In its first cabinet meeting, the newly formed Punjab government on Saturday decided to completely shun the VIP culture by removing the red, yellow and blue beacons from their official vehicles.
The state cabinet’s first meeting was chaired by Capt Amarinder Singh. During the meeting, all Cabinet ministers unanimously decided to do away with the beacons atop their official vehicles.
“My Cabinet has decided to rid the state VIP culture. As a start all beacon lights to go from vehicles of Ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats”, Capt Amarinder Singh tweeted soon after the cabinet meeting ended.
My cabinet has decided to rid the state of VIP culture. All beacon lights to be removed from vehicles of Ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 18, 2017
The Cabinet also cleared new excise policy and cut down on number of liqour vends across the state. The state cabinet also scrapped L1A licenses. Punjab Vidhan Sabha’s session shall be held on March 24.
State’s Finance Minister Manpreet Badal had yesterday told the mediapersons that he had formed 150 point-agenda for the cabinet meeting.
“During the meeting, it was also decided that the state shall pass new Lokpal Bill for Punjab that shall be more effective than what was proposed by social activist Anna Hazare”, Manpreet Badal said.
The Punjab government has also abolished halqa incharge system and decided that the police personnel shall have fixed duty hours.
A new Sainik school shall also come up in Punjab, a decision that was taken during the cabinet meeting.
The Punjab cabinet also decided to have a 33 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs including contractual appointments.
A decision was taken to constitute a sub-committee of the Cabinet that shall prepare a report on farm loans and shall submit its report within 60 days. Speaking on the farmers issues, Manpreet Badal disclosed that the State Cabinet has decided that “The Banks shall not be allowed to auction properties of the farmers”.
In a bid to begin implementation of their poll-manifesto the Congress government’s cabinet also decided to constitute a Special Task Force to deal with the drug-menace in Punjab. A senior IPS officer Harpreet Sidhu shall be heading the STF. The Cabinet also decided to regulate the private buses operations across the state and end monopolisation of the private bus trade across Punjab.
We have also decided to set up a Special Task Force to crack down on drugs and wipe them out from Punjab.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 18, 2017
A decision was taken to constitute a sub-committee of the Cabinet that shall prepare a report on farm loans and shall submit its report within 60 days.
After the Cabinet, Amarinder also announced that he shall be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the SYL issue.
Manpreet Badal, while interacting with the media persons after the Cabinet meeting also spoke on Navjot Singh Sidhu.
“If Manpreet Badal can not quit agriculture, how do you expect Navjot Sidhu to quit TV shows? Sidhu is a keen man, he has excellent oratory”.
