What have you done to rein in gangsters, Centre asks Punjab

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, November 15

The Union Government has asked the state government for a detailed explanation of work done by it on important issues, in which the state had sought Centre’s help. These issues include gangsters operating from jails in the state, proliferation and use of illegal firearms and communal disturbances, amongst others.

In a letter sent to the state Chief Secretary, the Inter-state Council Secretariat of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought an explanation from the state government for not providing any details on the efforts made by it on nine issues, including the above mentioned, while still asking the Centre to include these issues in the Northern Zone Council meeting scheduled for December 17.

It is learnt that the state government had sought that 26 issues be taken up at the meeting of the council. “On scrutiny of these items, it is observed that in respect of nine items, efforts made by the state government are not mentioned,” reads the letter.

The letter comes in wake of heightened activity of gangsters in the state, religion-based targeted killings, air dropping of arms from across the border, increased role of gangsters abroad to aid and abet crimes in Punjab and increased detection of role of jail officials in aiding and abetting criminals lodged in jails.

The other items for which explanation had been sought are: Exclusion of Punjab from Atal Jal Yojana, pending extradition proposals with Centre for processing with other countries; cooperation between states for transfer of prisoners from one state to another on security grounds; training of prison officers; and, having systems in place for trials through video conferencing from jails.

The Centre has also asked the state to give details on how it wants the Centre to resolve seven other items like pending dues from other states; increasing the minimum salary income slab for Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme; extension of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana to Amritsar; exempting Punjab from Settlement of Forest Rights Act; a special package for the northwestern region; increasing international flight connectivity from Chandigarh; and grant of subsidy for starting domestic flight connections from smaller airports.

Union Govt seeks explanation

In a letter sent to the state Chief Secretary, the Inter-state Council Secretariat of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought an explanation from the state government for not providing any details on the efforts made by it on nine issues.

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