Named in citrus council scam, Himmat boss again

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16

A major administrative shake-up was affected by the Amarinder government on the day one in office. The senior-most IAS officer in Punjab, Himmat Singh, who was named in the infamous Punjab Citrus Council scam that rocked the state in the previous Congress regime, has been rehabilitated. He is, however, learnt to have got a favourable judgment from CAT, discharging him of any wrong doing.

Having been sidelined in the previous Akali-BJP regime, Himmat Singh has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Horticulture Department. Recent orders of CAT had asked the SAD-led government to give him a posting in accordance with his rank and seniority. He is a long-time faithful of Capt Amarinder Singh.

The CM, meanwhile, appointed Tejveer Singh as his Principal Secretary and Karan Avtar Singh as Chief Secretary. He has relieved Sarvesh Kaushal, who has been appointed as the Director General of the Mahatama Gandhi Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA). Gurkirat Kirpal Singh has been appointed Special Principal Secretary to CM and Amrit Kaur Gill Deputy PS.

The government appointed Anurag Aggarwal as Financial Commissioner, Taxation, and Vivek Pratap Singh as Excise and Taxation Commissioner. The new excise policy has to be prepared and notified before the end of this month.

In another surprise, Additional Chief Secretary KBS Sidhu, who was vying for the post of Chief Secretary or Incharge, Home Affairs, will be retaining the charge of just Revenue Department. The Home Affairs Department has been given to Additional Chief Secretary NS Kalsi, who also retains the charge of the Agriculture Department.

In all, 12 officers have been transferred. Satish Chandra, though relieved of the taxation charge, will continue to serve as Additional Chief Secretary, Finance. The Budget exercise is going on and the government might not change him at this juncture.

SK Sandhu, who was Principal Secretary to the previous CM, will now go to the Social Security Department. Raji P Srivastava too has been relieved of her charge in Personnel Department and shifted to the MGSIPA. Krishan Kumar, Secretary, Expenditure, has been given the additional charge as secretary personnel.

Major administrative shake-up

In all, 12 officers have been transferred. Tejveer Singh has been appointed Principal Secretary; Karan Avtar Singh Chief Secretary; Anurag Aggarwal Financial Commissioner, Taxation; and Vivek Pratap Singh Excise and Taxation Commissioner. The Home Affairs Department has been given to Additional Chief Secretary NS Kalsi, who also retains the charge of the Agriculture Department.

Vidhan Sabha session from March 24

The first session of the newly constituted 15th Vidhan Sabha would begin on March 24, government sources said. A formal decision in this regard would be announced on Saturday after a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet will also decide on the duration of the session. Apart from administering the oath of office to the MLAs, the session will pass a vote on account for running the expenses of the government till the Budget proposal is moved in the Assembly.