Shehzad Poonawalla to be promoted within BJP soon?
Shehzad Poonawal, a prominent political commentator and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), appears to be gaining increasing prominence within the party ranks. His heightened presence across media platforms, both in television debates and social media outreach, suggests that he is being positioned for a more influential role. Poonawalla’s articulate defense of party policies, sharp debating skills, and ability to connect with urban and youth audiences have made him a visible face of the BJP’s media strategy. In recent months, his frequent appearances alongside senior leaders and participation in key campaigns have further fueled speculation about his elevation. Political observers see this as part of the BJP’s broader effort to promote younger, media-savvy leaders who can strengthen the party’s communication and outreach. If current trends continue, Poonawalla could soon hold a higher strategic or organizational position within the party’s national framework.
BUREAUCRACY
How IAS Akshay Agrawal Is Transforming Odisha’s Forgotten Villages in Nayagarh through ‘Mission Antyodaya’
IAS Akshay Sunil Agrawal, a 2019-batch officer of the Odisha cadre and currently the District Magistrate of Nayagarh encountered a stark reality during field visits earlier this year. Despite the district’s steady development indicators, remote habitations remained cut off from basic services lacking roads, electricity, schools, safe drinking water and social security coverage. “The gaps were stark and demanded not just infrastructure, but respect and visibility for communities long left out of the development story” he shared.
To address this, ‘Mission Antyodaya’ was launched to reach the last mile by prioritising the most underserved villages. Rooted in the Antyodaya philosophy, the initiative follows a bottom-up, data-driven approach- mapping gaps across education, housing, power, water, connectivity and livelihoods.
Zeroing in on the Most Neglected: One early focus was village called Nepal, deep inside a protected forest and nearly 10 km from the nearest motorable road. Families there lacked grid power, a school, potable water and Anganwadi services- conditions emblematic of systemic neglect. Agrawal’s team brought baseline surveys, essential services and a human-centered approach to the forefront.
Under Agrawal’s leadership Practical Progress was delivered on Multiple Fronts by moving beyond templated schemes:
Education Access: With no nearby school, teachers now travel to Nepal village to hold classes twice a week. Children have been supplied uniforms and books, and proposals are underway for a permanent primary school. Older adolescents are being enrolled in open schooling and residential institutions after family trust was built through sustained dialogue.
Anganwadi Services : Construction completed providing services covering nutrition, early childhood care, and maternal health
Power & Water Solutions: Where extending grid power would take years and forest clearances, solar micro-grids now provide immediate electricity. A new borewell with solar pumping and filtration replaced contaminated water sources.
Road Connectivity: A coordinated effort between revenue and forest teams, financed through rural connectivity programs and MGNREGA, is underway to construct all-weather access,crucial for health, markets and broader engagement.
Livelihood & Housing Support: Households lacking land now receive support through goat-rearing and dairy projects. Eligible families have been linked to housing schemes like PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana) with flexible use of local materials allowed under forest rules.
Social Security Inclusion: A key milestone under the mission has been 100% Aadhaar saturation in Nepal village, enabling seamless linkage to welfare schemes.All eligible families have been connected to pensions and public distribution benefits, reinforcing the mission’s emphasis on dignity over charity.
Presence and Trust Building: Agrawal’s personal engagement trekking difficult terrain, speaking directly with villagers and sitting with families on the ground has helped break barriers and build confidence in governance “Development isn’t statistics or structures alone, it’s about dignity and being seen” he notes.
Today, Mission Antyodaya has expanded beyond Nepal to similar hamlets across the district with ongoing road works, increased solar coverage, rising school participation and strengthening government-community trust. IAS Agarwal is quietly reshaping expectations of rural administration by ensuring that no village and no citizen, is left behind.
Will Chairman CBDT be the next Secretary General RS?
Rumour mill says that the present Chairman, CBDT Ravi Agrawal is unlikely to get extension and may be sent to Rajya Sabha as Secretary General.
20 IAS officers retiring in Dec
As many as 20 officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of various cadres and batches are retiring in December, 2025. They are: Shantamanu, Dr Pawan Kotwal, Prashant Kumar Panda, Krishan Kumar of AGMUT cadre; Pankaj Jain, Renette C Sohkhlet and Debajyoti Dutta of Assam-Meghalaya cadre; Sayed Jawaid Haider, V J Rajput, D J Jadeja of Gujarat; Ramesh Chander Bidhan of Haryana; Anjani Kumar Mishra, Pawan Kumar of Jharkhand; Kishor Sadashiv Tawade of Maharashtra; Dr Subodh Agarwal of Rajasthan; Vikram Kapur and Dr Atulya Mishra of Tamil Nadu and Anil Verma, Hirdyesh Mohan and Subhra Chakrabarti of West Bengal cadre.
ED bracing for internal shake-up after Gandhis’ National Herald acquittal
There’s growing chatter within the Enforcement Directorate that senior officials who spearheaded the National Herald investigation may face internal scrutiny after the high-profile acquittal of the Gandhis. The case, once projected as a marquee probe, has now drawn criticism within the agency for being legally weak and politically motivated. Sources suggest that top brass in the Directorate are upset over what they see as procedural lapses and overreach that embarrassed the agency. Speculation is rife that quiet departmental reviews, transfers, or accountability measures could follow to contain the fallout and restore credibility after the setback.
Sadanand Date, CM Devendra Fadnavis’s choice, to be the next DGP of Maharashtra
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sadanand Date has been repatriated to his parent Maharashtra cadre, paving the way for his appointment as the next Director General of Police (DGP) of the state. A 1990-batch IPS officer, Date is known for his integrity and long experience in handling sensitive investigations, including counter-terror operations. His return is understood to have the backing of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who played a key role in the decision. Date’s elevation is expected to bring stability to the state police leadership amid ongoing administrative reshuffles and law-and-order challenges in Maharashtra.
BHEL HR Director, Krishna Kumar Thakur selected as Director (Pers), NMDC
Krishna Kumar Thakur, Director (Human Resources), BHEL has been selected for the post of Director (Personnel), NMDC Limited at a Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) meeting held on December 23, 2025. As many as 12 persons were interviewed for the same.
Interviews for Director (Proj), IREDA on Dec 24
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) is holding interviews for the post of Director (Projects), Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) on December 24, 2025.
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