Capt woos ex-servicemen, promises creation of new department

Tuesday, 27/12/2016

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=170410&boxid=58596&uid=&dat=2016-12-27

Chandigarh : In an attempt to woo ex-servicemen ahead of 2017, Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections, Punjab Congress has announced creation of one new department if voted to power.

To monitor the usage of funds released by the government for various development works under various schemes, Congress will create an additional department - Guardians of Governance- if it comes in power, claimed Capt Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab.

Expressing his concern over siphoning off huge money, meant for the development works, by sarpanchs, panchs, jathedars and other prominent persons with the connivance of government officials, Capt stressed the need to bridle those involved in the practice.

He said that the Congress government will engage ex-servicemen in the new department to oversee implementation of government schemes and ensure proper utilizations of the funds released for the same at grassroots level.

Amarinder Singh claimed this will not only help in curbing the funds-pilferage but also boost development at village, cluster and block levels. Under the monitoring the ex-servicemen, Capt. believes that the funds will be property utilized and the quality of works done would also be better that those carried on during previous governments.

The Punjab Congress, in its election manifesto that is likely to be released shortly, has also promised to create the department. Welcoming the proposal for using talent of ex-servicemen, Brigadier (Retd) Kuldeep Singh Kahlon, president of All India Defence Brotherhood, Punjab Chapter, said Amarinder Singh is having a defence background and knows that defence personnel are hardworking, discipline, dedicates and committed to their works.

Since a majority of them get retired in young age and spend time in various activities. “Ex-servicemen of officers rank are well quailed and trained in various fields like Information and Technology, Engineering, Health, Education, Sports and others. They have potential to perform even in odd hours,” claimed Brigd Kahlon.

This is an appreciable idea and help in providing good governance to people of Punjab, he claimed.

By promising creation of ‘Guardians of Governance’, the Congress no doubt has made another attempt to woo ex-servicemen and service voters, but one can’t rely on the moral of executing agencies, say political pundits.