AAP defends chief secretary's appointment as chairperson of local housing authorities

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday defended its decision to appoint the Chief Secretary as the Chairperson of local housing development authorities, stating the move is aimed at speeding up development works. The party highlighted that in several states, Chief Secretaries head such committees.

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Responding to opposition allegations that the amendment to Section 29 (3) of the PRDPT Act undermines the Chief Minister’s authority, AAP Punjab president and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora clarified that the step has been taken solely to eliminate delays in development work.

“While the Chief Secretary will approve proposals, the final approval will still rest with the Punjab Urban Development Authority and the Cabinet. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is the chairman of PUDA and head of the Cabinet, so the ultimate decision will be his. How is his authority being undermined?” he questioned.

Opposition parties Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have accused AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal of undermining Punjab CM Mann’s authority by removing him as Chairman of the Punjab Regional Town Planning & Development Board, alleging vested interests behind the move.

Congress MLA Pargat Singh claimed, “For the first time in Punjab’s history, the Chief Minister’s powers have been stripped—just to facilitate land grabbing in Punjab.”

He further questioned, “Has Arvind Kejriwal taken over these powers because the Punjab CM refused to sign off on destroying villages and farmland?”

SAD leader Daljit Cheema condemned the Cabinet’s decision to replace the CM with the Chief Secretary as Chairman of the Board as illegal, unconstitutional, and arbitrary. He said the move violates Section 4(2), Chapter II of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning Act, 1995, which governs the establishment of the Board.

Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Bains accused the Shiromani Akali Dal of various wrongdoings during their tenure, while pointing out that they are questioning the AAP government on bringing people-friendly policies.

State's Finance Minister Harpal Cheema described the reform as a visionary move to decentralise governance.

“In a landmark decision reflecting visionary leadership, the Chief Minister proactively delegated the chairmanship of all Urban Development Authorities to the Chief Secretary. This bold reform is intended to strengthen decentralised governance, accelerate decision-making, and empower the administrative machinery to respond swiftly to ground-level issues,” said Cheema.

The Cabinet has also approved a uniform framework across all eight urban development authorities, including Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners as members, to resolve local matters efficiently at the authority level.

“The decision is based on a comprehensive review of national models, where similar bodies are typically headed by IAS officers or Ministers—not Chief Ministers—as seen in Ahmedabad, Noida, Kanpur, Bangalore, and other cities. By delegating routine matters, the CM has ensured that strategic oversight remains focused on broader state priorities, while day-to-day operational decisions are taken promptly,” added Cheema.