No Red Beacon Vehicles for Punjab Ministers: Capt Amarinder Singh

File photo of Captain Amarinder Singh. (Photo: IANS)

The Punjab cabinet, in its first meeting in Chandigrah on Saturday, decided that the Chief Minister, legislators and top officials will not use a red beacon on their official vehicles.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal told the media after the meeting that the Chief Minister, ministers and legislators will also not lay foundation stones and won't carry out inaugurations.

Even for big projects of Rs 100 crore or Rs 200 crore, the names of the Chief Minister and ministers will not be displayed on the foundation or inauguration plagues. It will carry only one line saying that the project has been executed with the money of the taxpayers.

The new Punjab Cabinet also announced reservation for women in jobs and urban and rural local bodies. There will also be no auction of land of farmers who have availed of loans but have not paid back by any bank, including cooperative ones. The state will also come up with a new transport policy.

Punjab is the first state to give 33 percent reservation for women in jobs, including in contractual appointments, and 50 percent reservation to them in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies.

Manpreet Singh Badal, Punjab Finance Minister

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The Amarinder Singh-led Congress government assumed charge in Punjab on 16 March after the party swept the state Assembly polls on 11 March, winning 77 out of 117 assembly seats.

Also Read: Congress Sets Record For Biggest Poll Win In Punjab In 25 Years