Punjab State Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal responded to the abolition of the Department of Administrative Reforms, emphasizing that his priority is the welfare of Punjab, not the existence of any department. The department, which he headed since its allocation on September 23, 2024, was declared non-existent in a government notification. This decision drew criticism from BJP leaders, including Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who condemned the AAP government’s leadership for allowing a minister to run a non-existent department for 20 months. In defense, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated they had renamed and restructured the department to enhance administrative reforms.
Chandigarh:
Following the abolition of the Department of Administrative Reforms, which he led, State Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal stated that the department’s presence is not a priority for him, as the welfare of Punjab takes precedence for the government.
“The department has now been dissolved. Our collective aim is to serve Punjab. For me, the department is insignificant; Punjab’s needs are what matter. (The existence of this department) is not a matter of concern for us,” Mr. Dhaliwal told reporters.
As indicated in the notification issued on February 21, Mr. Dhaliwal, who manages the NRI Affairs portfolio, was previously appointed to oversee the Department of Administrative Reforms, which the government now claims “does not exist”.
“In a partial modification of Punjab Government Notification No. 2/1/2022-2Cabinet/2230 dated September 23, 2024, concerning the allocation of portfolios among Ministers, the Department of Administrative Reforms assigned to Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Cabinet Minister, is no longer in existence as of today,” the notification stated.
This announcement sparked criticism from the BJP, with various leaders directing their ire at the AAP government in Punjab.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri openly criticized Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, reprimanding him for managing a “non-existent” department for 20 months during the AAP government’s tenure.
Mr. Puri remarked, “He was in charge of a department for 20 months that is ‘non-existent’. Such a situation can occur only under the leadership of the AAP government.”
BJP leader Fatehjung Singh Bajwa asserted that the Mann administration has regressed Punjab by 50 years.
“Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, one of the most experienced leaders in the Cabinet, was overseeing a non-existent department, indicating that no meetings ever occurred… What kind of administrative reforms are being implemented? People are emigrating through illegal routes, and none of the agents or traffickers involved have been apprehended… The most significant business in Punjab is immigration offices, and out of 100, only about 10 possibly have proper licenses… This state government has dragged Punjab back by 50 years… Punjab once ranked high but now finds itself at 14th or 15th position due to these ‘clowns’,” he stated.
In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government, asserting that they had merely rebranded the department and established a new one.
“We renamed it and created a new department. Previously, it existed only in name, without any staff or office. Now, it is aimed at implementing reforms, whether in bureaucracy or other sectors… We are also considering consolidating several departments with similar functions into one entity,” Mr. Mann explained.
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