I’m after bigwigs of drug trade, won’t harass small users, says Amarinder
Capt Amarinder Singh. Tribune file
Ruchika Khanna and Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 29
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said he was after the bigwigs in drug trade and no small users would be harassed, as was the case during the Badal government when they launched a crackdown on drugs.He also clarified that there would be no red beacons for ministers. There was confusion on the issue after an order was passed on Tuesday.While addressing a press conference here, the CM said the person who issued the note on Tuesday would be removed.
Amarinder said he had not nominated any person in the STF for drugs; only Harpreet Sidhu had been nominated. He asked the media to cross-check their facts with the government.
The CM said the security withdrawal of VIPs was based on inputs received from the Centre. Besides, he wanted to have maximum police in the field. He said all policemen would be given eight-hour shifts.While talking about the Tribune report on sending notices to farmers who owed money to banks, the CM said orders had already been issued to all banks not to make any recoveries.
Amarinder said a vigilance inquiry would be ordered into the legacy foodgrain account scam of Rs 31,000 crore; an investigation by a third-party auditor would first be done.
He said the cash credit limit (CCL) for wheat would be released soon.The Chief Minister said they were trying to strengthen the drug rehab centres and they would work in tandem with the STF. He said a law would be enacted to deal with the farmers’ debts. The new law would be tabled in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha, he added.On desecration incidents, the investigation would continue, he said.Before the budget session, the white paper would be out, he added. The CM said all teachers of primary schools would be posted in their home districts. He said telephone, debt waiver and jobs for one person in each household would be implemented this year itself. The Captain said the budget might not have provision for this, but out-of-the-box ideas would help them implement these three decisions in this year
Sidhu, Majithia exchange words over drugs as Assembly session begins
Bikram Majithia and Navjot Singh Sidhu. Tribune file
Ruchika Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 29
There was pandemonium in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday as Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Akali leader Bikram Majithia exchanged barbs over the drug issue. Sidhu screamed at the Akalis, saying they were ‘Banaras de thug’ (impostors).
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As the Assembly Session began on Wednesday, the House paid homage to 15 people.The Punjab Law Officers (Engagement) Bill, 2017, is to be tabled in the House.
Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presented vote on account of Rs 29,389 crore for expenditure for three months of the next fiscal, beginning April 1.
The appointment of advisers/OSDs in the Congress government and the proposal to bring in a legislation for appointing chief parliamentary secretaries rocked the House as AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira said these were a burden on the state exchequer. He raised the issue that the supplementary grants for 2016-17 had already crossed Rs 25,000 crore.
Speaker Rana KP refused to record any comment made by the Bains brothers of the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), as they had refused to sit on the allotted seats. Also, AAP MLAs protested against the LIP MLAs being given seats away from the AAP MLAs. AAP and LIP MLAs moved into the well of the House to protest against the Bains brothers not being allowed to speak.There were differences between Khaira and Leader of Opposition HS Phoolka as Khaira led the AAP and LIP MLAs to protest as they sat in the well of the House. Phoolka, on the other hand, continued to sit on his seat. The protesting MLAs shouted slogans against the Speaker.
The Vidhan Sabha session was later adjourned sine die as protesting MLAs raised slogans and finally got up to leave.
Punjab Improvement Trust chairmen, trustees relieved with immediate effect
Tribune file photo
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 29
The politically appointed chairmen and trustees of the Improvement Trusts across Punjab have been relieved with immediate effect.Disclosing this, in a press communiqué, Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said he had taken the decision to ensure greater transparency and efficiency in the working of these trusts. He said the trusts would now be headed by Administrators (Deputy Commissioners/SDMs) appointed by the government, till further orders.Sidhu also intervened effectively to address the issue of stoppage of ongoing development works in different parts of the state and directed the department to issue clarification. A written communication has been sent to all field officers.The Minister has directed the engineering wing of the Department to conduct surprise inspections and get third-party audit of these works carried out to ensure quality in the execution of these works.
Capt govt restores beacons, then orders removal again
Chandigarh, March 28
The Punjab Government today hastily withdrew what it claimed was an “erroneously” issued order allowing beacons on vehicles of Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers. In the order issued by the Transport Department this evening, vehicles of the CM, ministers along with emergency vehicles were allowed the use of beacons. The order was contradictory to the decision taken in the March 18 Cabinet meeting that CM Capt Amarinder Singh and his ministers had given up red beacons, as part of shunning the VIP culture. Within a few hours of the orders going viral on social media, the state government withdrew the order, citing an error on part of the department while copying a part of the party’s poll manifesto.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Capt Amarinder denied any change in his government’s stand on shunning the VIP culture. He directed the Chief Secretary to have the correct notification sent to him for immediate issuance, said a spokesperson.Meanwhile, the Opposition questioned as to how such an important order could have been issued in such a cursory manner. — TNS
Capt: Banks won’t harass farmers
Bill on prohibiting defaulters’ land auction in Budget session
Photo for representational purpose only.
Chandigarh, March 29
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said lending agencies, including banks, had been directed not to issue auction notices to farmers for failure to repay loans. Assuring that the banks would not be allowed to confiscate their land, he said a Bill would be tabled in the Budget session to prohibit ‘kurki’ (auction of farmers’ land in case of default).(Follow I will ensure no farmer is harassed in case of non-payment of loan. It will not happen,” he said. On CCL (cash credit limit), he said the government would negotiate with banks and that CCL funds from the Centre were expected any time.He reiterated that the Vigilance Bureau would probe the Rs 31,000-crore foodgrain scam. “An investigation by a third-party auditor would first be done.” The scam was detected by the RBI last year which found that the government had taken loans (known as CCL) from 30 banks for procuring wheat and paddy. However, the funds were either diverted or the grains not delivered to the FCI.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)On pruning the security cover of politicians and officers, the CM said this was being done as per the threat perception and Centre guidelines. The VIP culture would end, he reiterated. — TNS
Phone, job, debt waiver in first year
Capt Amarinder Singh
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 29
The Punjab Chief Minister today said that despite the constraints faced by his government, which has inherited empty coffers, the three promises made to the people of Punjab, entailing major financial implications, would be met in the first year of the government — the youth would be given smartphones, one person in each household a job and farmers a debt waiver.I am aware the state is in a financial mess. Even though we will come out with a ‘White Paper’ on the state’s fiscal health by the Budget session in June, we are looking at out-of-the-box ideas to fulfil these promises,” Capt Amarinder said.Sources say the government is in talks with a leading telecom company that will supply basic smartphones and will earn revenues through the use of its cellular network. For the best way to settle farm loans, a three-member committee of experts is being set up.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The CM said his government would table a Bill in the next session to pave the way for waiving the farm debt.