CM Channi promises zero tolerance for corruption
KAPURTHALA : Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday promised a zero-tolerance policy to check corruption, while seeking the support of the youth in his fight against the menace. “Either I or corruption will stay; both things can’t go together,” he said in his address at Inder Kumar Gujral Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala, where he presided over a state-level event, his first as a chief minister.
Channi also laid the foundation stone of ₹150-crore Dr BR Ambedkar museum to come up on the campus. He also thanked former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh for granting approval for the museum. He said Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Management in collaboration with IIM, Amritsar, will be set up at Kapurthala. A School of Ambedkar Thoughts and Dr Baba Sahib Ambedkar Centre for Research in Inequality and Research will also be set up in Doaba. Channi also handed over employment letters to some youth as part of a job fair. He also announced recruitment for class-d posts, including those of peon, sweeper, driver, on regular basis. The CM also announced a grant of ₹10 crore for setting up an ITI at Sultanpur Lodhi.
The chief minister expressed his concern over the corruption in government offices, especially in the local bodies department. “There is a deep-rooted corruption in the local bodies department as officials pocket up to 20-22% of the value of development works in bribe. It will not be tolerated,” Channi said, sharing that he had brought down corruption in Kharar municipal council when he was its president. Channi said the youth should play a proactive role to eradicate corruption and expose the corrupt officials.
He even disapproved of the vigilance bureau’s demand for audio recording of official(s) seeking bribes as proof when someone approaches the agency with a complaint. “Who seeks bribe on phone calls?” he said.
The CM attacked SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal for “sowing the seeds of VVIP culture”, saying nearly 1,000 security personnel and 200 vehicles were allocated to him when he was the deputy chief minister. “Badals purchased luxury cars costing ₹2 crore each. The money needs to be spent on the poor. I have asked officials to minimise my security. I don’t need such security as I am not Sukhbir Badal,” Channi said.