New Delhi’s power corridors are buzzing as four major government positions are about to open. First up, GC Murmu’s term as Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) ends in November, with whispers of a Modi ally poised to take over. Then comes the question of Shaktikanta Das: will the smooth navigator of the Reserve Bank of India get a third term, or is change brewing just before Budget season?

The Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) post adds to the suspense, with V Anantha Nageswaran’s fate hanging in the balance as Budget preparations kick into high gear. Meanwhile, SEBI’s Madhabi Puri Buch faces rumours and allegations as her term nears its end. Will she stay, or is a bureaucrat comeback on the cards? The clock is ticking, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

‘Silicon Beach of India’

Technology leaders from coastal Karnataka are actively showcasing their infrastructure, talent pool and stunning beaches under the tag – ‘Silicon Beach of India’. This initiative now has attracted the attention of neighbouring States also.

At an IT event in Mangaluru recently, Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, said tech leaders from a neighbouring State asked Rohith Bhat, lead industry anchor of coastal Karnataka, to extend this tag to their State also.

Bhat told the event that ‘Silicon Beach of India’ is a term coined by the industry anchors from coastal Karnataka highlighting the robust tech infrastructure, excellent talent pool, top-notch educational institutions, excellent healthcare and beautiful beaches. Its goal is to unify all these to attract companies and encourage start-ups.

Tata’s template

Corporate social responsibility is often just a tick mark in their list of compliances for companies. But the Tatas stand as beacons of philanthropy and the reams of print devoted to late Ratan Tata’s generosity during his lifetime and after it, is inspiring other Indian corporate families to follow suit.

Last week Macrotech Developers (Lodha group) Abhishek Lodha said he would be transferring a significant part of his stake in the company to the Lodha Philanthropy Foundation, which will have an initial corpus of $2.5 billion.

Lodha confessed to being inspired by the Tata family, saying “The huge impact of this gift on India and the good work by the Tata Trusts has been a major inspiration for me,” he said. One hopes that more corporates would follow this trend.

Broken promises

Congress party’s State units currently in power are up against embarrassing moments, thanks to president Mallikarjun Kharge’s cautionary advice on campaign promises. Kharge advised Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar to only make promises that are feasible.

This remark drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BRS Working President KT Rama Rao, who ridiculed the Congress for making false promises to voters.

“You’ve only now realised that empty promises lead to tough questions?” KTR asked. “When five guarantees were announced in Karnataka, didn’t you consider the State’s budget? When you made six guarantees in Telangana, were you unaware of the State’s budget?”

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