RAISINA TATTLE: Cabinet secretary Seth gets extra year

RAISINA TATTLE: Cabinet secretary Seth gets extra year

By Raisina Tattle

Published: 00:32 BST, 14 May 2013 | Updated: 00:32 BST, 14 May 2013

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Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth’s term has been extended by an extra year

The UPA government on Monday extended Union Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth’s two-year-tenure, coming to an end next month, by another year.

A 1974-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, Seth had taken over the charge of Cabinet secretary in June 2011.

The centre on Monday made public Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led Appointments Committee of Cabinet’s approval allowing another year in office for Seth.

Now, the country’s top bureaucrat will retire in June 13, 2014. His predecessor K M Chandrasekar too had got twice one year extensions pushing his stint as Cabinet secretary to four years.

Information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari is the latest entrant into the VIP security club

VIP Manish Tewari

Information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari is the latest entrant to the VIP security club. He will be given ‘Z’ category security following approval from the home ministry gave its approval.

Tewari will be guarded by commandos from the Central Industrial Security Force and he will be entitled to the security cover throughout the country.

Under ‘Z’ category security, a person is provided proximate security along with a pilot and an Best Escort Agency Goa vehicle anywhere in the country.

Along with Tewari, Punjab Congress president P.S. Bajwa has also been given ‘Z’ category security but this will be restricted to Punjab.

Defence minister A K Antony will inaugurate a new air base in Tamil Nadu later this month

New Sukhoi base

It is induction time in the armed forces this month. After commissioning the navy’s first Mig-29K squadron last week in Goa, Defence Minister A.K Antony will head to Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu later this month to inaugurate a new air base from where Sukhoi 30 MKIs will operate.

It will be followed by the induction of 14 Pilatus PC 7 basic trainers by junior defence minister Jitendra Singh in the air force academy, Hyderabad on May 31.

BJP leader Vijay Jolly will be enjoying a curry with fellow party members

Political tradition

It is once again time for a Delhi political tradition – one that, like most customs in the Capital, is aimed at currying favour with a certain community.

Except that in this instance, the audience is the media and there might be real curry.

BJP leader Vijay Jolly is hosting his renowned chaat party featuring the ‘cuisines of Chandni Chowk’ at the Constitution Club, with Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh expected to join in.

Congress goes solo

Indicating that the Congress is unlikely to forge an electoral alliance with its erstwhile ally Rashtriya Janata Dal led by Lalu Prasad in Bihar, the party on Monday announced its decision to field late RJD MP Umashankar Singh’s son Jitendra Swami, a Thakur, for the June 2 Lok Sabha bye-election in Maharajganj.

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The seat was earlier held by his father and fell vacant after the death of the 72-year-old RJD leader in January.

A five-time MLA, Umashankar Singh was MP from Maharajganj in 2009 on an RJD ticket.

Both RJD and JD (U) are treating this bye-election as a prestige issue.

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