Mann defends appointment of Delhi leaders to key posts

CM Mann was in Ghanaur Kalan village of Sangrur where he interacted with panchayats of five villages and also dedicated a facilitation centre in Dhuri to ensure transparent and accessible governance for the residents

Defending the state government’s move appointing non-Punjabis to key positions, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said that experts are there in other states as well.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann during an event in Sangrur on Wednesday.

The Punjab government had on Monday appointed 31 individuals as chairmen, directors and heads of various government bodies, drawing criticism from opposition parties for making Delhi AAP leader Deepak Chauhan chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, and appointing Delhi AAP spokesperson Reena Gupta as chairperson of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

CM Mann was in Ghanaur Kalan village of Sangrur where he interacted with panchayats of five villages and also dedicated a facilitation centre in Dhuri to ensure transparent and accessible governance for the residents. “We have many experts in other states as well. There is no discrimination. Our people are MPs and ministers in foreign countries,” he said while responding to criticism.

Regarding the controversy surrounding Agniveer Akashdeep Singh from Faridkot who died of a bullet injury on duty on May 15, Mann said, “We have talked to the army regarding this. We will act accordingly once the army reaches a conclusion. I have been visiting the houses of martyrs. We have even announced ₹1 crore for those who lost their lives.”

The CM flayed the central government for slashing Punjab’s open market borrowing limit. Regarding Bhakra water issue, he said, “The Centre demands rice, wheat, etc, from us for public distribution system but instead of giving us more water, they are taking what we have.”