Punjab CM meets Sidhu, sets up panel for coordination ahead of polls
Darpan News Desk IANS, 20 Aug, 2021 02:17 PM
Chandigarh, Aug 20 (IANS) Projecting a united face just months ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and once his bete noire Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday met at the former's residence near here in a cordial atmosphere and later shared their photos of 'close proximity'.
To ensure better coordination between the ruling party and the state government, and to further expedite the implementation of the government programmes and reform initiatives, the Chief Minister and state Congress president Sidhu on Friday agreed to set up a 10-member 'Strategic Policy Group', a spokesperson for the Chief Minister told IANS.
To be headed by the Chief Minister, the group will have Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Social Security Minister Aruna Chaudhary as members, along with Sidhu, the four party working presidents -- Kuljit Singh Nagra, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Pawan Goel, besides Pargat Singh.
He said the decision was taken this morning when Sidhu, along with Nagra and Pargat, called on the Chief Minister to discuss Punjab related issues and steps to strengthen party-government coordination.
The group will hold weekly meetings, in consultation with other ministers, experts, etc., as may be required. It will discuss and review the progress of the various state government initiatives already under implementation, and will also suggest measures to expedite the same.
In another decision, Amarinder Singh has also assigned his Cabinet colleagues the task of being available in Punjab Congress Bhawan every day, by rotation, for meetings with MLAs and other party functionaries to discuss issues relating to their constituencies and areas and address any grievances.
One minister each will be available at the Congress Bhawan from Monday for three hours (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and in any case the minister deputed for a particular day is unable to make it for some reason, he/she shall arrange for a substitute in consultation with any other minister.
The arrangement will be in place five days in a week, from Monday to Friday, said the Chief Minister, adding that this will help in better coordination between his government and party functionaries in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly elections.
The required measures, including development of infrastructure like construction of roads, tunnels and strategic railway lines, are taken to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of India, the minister said.
He paid homage to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of the Indian Armed Forces personnel during the Kargil conflict in 1999 by laying a wreath at the Dagger War Memorial in Baramulla during a solemn ceremony.
In a report submitted to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, the Delhi Government has stated that the minimum environmental flow for dilution of the polluted water in the Yamuna in Delhi will be required to meet the desired water quality levels in the river for bathing.
The farmers have rejected the meagre compensation awarded by the district revenue officers (DROs), who have been designated as competent authority for land acquisitions.
The police recovered a told of 19 vehicles including 12 motorcycles, 6 scooties, and one auto, from their possession. The accused persons of the first gang were identified as Mohit, Sachin and Gaurav, while the second gang members were identified as Wasin and Atul Raghav.
