‘AKALI GOVT VITIATED ENVIRONMENT IN KEY DEPTS’

CHANDIGARH : Delay in release of funds, violation of central guidelines, flawed policies and priorities, poor fiscal discipline and irregularities have been listed by the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government as reason for governance glitches during the previous Akali-BJP regime.

In its white paper on governance, the new government claimed that structures and processes were undermined, systems weakened and institutional environment vitiated in key departments of public importance in the past.

The document was tabled by finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in the state assembly on Monday.

PROFESSIONALISM IN POLICING GO FOR TOSS

The police subdivisions were made co-terminus with assembly constituencies under the “halqa in-charge system”, according to the paper. The system established one-to-one relationship between the ASP/DSP and MLA or a political person was made in-charge of the assembly constituency.

A total 125 police divisions were operating against 96 sanctioned subdivisions and the remaining DSPs were posted on unsanctioned posts. “This not only had adverse effect on the functioning of armed battalions and specialised wings, the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of service delivery to citizens by the police also declined in public perception,” it said.

MUSHROOMING OF ILLEGAL COLONIES

In the urban sector, the housing and urban development department failed to regulate unplanned development, which is reflected in massive growth of unauthorised colonies, illegal buildings and marriage palaces in the state. According to the survey undertaken by the department a few years back, there were 5,340 unauthorised colonies, but the actual number was still not known. In three policies announced for regularisation of such colonies between 2012 and 2016, the state received 6,510 applications.