There are two
important awards functions in Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi, every year. The first is
the SCOPE Awards on the occasion of Public Sector Day on April 11. Second, the
Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration on Civil
Services Day on April 21. The SCOPE Awards are presided over by the President
of India and the PM’s Award is presented by the Prime Minister of India. The
Ministry of Heavy Industry and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances administer the awards, respectively. Both the functions this year
were botched up and there was utter chaos. In the SCOPE Awards, officials did
not know the sitting arrangement. It was free for all. The cool-headed Home
Minister Rajnath Singh was the Chief Guest on the first day. Miffed at a
12-minute delay in starting the function, Singh used the opportunity to chide
bureaucrats on their lack of punctuality and even asked them to introspect on
whether the delay was due to a “laxity of commitment”. The gathering of senior
IAS and IPS officers, including Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and Additional
Principal Secretary to PM PK Mishra, were stunned to hear the plain talk of
Home Minister. Secretary DAPRG C Viswanath , who was managing the function, was
clearly embarrassed before senior officers. Media persons were the biggest
victim in both the functions as they did not receive any press material.
Earmarked media seats in both functions were occupied by senior officers. Some
very senior journalists were seen sitting on the aisles. In the PM Awards
function managed by ITDC, none of the attendees had any clue who are the
awardees. The printed awards booklet was being offloaded from the truck after
the function was over.
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