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Khatkar Kalan gets ready for Bhagwant Mann’s oath-taking ceremony
Besides Bhagwant Mann, Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, party MLAs and workers and other dignitaries from Punjab and other states will attend the ceremony
The sleepy Khatkar Kalan village these days is abuzz with activity. Brought back to the limelight after CM-elect Bhagwant Mann announced to take the oath at the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, the district authorities here are leaving no stone unturned to host the mega event.
Mann’s swearing-in ceremony as Punjab’s chief minister is scheduled to take place in the historic village on March 16. The cabinet ministers will be sworn in later. Besides Mann, Delhi chief minister and AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal, party MLAs and workers and other dignitaries from Punjab and other states will attend the mega event.
Senior Punjab government officials, including additional chief secretary (ACS) to Punjab chief minister, A Venu Prasad, divisional commissioner, Rupnagar, Manvesh Singh Sidhu, additional director general of police, M F Farooqui are reviewing the ongoing arrangements for the occasion.
Prasad on Sunday reviewed arrangements for parking of vehicles, food and water for the public, stage arrangements, power and water supply, sanitation, health, law & order, security and others. He emphasised on the need to evolve a fool proof mechanism to make this mega event a huge success.
Noting that a number of dignitaries, including chief ministers from other states, and a huge number of people are expected to attend the event, he said that all the officers must discharge their duties assigned to them in a highly professional and committed manner and any sort of callousness will not be tolerated.
A senior police official said that the fool proof security arrangements have been made for the event where around 8,000 police personnel will be deployed.
SBS Nagar deputy commissioner Vishesh Sarangal said that the pandal would be set up in around 50 acres of land for the swearing-in ceremony.
He said the museum of Shaheed Bhagat Singh at the village has been renovated where CM and other people will pay tributes to the freedom fighter. Proper maintenance of gardens is underway and new plantation has also been done.
