immediately after Devendra Fadnavis took over the reins in October 2014. In December 2014, Fadnavis granted permission to the anti-corruption bureau to conduct an open inquiry against Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal. ACB has registered offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code, but so far, it has not named Ajit Pawar or Tatkare. However, an offence was registered against Bhujbal for his dubious role in the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in New-Delhi. He was arrested by the enforcement directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Bhujbal and his nephew Samir are in judicial custody, former Lok Sabha member Devidas Pingle too has been arrested by the anti-corruption bureau in a Rs 57 lakh case. It was learnt that Pingle was involved in the land scam too. Even as Pingle's case was fresh, a high profile NCP worker was detained for possessing huge cash after demonetisation. It was found that the NCP activist was printing fake notes at his residence. It happened a few days before Pawar's public rally in Nashik. He took a serious note of this and made critical observations. It seems peace is eluding Pawar.

For the first time in the recent history of bureaucracy, doctors-turned-bureaucrats have been posted in the public health department. Additional chief secretary Vijay Satbir Singh, a physician, will now head the public health department, while a paediatrician, Pradeep Vyas has been appointed as the state health commissioner. Singh, an IAS officer of the 1984 batch, was the student of the Government Medical College, Amritsar (Punjab). He did his graduation in 1980 and was a house officer for a year. Vyas did his MBBS and MD (paediatric medicine) from SMS medical college, Jaipur, Rajasthan. Even if IAS officers are highly qualified and knowledgeable, it takes a while for a non-medical person to understand the working of the health care department before he actually starts discharging his duties. So, for an IAS officers in the public health department, the first year was utilised in understanding the basic health care system and new trends and by the time he is trained, it's time for his routine transfer. If a medical professional is posted, he is on the job from his first day in the office. The irrigation and public works departments were headed by technocrats, but the trend was reversed by chief minister Fadnavis and bureaucrats are back to lead the two departments. Says a former chief secretary, in an era of super specialisation, Fadnavis must take a fresh look at his posting and transfer policy for providing a result oriented administration.

Retirement plan
Several retired and serving bureaucrats and IPS officials have missed the bus, following the appointment of new information commissioners. A three-member committee, headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, has approved the appointment of retired IPS officer K L Bishnoi, former bureaucrat Sambhaji Sarkunde and veteran journalist Dilip Dharulkar as information commissioners. A few high ranking bureaucrats due for retirement in near future are waiting for expiry of term of chief information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad, whose five year term comes to an end on May 31. In fact, a section of veteran bureaucrats did suggest to Gaikwad to quit to accommodate a high profile bureaucrat. If a senior bureaucrat is to be believed, then more than a dozen retired bureaucrats and IPS officers are knocking at the doors of Fadnavis for rehabilitation and that too in Mumbai so that they could retain the South-Mumbai posh accommodation and swanky car, along with a huge team of Class III and IV staff. For a prolonged period, there was massive lobbying for State Electricity Regulatory Commission post, but now there is no scope, since a policy decision has been taken to appoint a retired high court judge to head the commission. All those looking for post-retirement assignment, will have to wait longer.