High command steps in, Sidhu says will clear air with Capt

Ministers demanding his resignation say matter stands resolved

CHANDIGARH:AFTER days of feud in the Punjab Congress over local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s “Rahul my captain” remark, the party high command finally stepped in on Monday to defuse the crisis as both the former cricketer and chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s loyalists tried to cap the row.

A cabinet minister, who did not wish to be named, said the brief from the party high command was clear, “not to flare up the situation”. Sidhu is campaigning for the party in other states. Union ministers are using the faceoff between him and Amarinder to take snipes at the Congress. The party cannot afford to let the controversy linger on, he said.

Sidhu had made the controversial statement at a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday while explaining his visit to Pakistan for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor despite being advised by the CM to reconsider his decision.

Sidhu, who is campaigning in Rajasthan which goes to polls on December 7, tried to play down the controversy by saying he will clear the air with the CM. But he remained defiant when asked if he would tender an apology or retract his statement, a demand made by many of his cabinet colleagues. “I have said nothing wrong. So there is no question of retracting the statement or tendering an apology. But I love the CM and respect him as a fatherly figure. It’s a family matter and I will sort it out myself, one-toone, when I meet him,” Sidhu said.

Back home, the ministers who were demanding that Sidhu be booted out of the cabinet, said the issue has been resolved. State rural development minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, who was the first to demand Sidhu’s resignation, said: “When a son has said he will resolve the matter with his father, who are we to come between the two? All’s well that ends well.”

Three other ministers — Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot — too had demanded Sidhu’s ouster while four ministers had on Sunday asked him to apologise. But no one raised the issue at Monday’s cabinet meeting.

“The matter was not discussed at the cabinet meeting as there were more important issues concerning the state. Also, we could have spoken on it only if Sidhu was present,” sports minister Rana Sodhi said.

The row had erupted after Amarinder, who too received an invite from Pakistan for the Kartarpur corridor ceremony, had turned it down accusing the neighbouring country of sponsoring terror attacks in the state and country. The tension between Amarinder and Sidhu kept simmering and the latter skipped the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab, which was presided over by the chief minister.

I have said nothing wrong. So there is no question of tendering an apology. But I love the CM and respect him as a fatherly figure. NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, Punjab local bodies minister

MERGER OF DIST CO-OP BANKS

It was also decided to merge 20 district cooperative banks with Punjab State Cooperative Bank (PSCB), amove aimed at to strengthen the state’s rural credit system. A government spokesperson said the decision was taken as per the guidelines of Reserve Bank of India, which says all district cooperative banks should have a minimum 9% capital adequacy ratio.

“At present, the district banks were adhering to the required CRAR of 9% but there is hardly any space for majority of these banks to increase their business and profitability. Without further capital induction, the CRAR stipulation given by the RBI cannot be met,” said the spokesman, justifying the government decision.

It is said that to meet the CRAR stipulation of the cooperative banks, the state government had to invest a capital of ₹307 crore and with this merger, the entire state cooperative bank set up will emerge as a financially stronger entity. With the merger, the bank’s CRAR with touch the range of 13-14%.

There are 9-lakh farmers who have kisan credit cards of the cooperative banks in the state and are dependent on credit in the prevalent cooperative structure. Top officials say the merger will increase regular flow of credit to the farmers, curtail the cost of computerisation and other administrative expenses and help better tax compliance.

WATER RESOURCES BILL

A clearance was given to the Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Bill-2018, aimed at ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable utilisation of the state’s water resources. After the Bill is passed in the Vidhan Sabha, a state-level body — Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority (PWRDA) — will be created, which will be empowered to take measures for conservation and management of the water resources. The authority will also be empowered to decide tariffs for drinking, domestic, commercial or industrial use. An advisory committee will assist the regulatory body.

ESI POSTS TO BE FILLED

An approval was given for filling up of 185 vacant posts of doctors and paramedics at ESI hospitals and dispensaries. The recruitment as per the council of minister will ensure healthcare services to 12.92 lakh insured persons covered under the Employees State Insurance (ESI) scheme. A total of 55 posts of doctors and 130 of paramedics will be filled on contract basis.

ONE-TIME SETTLEMENT FOR DEFAULTERS

A one-time settlement policy for the defaulters of Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation and Punjab Financial Corporation (PFC) to settle their dues was also approved.

The cabinet agreed to finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s suggestion to give a last chance to the defaulters for the settlement of their dues.