Cong-appointed heads of 29 improvement trusts in Punjab removed

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 30

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government today replaced the Congress-appointed chairmen of 29 improvement trusts with the Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts.

The orders were issued by Principal Secretary, Local Government, Ajoy Sinha. Sources in the state government said on a specific instruction from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Congress-appointed leaders in other board and corporations had also been asked to put in their papers.

After Capt Amarinder Singh was dethroned as Chief Minister in September last year and Charanjit Singh Channi was given the reigns, former PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu replaced Dinesh Bassi, Chairman of Amritsar Improvement Trust, with his confidant Damadeep Singh Uppal. Similarly, former minister Tript Bajwa replaced Pawan Kumar Pamma, a confidant of Partap Bajwa, as Chairman of Batala Improvement Trust.

The 29 improvement trusts includes major cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana and Bathinda. Raman Behl, a former Chairman of Punjab Subordinate Service Selection Board, who joined AAP ahead of the Assembly elections, said the political appointees should resign on their own with the change of the government.

As many as nine non-official office-bearers of various boards and corporations have resigned. These include Mandi Board Chairman Lal Singh, Puncofed Chairman Avtar Singh and PRTC Chairman Satwinder Singh. Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) Director Harmesh Chandar, Infotech Vice-Chairman Kartik Wadhera, Directors Manjit Singh Saroya, Satish Kansal, Surjit Singh Bhoon and Naresh Pruthi have also resigned.

Corporation, board chiefs told to resign

• Sources said on a specific instruction from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Congress-appointed leaders in other board and corporations had also been asked to resign
• As many as nine non-official office-bearers of various boards and corporations have already resigned