'Punjab is priority:' AAP minister who held 'defunct' dept for 20 months

Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal faced criticism after a government notification revealed that the department he held for 20 months did not exist

Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, facing flak for holding a non-existent department for 20 months, has said that the department's existence is not an agenda for him as Punjab is a higher priority for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

 

"They have now abolished the department. We have all come to save Punjab. For me, the department is not important; Punjab is important. (Whether this department exists or not) is not an agenda for us," news agency ANI quoted Dhaliwal as saying.

 

Dhaliwal, who holds the portfolio of the NRI Affairs department, was allocated the charge of the Department of Administrative Reforms by the Bhagwant Mann-led government. However, a notification released on February 21 stated that the department "does not exist."

 

"In partial modification of Punjab Government Notification No. 2/1/2022-2Cabinet/2230 dated September 23, 2024, regarding allocation of portfolios amongst the Ministers, the Department of Administrative Reforms earlier allotted to Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Cabinet Minister is not in existence as on date," the notification read.

 

BJP slams AAP

 

The notification gave fuel to the oppostion BJP, which questioned the leadership of the AAP government in Punjab. BJP leader and Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri slammed Dhaliwal for running a "non-existent" department for 20 months, saying, "He was heading a department for 20 months which is 'non-existent'. Such a thing can happen only under the leadership of the AAP government."

 

BJP leader Fatehjung Singh Bajwa said the AAP government has taken Punjab back by 50 years. "Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal is one of the most senior leaders of the Cabinet and he was leading a non-existent department, which means no meeting was ever taken. What kind of administrative reforms are being taken? People are going abroad through dunki routes, and no agent or tout who sent them was ever caught. The biggest industry in Punjab is immigration offices and out of 100, only 10 might have a proper license," he said. 

 

"This state government has taken Punjab back by 50 years. Punjab used to stand ahead once and now stands at 14th or 15th position because of these 'clowns,'" he added.

 

Bhagwant Mann defends government

 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann came out in defence of his government, saying they just changed the department's name and created a new one.

 

"We changed its name and created a new department. Earlier it was just for the name, there was no staff or office. Now, it has been created to bring reforms, whether it is in bureaucracy or other areas. We are also looking at merging several departments with similar functions into one department," Mann said.  (With inputs from ANI)