After berths, it’s cabins

This may come as a surprise to those who thought that ministers are only finicky about portfolios, reports Sayli Udas Mankikar.

This may come as a surprise to those who thought that ministers are only finicky about portfolios.

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They are equally concerned about getting a cabin of their choice. It has to be on the right floor — to match the minister’s stature — with vastu-compliant doors opening in the right direction.

The General Administration Department (GAD), which is responsible for allotting cabins, has received 13 requests from ministers for specific cabins.

Thirty-eight of the 43 cabins available were allotted on Thursday. Five are vacant for the Congress ministers yet to be sworn in.

“We try to allot cabins according to the rule. Ministers of State (MoS) get smaller cabins between 900 and 1,000 sq ft while Cabinet ministers get cabins that are between 1,400-1,500 sq ft,” said a senior government official requesting anonymity. “We do receive requests, which we try to respect, but the list get finalised by the Chief Minister.”

The allocation has managed to ruffle a few feathers.

Environment Minister Suresh Shetty (Congress), who had asked for the cabin he used as minister of state for higher education on the seventh floor, was brought down to the first floor. “I liked the seventh floor since the numbers of people loitering about were lesser and people with specific work came to me,” said Shetty.

Senior ministers Jayant Patil, Sunil Tatkare and Patangrao Kadam have got cabins of their choice — same cabins they occupied earlier.

Finance Minister Tatkare had got his cabin changed from number 230 to 214. “I did not ask for any specific number. The previous minister sat there and it works better to sit near the department,” said Tatkare.

Revenue Minister Narayan Rane was happiest. Rane has been given a cabin on the sixth floor — where CM Ashok Chavan and his deputy Chhagan Bhujbal sit. The former CM will be close to the state’s power centre.