PUNJAB CABINET EXPANSION BY JUNE, SAYS AMARINDER

CHANDIGARH Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday indicated the first expansion of his cabinet before the state’s budget session, slated to be held in June.

In a TV interview, Captain Amarinder said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had given him full freedom in choosing the council of ministers, and he will go by the criteria of seniority, experience and regional parity for the selection.

ALL REGIONS TO GET REPRESENTATION

The chief minister said he would ensure that all regions are given due representation in his cabinet.

The cabinet expansion will be undertaken before the presentation of the budget for fiscal 2017-18, said Captain Amarinder, pointing out that the government would only be going in for vote-on-account later this week. The maiden session of the newly constituted state assembly is scheduled to commence on Friday.

The chief minister said experience and professionalism would be given due importance in all government appointments, including the appointment of bureaucrats and other officials.

He said his government had decided to continue with DGP Suresh Arora as he was a professional man, and the chief secretary was changed because of his close proximity to the previous regime.