Portfolio: Social security, women and child development; transport

With feisty teacher unions and poor standards, no minister in Punjab wants the education department. So when elevated from minister of state to the cabinet rank in the expansion last year, Aruna ensured a change of portfolio. But the transport ministry is not an easy sail with the powerful lobby of politicians from the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal calling the shots. Even government policies and taxes watched their interests, forget the officers. Chaudhary is trying to rein in the transport mafia through tight enforcement but is treading a legal minefield with private bus operators moving the courts.

The Congress had promised a crackdown on the transport mafia that dictates licences, route permits and tariffs at the cost of Punjab Roadways and

Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC). It had claimed to ensure hassle-free toll tax collection and grant of registration certificates (RC) and driving licences. Notorious for poor sex ratio, saving daughters was not among the many promises of the Congress manifesto. The party had promised to hike pensions for the aged, differently abled, destitute children and widows to Rs 1,500 per month.

There are only 600 bus permits but due to route extensions and curtailments taken by private bus operators over the years, the cases run into thousands. And the state is struggling to defend them in courts. The timetables to allot proportionate time to all operators is still in progress. To take on private cartels, 299 new ordinary and 31 Volvo buses have been inducted into the fleet. Though officers are being asked to conduct random checks, the highly politicised department is taking time to shed the legacy. It is also yet to resolve the issue of its buses not getting assess to international airport due to inter-state permits’ issue with the Delhi government. The new transport policy, 2018, has made vehicle tracking system mandatory from January 1 this year in new vehicles. For ease in getting RCS and driving licences, 80 SDMS have been authorised to issue them along with 11 regional transport authorities (RTAS). The pension amount has been hiked to Rs 750 per month but not the promised Rs 1,500. The child sex ratio at birth has increased in 2018 to 907/1000 from 890/1000 in 2014, more due to the Centre’s than state’s efforts. Under a new policy, financial assistance of Rs 8,000 per month is being given to acid attack victims and all 16 identified victims till January 2019 have been compensated.

Aruna faced opposition Aam Aadmi Party’s ire in assembly for not reining in Badal family buses. She also invites criticism for her husband calling the shots in her department, something that belittles her status as women empowerment minister.