The Central government has discharged controversial IAS officer Puja Khedkar with immediate effect. This decision comes after a series of controversies surrounding her conduct and performance.
Results for: Central Government
Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George’s request to travel to Kuwait to assist injured Keralites in the recent fire that claimed 49 lives, including 23 from the state, was allegedly denied by the Centre. This has drawn criticism from the opposition, who have labeled the Centre’s decision as ‘most unfortunate.’ George expressed disappointment, stating that the state government had forwarded a request to the Centre for political clearance, but it was not granted despite their last-minute hopes. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the Centre’s move but avoided politicizing the issue during this time of grief. The Congress, the opposition party in the state, strongly condemned the decision, emphasizing the missed opportunity for coordination with local Malayali expatriate organizations. However, BJP leader and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, defended the Centre’s stance, highlighting the efforts made by the Government of India to safeguard the interests of Indian citizens abroad.
A major shakeup in the Indian bureaucracy is expected as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal United (JDU) emerge as key players in government formation. Bureaucrats from Andhra Pradesh and Bihar cadres may receive prominent postings, reflecting the influence of these parties in the new alliance government. This follows a common practice where ruling party leaders often bring along trusted officers who have served closely with them.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to transfer a dividend to the Central government in FY25 that is in the same range or slightly more than the last fiscal (FY24). The Centre is also expected to receive a higher dividend from public sector banks (PSBs) in FY2025, as their profits have increased in FY24 compared to the previous year. PSBs reported profits of over 98,000 crore in the first three quarters of FY2024, which are likely to exceed 1.3 trillion by the end of the fiscal year. The dividend from the RBI is usually released to the Centre in May. During FY24, the government had pegged a 17% higher dividend at 48,000 crore from the RBI, PSBs, and financial institutions. However, this target was surpassed with the transfer of 87,416 crore as surplus to the Central government for FY2023 by the RBI, which was paid in May 2023 and accounted for in FY2024 by the government. The dividend payout from PSBs for FY24 has been around 15,000 crore.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed gratitude towards the Supreme Court after the Central government assured swift action on the state’s drought relief plea. The Centre informed the apex court that it would resolve the matter related to financial assistance within a week, by April 29th.