Dilip Cherian | Kerala keeps it all in the family: Wife replaces husband as CS

Couple goals. Kerala’s power couple just made history in the most unexpected way! Dr V. Venu, the outgoing chief secretary, handed over the reins to his wife, Sarada Murlidharan, in a formal ceremony at the Thiruvananthapuram secretariat. Yes, you read that right — one chief secretary passing the baton to their spouse! It’s a scene straight out of a family drama but with a bureaucratic twist.

Both Venu and Sarada belong to the IAS batch of 1990, making them true partners in both life and service. Venu, being a few months older, has always had that slight seniority edge, now it’s Sarada’s turn to take the top spot in the state’s bureaucracy. And it’s not just a matter of protocol — this moment is one for the history books.

Kerala is no stranger to dynamic husband-wife duos in government, but this is the first time a chief secretary has handed over the reins to their “better half”. It’s as if the state’s top job was always meant to stay in the family. As Sarada steps into her new role, the couple’s joint legacy is sure to be a topic of conversation, not just in bureaucratic circles but across dinner tables too.

One can only imagine the banter at home — Venu reminding Sarada that he warmed the seat for her, and Sarada playfully pointing out that she’ll now have the final say both in office and at home!

Rajasthan babus to spearhead mission for global investment

In the lead-up to the “Rising Rajasthan” global investment summit, scheduled for December 9-11 in Jaipur, a team of IAS officers is gearing up for a major cross-country and international mission. Their task is to attract investment and put Rajasthan on the global business map. This delegation will visit over 25 countries to connect with potential investors and build long-term relationships.

Sources have informed DKB that this will not be just doing a meet-and-greet — the babus are expected to engage with representatives from foreign and domestic companies regularly. Their role, in many ways, mirrors that of diplomats, focusing on key regions like China, Japan, Russia, and the US, but with one big difference: they’re coordinating all this from Rajasthan. The idea is to create a network that can funnel investment straight into Rajasthan’s lap,

Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma is aiming big. The government’s target is to double Rajasthan’s GDP from $184 billion to a whopping $350 billion over the next five years. It’s an ambitious goal, and that’s precisely why they’re pulling out all the stops with this investment summit. It’s a different strategy from Tamil Nadu, where chief minister M.K. Stalin recently donned a business suit and travelled to the US to meet Silicon Valley honchos to sell the state as an attractive investment destination.

Mr Sharma is banking on the Rising Rajasthan Summit to be the catalyst for this growth spurt. Will this strategy pay off? Only time will tell, but it’s clear that the state is positioning itself as a serious economic player.

Puja Khedkar: Why this UPSC case isn’t over yet

The Puja Khedkar case might have slipped off the front pages, but it’s far from over. In fact, it’s getting even more intriguing. You’d think she’d be keeping a low profile given the circumstances, but no — Puja Khedkar is coming out swinging.

For those who need a refresher, Ms Khedkar, a former IAS officer, had her candidature canceled by the UPSC over some pretty serious allegations of exam fraud. But she’s not backing down. She’s told the Delhi high court that the UPSC had no business cancelling her candidature in the first place. According to her, once she was selected for the civil services and appointed as a probationer, the only ones who could touch her were the folks over at the department of personnel and training (DoPT). She’s leaning on Rule 19 of the CSE 2022 to make her case, arguing that the UPSC simply overstepped its authority.

Let’s not forget, though, why she’s in this mess. The UPSC found her guilty of faking her identity and misusing her powers. They didn’t just cancel her candidature — they banned her from all future exams and even filed an FIR against her. Yet, despite all this, Ms Khedkar recently managed to secure anticipatory bail and is now challenging the UPSC’s decision in court.

The plot thickens with UPSC’s latest move. It has argued that Ms Khedkar’s custodial interrogation is essential to uncover the full extent of the fraud, suggesting that she may not have acted alone. It’s a legal drama that just keeps unfolding.