PC In Action
NOBODY has any doubts that PC means business. The Micro management Expert that he is, Palaniappan Chidambaram, has started serious work in the Finance Ministry. On his first day in office, he is understood to have asked for a list of the names of all officers, their telephone numbers and areas of work. He has no qualms of dealing with even junior officers, unlike his illustrious predecessor who would not deal with officers lower than the Chairmen of the Boards.
Yesterday he is understood to have taken an exclusive meeting with the Members of the CBDT. Today he is scheduled to meet the Members of the CBEC. It is clear that he wants two working Boards and he is not interested in their internal squabbles.
PC does not really inherit many top babus from his predecessor as two Secretaries and two Board Chairmen have retired and the most powerful lady in the Finance Ministry has moved with her boss to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Most probably, PC will have a new Finance/Revenue Secretary. The Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu has also left North Block to take up his teaching assignment in Cornell University.
PC can start with a brand new team. Let us hope he gets results.