[ad_1]
Chandigarh, Sep 20: Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister, Charanjit Singh Channi, took cost on Monday, promising free water provide to smaller properties, a discount within the energy tariff and a clear authorities for the “frequent man” in the poll-bound state. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and O P Soni were also sworn in by Governor Banwarilal Purohit at a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan here, which was attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Randhawa and Soni were designated as deputy chief ministers. Meanwhile, the first cabinet meeting led by Channi deliberated on making sand available at affordable rates, giving 100 more free electricity units to the SC, BC and BPL categories and providing free water supply in rural areas.
The cabinet meeting was held here in the evening. Randhawa and Soni, along with senior officials, were present at the meeting that went on for around three hours. The cabinet discussed various “pro-poor” initiatives to be carried out in a time-bound method.
Earlier within the day, at his first press convention because the chief minister, Channi (58) teared up as he described himself as an “aam aadmi” (common man) and a poor person, while thanking the Congress high-command for picking him for the post. The three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib recalled that he has pedalled a rickshaw and his father ran a “tent house”.
Channi didn’t provide many particulars however the sops seem to rival these introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is the principle opposition in Punjab. The chief minister stated there will likely be no water and sewage expenses for homes measuring as much as 150 or 200 sq. yards in city areas.
The authorities would additionally scale back the electrical energy tariff, he added. “My spouse is a health care provider, my brother is a health care provider. There are staff in my home. When the ability invoice comes, my spouse tells me that the cash goes from her pocket. These payments will likely be decreased,” he stated.
Meanwhile, consultations have started on the names for ministers, sources said. Hours before the swearing-in ceremony, a remark by Harish Rawat, the Punjab in-charge of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), triggered a controversy over Channi’s role in the few months remaining before the state Assembly polls.
Rawat reportedly said the election will be fought under the leadership of the Punjab Congress unit headed by Navjot Singh Sidhu. Former state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar tweeted, saying he found the remark “baffling” and it might “undermine” the authority of the new chief minister.
Channi and the two deputy chief ministers — a Sikh and a Hindu in a balancing act by the Congress leadership — took their oaths in Punjabi. All three were part of the cabinet led by Amarinder Singh, who resigned as chief minister on Saturday, just before the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting called by the party’s central leadership. After hectic consultations on Sunday, the party picked Channi as the new CLP leader.
For months, Amarinder Singh and Sidhu had been gunning for each other in a bitter power struggle in the Punjab Congress. Channi was considered to be in the Sidhu camp. Rawat and Sidhu were by his side as Channi addressed the media.
He urged the Centre to repeal the three laws over which farmers have been protesting for months. The chief minister said he will become the voice of the common people of Punjab and always remain accessible.
“Together, we have to make Punjab prosperous. Punjab is primarily an agrarian state. This government is pro-farmer,” he stated. On Amarinder Singh, Channi stated he did good work as chief minister. “He is often known as the protector of water rights. He is our social gathering chief,” he said.
Channi said his government will remain committed to the Congress leadership’s 18-point agenda for the state and the previous election promises will be fulfilled. The party agenda includes justice in a case of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015, combatting drug-trafficking and scrapping power-purchase pacts signed earlier.
“We will ensure a transparent government,” Channi stated. Channi’s appointment permits the Congress to play the Dalit card within the Punjab Assembly polls due subsequent yr. An estimated 30 per cent of the state’s inhabitants, counting each Sikhs and Hindus, is from the scheduled caste group.
Channi’s deputy Randhawa (62) is a Jat Sikh who represents the Dera Baba Nanak constituency in Gurdaspur, and Soni (64) was elected from Amritsar-Central. Earlier, the title of Brahm Mohindra, a senior minister within the earlier cupboard, was doing the rounds for the put up of deputy chief minister, and AICC treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal even congratulated him on Twitter.
Amarinder Singh was not seen on the swearing-in ceremony attended by senior Congress leaders.
Disclaimer: This put up has been auto-published from an company feed with none modifications to the textual content and has not been reviewed by an editor
Read all of the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News right here
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink