Mamata Banerjee batted for Commonwealth Games (CWG) gold-diggers on Tuesday when she asked her staff to remove hurdles in the paths of sportspersons employed with the railways.
Mamata Banerjee batted for Commonwealth Games (CWG) gold-diggers on Tuesday when she asked her staff to remove hurdles in the paths of sportspersons employed with the railways.
“Just do it”, the railway minister told top officials at a function to felicitate railway sportspersons who won 13 gold medals at CWG.
Mamata wanted the railway board to formulate a policy for promotion of sports. When a board member tried to argue citing administrative issues, she gave him an instant dressing down.
“There are so many technicalities in government offices. But these things should not come in the way of those who bring laurels to the country. Their case needs to be addressed in a very practical manner. With immediate effect, we will make a new sports policy.”
Retorting to an official’s observation that there was no policy for promoting coaches, Mamata said: “If there is no policy, make one.”
Railway sportspersons, including gold-winning wrestler Sushil Kumar, shooter Anisha Sayyed and discus thrower Krishna Punia, had listed out for the minister hurdles they were facing.
When Sushil, an employee of Northern Railways, told Mamata that he had been denied a promotion, she promptly put the ball in the railway board’s court, saying: “The entire board is here. Take up your issues.”
When board chairman VK Sahai cited the technical problems that would arise if Sushil was given a double promotion, she said: “What is the problem in that? Sportspersons are special and need to be dealt with in that way.”
After the ceremony, Mamata held a meeting with Sushil and railway board officials in her chamber.
Explaining the technical issues involved in the wrestler’s case, a ministry source said: “He was recruited as chief ticket inspector in 2004 and was promoted as assistant commercial manager in 2008. In 2010, he was again promoted to the post of senior commercial manager. Now, he wants to be promoted as a divisional commercial manager. He cannot be promoted to that level since he holds a cadre post.”
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