MC elections due, Punjab Govt eyes speedy delivery of services

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, December 18

The Aam Aadmi Party is going back to the drawing board to present itself in a new avatar, to suit the ever increasing aspirations of the masses.

CM in South india

• CM Mann started his tour to Chennai and Hyderabad to woo investors for the state
• He’ll be in Chennai to meet business delegations and company reps on Dec 19
• He’ll have an interactive meeting with captains of industry at Hyderabad on Dec 20

Recruitment soon

• Schedule for appointment of 1,800 constables and 300 SIs has been released
• The process for recruitment of college lecturers too is being sped up by the govt
• Speedy regularisation of services of contractual and ad hoc workers also being done

With elections to local bodies due, the party is looking at faster delivery of government services in Punjab to reach out to their voters.

Nothing related to the state was reportedly discussed at the National Council meeting of the party in New Delhi today. However, sources in AAP say that discussions on speeding up delivery of services and promises to the masses was discussed at the National Executive meeting, held just before the council meeting. Sources say that though the “report cards of all functionaries in the party and government” is ready, it was not taken up for discussion. This is likely to be discussed in the core group of the party later.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, Housing Minister Aman Arora, party’s Chief Whip in Vidhan Sabha Baljinder Kaur and MLA Saravjit Kaur Manuke are members of the National Executive of the party from Punjab.

With the party having acquired the status of a national party after winning five Assembly seats in Gujarat, the focus is now on making Punjab a model of governance. This can then be showcased to the rest of the country before the 2024 General Election.

Also, the speedy deliverance of announcements made by the party is essential for the ruling party in the state to win the local body elections.

The elections to five Municipal Corporations (Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara, Amritsar and Patiala) are due. Earlier, the Local Body Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar had stated that the elections would be held in January.

However, as the state leaders got busy in campaigning for Gujarat elections, the delivery of many announcements made by the government here had been delayed. As a result, the ruling party is expected to postpone the elections by a few months. The time will be used by the government to woo the masses with delivery on regularisation of jobs, recruitment of masses and creating a sustainable Mohalla clinic model in the state.

Before these local body elections, the party has decided to take the message to the masses on the relief it is giving to the public through 300 units of free power in this time of high inflation.

The government’s efforts to deal with the unemployment by speedy regularisation of jobs for contractual/ad hoc workers in government departments and by advertising more posts and starting recruitment will also be highlighted.

The state government has released a schedule for appointment of 1,800 constables and 300 Sub-Inspectors within days of taking a decision in the Punjab Cabinet held last week. The process for recruitment of college lecturers too is being sped up. The state government will also be going all out to woo investors.