21 MLAs as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) took oath at Chappar Chiri

Chappar Chiri, April 10
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal administered the oath of office to 21 MLAs as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) at a simple ceremony at Chappar Chiri in Mohali today. From among the 13 Akali ministers (including the CM and Deputy CM), five were absent. All four BJP ministers attended the function.

The crowds were thin and the function lacklustre. Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh conducted the proceedings.

The entire ceremony was over in 17 minutes with the Chief Minister administering oath to the 21 MLAs in four batches.

The first batch of five comprised Balbir Singh Ghunnas, Nand Lal, SS Thandal, Desraj Dhugga and Harmeet Singh Sandhu and the second Mohinder Kaur Josh, Mantar Singh Brar, Amarpal Boney, Avinash Chander and Amarjit Singh Shahi.

The third batch consisted of KD Bhandari, Gurbachan Singh Babehali, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Virsa Singh Valtoha and NK Sharma. Six MLAs, Nisara Khatoon, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Pawan Kumar Teenu, Som Parkash, Parkash Chand Garg, Sarup Singla, were in the last batch.

The ministers present at the ceremony were Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bhagat Chunni Lal, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Madan Mohan Mittal, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Tota Singh, Surjit Kumar Jyani, Bikram Singh Majithia, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Anil Joshi and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon.

Sukhbir seemed in a hurry and left soon after the swearing-in. Speaking to The Tribune, several newly appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretaries said they were disappointed at the poor turnout.

“Administrative secretaries and some ministers did not turn up though they were invited personally. What kind of working relationship can we expect with them,” they asked

CM’s Take Each CPS will help the government in promoting various developmental works. The total amount spent on these secretaries is negligible when compared with the work the government will make them do — Badal at Chappar Chiri

On an average, the government spends about Rs 7 lakh per month on various expenses of a CPS. This totals to around Rs 1 crore annually. For all the CPSs, it would be Rs 21 crore annually and for the entire five-year government tenure Rs 105 crore. This is a fairly large sum, especially in view of the fact that the CPSs do not have much role in the government.

The CM, not wanting to get into a controversy, simply said: “Each CPS is an MLA and will help the government in promoting developmental works. The total amount spent on these secretaries is negligible when compared with the work the government will make them do”.

He said he viewed them as ministers under training “who will be knowledgeable about their departments by the time they become ministers. We don’t want unexperienced MLAs as ministers”.

Badal said the concept of appointing parliamentary secretaries had been borrowed from the British Parliament where the secretaries are attached to ministers with a view to train them. These secretaries would be useful in acting as a bridge between the people and the government, he added.

Fiscal burden

• On an average, the government spends about Rs 7 lakh per month on various expenses of a Chief Parliamentary Secy
• This totals to around Rs 1 crore annually.
• For all the CPSs together, the amount would be Rs 21 crore annually
• It would be Rs 105 crore for the entire five-year government tenure

On the sidelines...

• The ceremony was attended by 3000 people
• While all four BJP ministers were present at the function, five Akali ministers were absent
• Several seats in the front row of the VVIP stand, were occupied by defeated candidates and party office-bearers
• A 30-minute documentary on CM’s life was shown on giant screens repeatedly
• Sukhbir Badal left at the conclusion of the ceremony while the CM chose to stay for lunch.