The all-important Prime Minister?s Economic Advisory Council, which also goes by the shortened EAC, is troubled by various contentious proposals that are sent to it, Eavesdropper hears. For instance, all disputes (tax-offs for SEZs was just the start) between P Chidambaram?s finance ministry and Kamal Nath?s commerce & industry ministry are referred to it. The joke in official circles is that the EAC should be renamed Economic Arbitration Council.
Life analysis
Ever since the CPM raised a red flag over the Indo-US nuclear deal in 2006, the longevity of the UPA government has been a matter of off-and-on speculation in New Delhi, what with every single move, every half utterance, every slip-of-the-tongue being dissected for electoral impact. But what do sarkari circles themselves think? Now, that?s a tough one, since there is always decorum to be maintained. Judge from the following, though. An officer recently posted with a minister opted not to move into government accommodation. ?I realised my tenure would be over in a year, when the government goes out of power,? he reasoned, ?What?s the point then?? At another ministry, Eavesdropper overheard a discussion on the pros and cons of renovating the minister?s chambers. ?Next year,? said an official, ?the new minister may want a different ambience. What?s the point spending so much money now??
Aam?s length
At a corporate do for Slice, a mango drink, a visitor proclaimed a will to go down on his knees just to hear brand ambassador Katrina Kaif explain her choice in Hindi. The UK brought-up actor seemed vaguely embarrassed. But not very. It was just a verbal thing, after all. At least the brand didn?t have a haystack-search demonstration to make for the audience, as it does in its ?truck? TV commercial.