Amarinder rules out 'slowdown' on VIP security

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today ordered the transfer of the transport department official responsible for the error on the red beacon issue and ruled out any slowdown on the review and withdrawal of security to political leaders in the state.
Talking to mediapersons in the Vidhan Sabha gallery here, Singh made it clear that there would be no change in his government's red beacon policy, as mandated in the Congress poll manifesto and ratified through a cabinet decision.
His government, he said, was fully committed to end the VVIP culture in the state and there would be no further relaxation in the exemptions, barring those laid down by the cabinet.

The Chief Minister made it clear that he and his cabinet colleagues would not use the red beacons, which they had decided to voluntarily give up even though the Congress manifesto had exempted them.
Singh categorically stated that he had directed the Chief Secretary to immediately shift out the officers/officials responsible for Tuesday's goof-up.
Removal of red beacons is part of his government's commitment to eradicate the VIP culture in the state, he added.

He also ruled out any slowdown in the withdrawal or pruning of security to political leaders and officers, saying security was given based on threat perceptions.

The Chief Minister said he had directed the DGP to take necessary steps for implementing the security review decision in the interest of good policing and for the welfare of the police.
The Chief Minister said he has already asked the DGP to
work out a proposal for giving a weekly off and eight hours duty schedule for the police personnel in order to create a congenial atmosphere to work.
On reports in a section of media on sending notices to farmers who owed money to banks, he said orders had already been issued to all banks not to make any recoveries.

"We will enact a law so that no lending agencies can sell land of farmers for not re-paying loans. We will take over the loans of the farmers," he said.
The new law would be tabled in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha, Singh added.
He said a vigilance inquiry would be ordered into the legacy foodgrain account alleged scam of Rs 31,000 crore. "An investigation by a third-party auditor would first be done," he said.
He said the cash credit limit (CCL) for wheat would be released soon.
On desecration incidents, the investigation would continue, he said.
Before the budget session in June, the white paper on state's fiscal health would be out, Singh added.

The Chief Minister said all teachers of primary schools would be posted in their home districts.
He said telephone, debt waiver and jobs for one person in each household would be implemented this year itself.
He said the budget might not have provision for this, but out-of-the-box ideas would help them implement these three decisions in this year.