Channi targets Punjab Governor, says he's working under political pressure of BJP

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], January 1 : Blaming the Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit for deliberate and inordinate delay in clearing the file regarding regularisation of the services of contractual employees, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday said Purohit being the Constitutional head of the state was "certainly functioning under the political pressure of BJP" in wake of forthcoming assembly polls.
Addressing the media persons here, Channi extended New Year greetings and said that the Chief Secretary and even he had personally met Governor to get the file over regularisation of the services of contractual employees cleared adding that earlier he thought Governor might be busy elsewhere but now it is crystal clear that he was unnecessarily sitting over the file.
The Chief Minister said it the question of the future of several employees who had been anxiously waiting for a day when their services would be regularized at par with their peers working in the state government.
Pointing out further, Channi said that the state government has already got this legislation passed in the special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha after thoroughly working out all the modalities to pave a way for the regularization of these contractual employees with utmost care and caution.
Further, he said, "Come what may, if the need be he would not hesitate to stage a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan along with his Cabinet colleagues and party MLAs to safeguard the legitimate rights of employees."
Earlier, CM Channi outlined the major pro-people initiatives taken by his government during 100 days like setting up of several chairs in the name of eminent personalities like Bhagwan Valmiki ji, Guru Ravidass ji, Bhagat Kabir ji, Bhagwan Parshuram ji, Bhai Jaita Ji (Baba Jiwan Singh), an eminent statesman and architect of Indian Constitution Dr BR Ambdekar and devout Sikh Bhai Makhan Shah Lubaana besides exclusive research centre on three epics of Ramayana, Mahabharat and Srimad Bhagavad Geeta.
Replying to a query for establishing another chair in the name of the legendary martyr Shaheed Udham Singh Sunam, Channi assured that he would certainly get the issue examined for setting up a chair in recognition of the enormous contribution of iconic revolutionary in the national freedom struggle.
Emphasising the need to intensify efforts to boost employment avenues for our unemployed youth, the Chief Minister said that his government is already in the advanced stage of implementing the Employment Guarantee Scheme which would be announced soon as the modalities in this regard have already been cleared.
He also mentioned that the process for regularisation of services of 4587 safai sewaks and sewermen working on a contract basis in various Urban Local Bodies is already underway as the notification on this behalf have already been issued.
Channi also said that the state government has now allowed a fixed monthly allowance of Rs 2500 to 22,000 to Asha workers at a cost of Rs 60 crore, while the fixed allowance of 42500 mid-day meal workers has too increased from Rs 2200 to Rs 3000 per month at an expenditure of Rs 64.25 crore thereby fulfilling the long pending demand of these employees.
Further replying to a query, Channi said that investigations by SIT in sacrilege cases were already underway and brought to the logical end at the earliest.
"All the big sharks in drug mafia would also be dealt with severely as per the law of the land," he said.
Referring to the recent sacrilege case in Golden Temple, Amritsar, CM Channi said that his government has already offered fulsome support and cooperation to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) who was conducting an investigation in the case at their own level.