Third eye: Officers await top posts, Rafale up close, and investor no-shows

Officers Await Top Posts: Speculation is rife in bureaucratic circles over the next wave of secretary-level appointments across key ministries, from labour to culture. With 37 IAS officers recently empanelled-27 from the 1994 batch alone-the wait is on to see who lands where. Adding to the anticipation, the PMO itself is poised for a shake-up, with some senior officials in line for elevation

Rafale Up Close, Demo for Panel: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, led by BJP’s Radha Mohan Singh, will visit Hindon air base on April 12 for an exclusive Rafale fighter jet showcase. Committee members will receive a detailed briefing and live demonstration from the Indian Air Force. The Rafale deal was a major controversy during NDA-I, with the opposition raising pricing concerns ahead of the 2019 elections—claims that were dismissed by the courts. The upcoming visit has sparked curiosity among panel members eager to understand the aircraft’s capabilities.

Investor No-Shows: Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, at the Rising Rajasthan Impact program, criticised investors who signed MoUs but are now unresponsive to government follow-ups. He warned that the state will track such investors and publish a list of defaulters who fail to honour their commitments.