Cabinet ministers’ tweets usually focus on serious policy issues, but last week the twitterati noticed the banter on fitness. On April 19, home ministry’s Kiren Rijiju put up a video of MOS of Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore sweating it out in the gym with a tweet: “While doing duty we’ve no time for physical fitness. But my Olympian friend @Ra_THORe manages time and gives me a tough challenge.” Rijiju followed it up with his own exercise video on Thursday and tweeted: “Young friends stay away from drugs, be fit. Let’s build @narendramodi ji’s #NewIndia dream. I took out 30 minutes from work to respond to @Ra_ThORe.”

While the two were bonding over their fitness regimes, Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu joined in: “Getting intimidated by the huge commitment of @Ra_THORe and @ KirenRijiju for fitness and rigorous regime they follow. Wish one could do bit like them.”

Loosen purse strings

Racing against time to successfully launch GST from July 1, the Government is not sparing any expense to ensure that taxpayers are ready for the new regime. The Central Board of Excise and Customs has now asked all budgetary authorities to use ₹1 crore from budgeted funds for 2017-18 to spend on outreach programmes on GST in each zone. In an internal missive, the CBEC has also promised additional funds for outreach programmes, which can be sanctioned in the supplementary demand for grants.

No lobbying for transfers

The income tax department is not pleased with frequent lobbying for postings and promotions by its officers. In a sternly worded letter, the Central Board of Direct Taxes has said that IRS officials should not visit North Block and the offices of the chairman and board members to request transfers and postings. “Personal visits to CBDT in this connection must be avoided,” it stressed, adding that such requests should be only made online.

Pradhan plainspeak

Petroleum retail is one business where everything is done in the name of the consumer. Successive governments have artificially controlled the retail price on the grounds that they were “cushioning the consumers from the volatility in international prices”. That changed during this regime, and today the price revisions, though frequent, have a marginal impact on consumers’ pockets.

So, when the news broke about a section of petrol pump owners wanting to close their outlets on Sundays, Dharmendra Pradhan, minister of state (independent charge) for petroleum & natural gas, minced no words. He clearly stated that his ministry neither approves of nor endorses this move. Whether dealers have got the message remains to be seen.

Leave Taj out of politics, please!

A surprise clarification from the ministry of culture on Sunday said that the ASI has not imposed any restrictions on colour or religious designs or inscriptions on the scarf or dress of visitors coming to see the Taj Mahal. This was in response to a news item that women tourists were allowed entry into the Taj Mahal only after they removed the saffron scarves inscribed with Ram naam .

It said that the Government had received reports from the CISF and ASI in this connection. And according to reports no such action has been taken either by any CISF personnel or by any employee of the ASI. Besides, there is no such provision in the rules nor has the ASI issued any such circular. The statement further said: “Commandant CISF, Taj Mahal unit has informed that from the security angle, cigarettes, lighters, chewing gums, chocolates, etc were got deposited in the cloak room but no scarf was sought to be removed.”

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