Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ordered the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts to tighten their belts and work harder to strengthen their public interface to deliver on the promises on which his government had come to power 22 months ago.Making it clear that corruption will not be tolerated at any level, the Chief Minister said his government was ready to extend any help needed by the DCs to ensure timely completion of projects for the development of the state and welfare of its people.Days after soliciting feedback from Congress MLAs on the functioning of his government, the Chief Minister sent out a strong message to the state’s administration to pull up their socks, and ensure that the pace of hard work and commitment is upped over the next two months to ensure the fulfillment of the government’s development agenda for the state.The Chief Minister made it clear that respect for elected representatives needed to be ensured at all costs, and directed the DCs to extend due courtesy and regard to all elected persons, be it MLAs or Sarpanches. “They represent the people in a democracy and we must be cordial with them in our dealings,” said Captain Amarinder.At a meeting with the DCs to review government programmes, the Chief Minister also directed the Secretaries to be in regular touch with the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that there are no gaps in the implementation of the various schemes and the benefits reach the people at the grassroots.Let us put in our best, the Chief Minister told the DCs, while directing them to identify the bad eggs in the various offices, be it at the tehsils, BDO offices, Police Stations or the municipality level, and ensure that corruption is eliminated completely down to the grassroots.Asking the DCs to ensure punctuality and discipline among their staff, the Chief Minister made it clear that delay in implementation of programmes and development works would not be tolerated. Enough is enough, a plain-speaking Captain Amarinder told the DCs, expressing concern over people reporting that pace of work in the field is very slow. The DCs must monitor the working of their office and other subordinate offices in the district effectively, he directed.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister announced allotment of one lakh plots of five marlas each to the homeless SC families, with at least 10 plots in each village across the state in the first phase where land is available with the village Panchayats. In case where land is not available and is to yet to be arranged, such SC beneficiaries would be considered in the second phase, he said, announcing a series of measures to ensure development at both, the rural and urban levels. The Rural Development & Panchayats Department has been asked to monitor the allotment process.On the issue of debt waiver, the Chief Minister asked the DCs to involve the local representatives and ensure that no eligible person is left out on any account. Underlining the need to sustain the momentum of the anti-drug campaign, he asked the DCs to review the NDPS Act cases where bail has been granted due to non-filing of charge sheets. The DCs must visit OOAT Clinics regularly and interact with all stakeholders to ensure success of treatment, he said, further asking the officers to check misuse of Buprenorphine tablets by unscrupulous elements. The DCs were also directed to revitalize the DAPO and Buddy programmes through involvement of all elected Panchayati Raj representatives to proactively curb drugs in their villages.Referring to the Smart Village Campaign for rural areas and Urban Environment Improvement Programme for urban areas launched by his government, the Chief Minister asked the DCs to ensure that all their proposals reach the Secretary Rural Development & Secretary, Local Government, latest by January 31. Works must be commenced through the respective agencies, preferably by February 15, he said, asserting that this was top priority for his government and he did not want any delay in implementation.Expressing concern over the pollution caused by the Budha Nala, the Chief Minister asked the Ludhiana DC to coordinate with the Naamdhari Darbar ,who have already taken up the noble task of its cleaning in a time-bound manner.The Chief Minister directed expeditious acquisition for Kartarpur Corridor in Gurdaspur to ensure timely completion of the project.
The Chief Minister asked the DCs to complete, in time and with due diligence, the various flood control and canal desilting works, asking them to converge works with NREGA to do more with State funds. Canal cleaning works in southern Punjab must be completed during the period of closure to allow cotton sowing to commence latest by April 20, he said, recalling that the Irrigation Department had failed to do so in time last year.Captain Amarinder asked the DCs to make all necessary arrangements for Rabi procurement in time as wheat procurement will clash with Lok Sabha elections this time. Transportation and labour contracts must be finalized well in time, he said, making it clear that hassle-free procurement had to be ensured at any cost.The DCs have also been asked by the Chief Minister to supervise repair of link roads to ensure that the quality of road repair being undertaken by Mandi Board or PWD is good and not compromised at any cost.Expressing concern over the stray dog menace, the Chief Minister asked the DCs to start sterilisation programme as the dogs were now attacking human beings in herds, causing grievous hurt or sometimes even loss of life.During the meeting, Principal Secretary Rural Development and Panchayats Anurag Verma highlighted the key initiatives to be undertaken by the Department under the Smart Village Campaign (SVC). Principal Secretary Local Government A Venu Prasad listed out the main features of the Urban Environment Infrastructure Project (UEIP).All the Deputy Commissioners gave their inputs and suggestions on farm debt waiver, drug abuse prevention programme, state-run employment programmes under the Ghar Ghar Rozgar and Karobar Mission, stray cattle menace and state run Gaushalas.
Prominent amongst others present at the meeting were Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar, Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home N S Kalsi, Additional Chief Secretary Cooperation Viswajeet Khanna, Principal Secretary to CM Tejveer Singh, Principal Secretary Governance Reforms Seema Jain, Principal Secretary Food & Civil Supplies KAP Sinha, and Principal Secretary Technical Education DK Tewari.