Chandigarh, Sep 1 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday announced appointment of Chief Minister's Field Officers as Nodal Officers for NRIs to ensure redressal of their grievances in a prompt and time-bound manner.
He said after the formation of Aam Aadmi Party government, 23 posts of Chief Minister Field Officer were created after abolishing of equal number of posts of Assistant Commissioner, Grievances, in a move was aimed at ensuring that grievances of residents of the state were redressed at district level by providing a well-structured and empowered grievance redressal system.
Mann said in another significant decision, the state government has now decided to appoint Chief Minister Field Officers as Nodal Officers for NRIs to ensure redressal of their grievances.
He said that these officers will prove to be an ideal Nodal Officer for NRIs as they will be effectively able to coordinate across departments and districts, besides having a direct communication with the Chief Minister's Office.
He expressed hope that this initiative of the will prove a boon for the Punjabis settled abroad.
Mann said that now NRIs will get a single point contact to get all their problems resolved in a smooth and hassle free manner.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the sole aim of evolving this entire mechanism is to ensure quick disposal of services to the NRIs.
A Rajya Sabha member and close aide of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her inception in Punjab affairs has caused suspicion among the leaders in Punjab who were fighting a turf war. Soni could be reckoned to be the choice of the high command if Congress returns to power as a consensus candidate.
The new limit will apply to both Indian passport holders as well as persons of Indian origin carrying the Overseas Citizen of India card travelling to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province through Kartarpur corridor.
The development comes after the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of farmer bodies, suspended the agitation after the Union government repealed the three farm laws and conceded its other demands. Subsequently the farmers started vacating the Delhi borders where they have been stationed for more than a year.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday gave a clarion call for the establishment of a truly federal structure in the country, with genuine cultural, political and economic autonomy to states. It also announced to implement a Rs 50,000 per acre crop insurance scheme, besides commitment to revive the pre-2004 pension scheme for government employees.
In order to provide constructed houses to the economically weaker section (EWS) across the state, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved invitation of applications for allotment of 25,000 houses to be constructed by urban development authorities. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Channi here.
On October 3, eight people, including four protesting farmers, had died when a SUV belonging to Ashish Mishra had mowed them down on the outskirts of Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. One local journalist had died in the ensuing violence.