Union Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the Governing Council Bureau of Indian Standards members in a virtual meeting on the 1st of March. During the meeting, he noticed that the cameras of some of the members were off. Goyal asked the members to switch on the cameras and cautioned them of action if they were missing from the meetings three times in a row.
‘I am unable to understand why you keep your video off’ – Piyush Goyal
Goyal was talking about improving the quality of the products. He asked the CO of FSSAI to switch on his camera, after which the minister cautioned everyone to be attentive during the meetings. He said, “If you switch on the video, I will be able to know if you are actually attending the meeting. Everyone should at least switch on the video at intervals during the meeting. Otherwise, it is impossible to figure out if you are at your desk or have left the room. I am unable to understand why you keep your video off. If people are visible, it is easier to see if everyone is showing interest in the governing council.”
‘Take attendance and replace irregulars,’ says Piyush Goyal
He then asked Pramod Kumar Tiwari, DG Bureau of Indian Standards, to take all the members’ attendance and notify those who are absent from the meetings for two and ask them if they want to be in the governing council or not. He further asked to replace the member in case he misses the meeting three times in a row.
“Only then people will show interest in the meetings. Otherwise, members keep making stories that they were busy somewhere. If they are busy, let them leave the council. Invite new members who are interested in the proceedings of the council,” he added.
He further asked to replace the members even if the absentee is a member of parliament or a senior official. “No one is permanent in the governing council. Those who cannot contribute should not be in the council.” The clip of the Union Minister cautioning members of the council has gone viral on social media platforms.
Nitin Gadkari had earlier taken bureaucrats to class
Piyush Goyal is not the only minister who is unhappy with the attitude of some bureaucrats. Earlier, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had also shown displeasure over the slow pace of work. In October 2020, while inaugurating a building via video conferencing, Union Minister had decided to go all guns blazing against them, exposing them for their “perverted ideology”, “unworthiness” and “corruption”.
Taking a swipe at the NHAI officials, he said, “During a ceremony like this, the convention says that one should congratulate people involved in the completion of the project. But I don’t know how should I do that. The plan of the construction of the building was ready by 2008 and in 2011 it won the tender for the construction. It took 9 years for the completion of this Rs 200-250 crore project. It took two central governments and 8 chairmen to ensure that the work is completed.”
