Will V D Sharma succeed Pradhan as Education Minister?
The name of V D Sharma, an MP from Khajuraho, is being speculated as successor to Dharmendra Pradhan if the latter is appointed new BJP Chief. Sharma is also having an RSS background apart from being an active Member of ABVP a la Dharmendra Pradhan. Sharma’s press conference on education adds more fuel to this speculation.
Retaining control of Delhi vital for Kejriwal
The upcoming Delhi elections are shaping up to be a critical test for Arvind Kejriwal. For the AAP, retaining control of the capital is vital, while the BJP and Congress see this as an opportunity to reclaim political ground. In a strategic move, the Congress has fielded Sandeep Dikshit, son of former CM Sheila Dikshit, against Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency. Recognizing the importance of women voters, AAP recently launched the Mahila Samman Yojana to consolidate its support among this crucial demographic. Women have emerged as decisive voters in recent elections. In Delhi, women have consistently backed AAP in the past two elections, but AAP’s cash scheme for women has perhaps come too late as elections are only two months away.
BUREAUCRACY
IAS Dibya Jyoti Parida’s Vision: Free Ultrasounds for Every Pregnant Woman in Ganjam,Odisha
IAS Dibya Jyoti Parida belongs to 2016 batch Odisha cadre and is currently posted as Collector of Ganjam district, Odisha.
His Vision for the district focuses on strengthening healthcare facilities for pregnant women, enabling early identification of complications and ultimately reducing maternal and child mortality rates “Providing good diagnostic services, especially to pregnant mothers in rural settings, is essential. Many of them lack access to proper healthcare. One crucial service is ultrasound. If a pregnant woman doesn’t undergo at least three ultrasounds, it becomes difficult to detect problems faced by the baby or the mother. Unfortunately, these issues are often discovered,when it’s too late or complications arise, sometimes resulting in deaths,” he explained.
Under Parida’s leadership an initiative named ‘Nirakshan’ was launched, providing free ultrasound services to all pregnant women. “In my district, all pregnant women are now receiving free ultrasound services, and if required, up to 2-3 scans. This has significantly increased our identification of high-risk mothers, enabling us to make informed decisions, such as recommending cesarean deliveries or ensuring greater surveillance for such high-risk cases,” he shared
To ensure accessibility and overcome the challenges posed by the lack of medical infrastructure, the administration has partnered with private diagnostics centers. Additionally, the entire process has been automated and streamlined through a dedicated app. “Once a pregnant woman is identified, doctors send recommendations directly to the nearest ultrasound center via the app. These recommendations are then forwarded to the nearest ultrasound center, where the mother avails the facility. The centers then raise tickets through the app, and we remunerate them accordingly. This process is hassle-free and reduces corruption significantly,” Parida explained.
This initiative has reduced the pressure on public healthcare systems and detection of high-risk pregnancies has increased “Through this initiative, we have been able to get this part right. Now, every woman born in this district, including those in tribal and remote areas, can benefit from these services. Our vision for the district is to provide quality healthcare to women traditionally deprived of such services due to inadequate infrastructure and limited exposure,” he said.
Around one dozen IPS officers under suspension
Around one dozen officers of Indian Police Service (IPS) of various cadres and batches are under suspension in the country.
For first time a lateral entry officer to be on PSU board
For the first time, a lateral entry officer who was appointed as Joint Secretary in Government of India has been selected for the post of Director (Marketing & Corporate Planning), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC). Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Coop & FW, has been selected among 11 candidates at a PESB meeting.
Rama Mohan Rao Amara appointed MD, SBI
Rama Mohan Rao Amara has been appointed as Managing Director of State Bank of India.
Additional charge of CEO, PPA to Atul Jain extended
The additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), Hyderabad to Atul Jain, Chairman, KRMB, has been extended for a further period of six months.
Sanjiv Kumar Singh selected as CMD, HCL
Sanjiv Kumar Singh, Director (Mining), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), has been selected for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on December 18, 2024. As many as seven persons were interviewed for the same.
(We said this on Dec 14)
M Arunmozhi Devan in race for Director (E, R&D), BHEL
M Arunmozhi Devan, ED, BHEL, is in the race for the post of Director (Engineering, Research & Development), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). A vacancy of this post is arising on January 1, 2025 with the expiring term of incumbent Jai Prakash Srivastava on December 31, 2024.
Geeta Sharma in race for CMD, HLL Lifecare
Geeta Sharma, GM SAIL, is in the race for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, HLL Lifecare.
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