Praise for Naveen

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has earned brownie points by extending his government's help for a surgery to separate Jaga and Balia, the conjoined twins from Kandhamal. This has become something of a cause to celebrate in the state. Naveen, who has agreed to bear the entire cost of the complicated surgery, put his thoughts on the issue on his Facebook page. “I join the people of Odisha in prayers for success of surgery & new life for the conjoined twins fondly being called Jaga-Balia. May Lord Jagannath bless them,” he wrote, drawing praise from fans and followers. “We follow with you & pray for the successful operation. It is our CM who has done all the best possible for the operation. Leader with difference, Naveenbabu is the best!” was a comment from one of them.

Clash of egos

If sources are to be believed, the draft bill to protect the interest of sharecroppers is being held hostage by a clash of egos between some senior members of the inter-ministerial committee headed by revenue minister Maheshwar Mohanty. The differences between two senior-most members of the panel, agriculture minister Damodar Rout and co-operation minister Surya Narayan Patro, have reportedly become intractable over the ticklish issue of ensuring landowners' rights on land, while empowering sharecroppers. “Efforts are on to make them climb down from their respective stands and meet each other halfway so that the draft is ready in time,” said a source.

Kind gesture

In a touching gesture, former minister and Athgarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain aka Raja rushed to the village of an ailing supporter in his constituency after getting a text that he wanted to see him one last time. Giving details of the incident on his Facebook page, the MLA said he received a message on his cell phone from Rahasa Hembram of Musuliya village saying that the man had been his follower for a long time. Hembram, who said he was severely ill and bedridden, expressed the desire to meet the legislator once before death claimed him. “After this message, I rushed to my constituent's village Musulia of Radhakrushnapur panchayat. After assuring his wife everything will be taken care of immediately took him to SCB medical, Cuttack for his treatment. May Kalia Thakura help his speedy recovery,”Swain wrote on Facebook.

Officer awaits

High-profile IAS officer Anu Garg has returned to the state from central deputation, but awaits posting. That may come as a bit of a surprise to those aware of the credentials of the 1991-batch officer, who had a fruitful stint in the PMO.

Considered something of an expert on public heath, she was the state health secretary before moving to Delhi on central deputation. Her stint as health secretary saw the department take some crucial decisions to improve health services, especially in the state's remote, tribal-dominated areas, by curbing absenteeism among doctors. Ever since the problem of truancy among doctors serving in the districts has become much more manageable.

Talking point

More than the sudden replacement of K.B. Singh with R.P. Sharma as the director general of police last
Wednesday, the appointment of special DG, crime branch, B.K. Sharma as director-general, prisons, has become
the talking point in the state’s political and bureaucratic circles.

While most people are still trying to figure out the reasons why Sharma was moved from crime branch where he was doing a wonderful job, sources said he is the first director-general, prisons, in the state and would be reporting directly to the home secretary.

Given Sharma’s track record, the state’s prison system should soon undergo reforms and look better than
before.

Pragmatic leader

Though it is reasonable to assume that most BJP leaders in the state do not share party president Amit Shah’s optimism about winning 120 of the 147 Assembly seats in 2019 given the party's weak organisational base in several areas, few would dare say so publicly. Union tribal affairs minister and Sundargarh MP Jual Oram, however, is an exception. If reports in a section of the local media are to be believed, speaking at the extended executive meeting of the BJP Panposh organisational district last month, Oram, known for his practical approach to politics, candidly admitted that Shah's calculations had stumped even party workers.

Ashutosh Mishra