CHANDIGARH – The Punjab Government made eight political appointments in the Chief Minister’s office (CMO) that will cost the state exchequer lakhs of rupees every month. At its maiden meeting on Saturday, the Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Capt Amarinder Singh, had decided on several austerity measures.
Capt Amarinder has reposed faith in his old team, with one addition. His confidant Lt Gen Tajinder Singh Shergill (retd), a former PPSC chairman, becomes Senior Adviser in the rank of Cabinet Minister. Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, a former media adviser and long-time associate of Captain, has been appointed Adviser in the rank of Minister of State (MoS). He was arrested after the Congress lost to the SAD-BJP alliance in 2007.
Raveen Thukral, a senior journalist who steered Capt Amarinder’s media campaign in the recent Assembly elections, is Media Adviser in the rank of Minister of State. He formally takes charge tomorrow. Former journalist Vimal Sumbly, who has been with Capt Amarinder for the past nine years, is Secretary (Press).
Capt Sandeep Sandhu, a general secretary in the PPCC, Major Amardeep Singh and Karanpal Singh Sekhon, who worked as OSDs to Amarinder Singh prior to his becoming CM, are now Political Secretaries.
Former IGP Khubi Ram has been appointed Security Adviser in the rank of ADGP in terms of status, pay, perks and privileges. Khubi Ram, a 1984-batch CRPF officer, joined the Punjab Police on deputation in 1991. He was among the top officers to have led the anti-terrorist operations in the state under KPS Gill, then DGP. He was SP (Security) during Capt Amarinder Singh’s term as CM in 2002-2007.
He was among the first non-IPS officers to have been promoted as DIG, Punjab. In all, 11 CRPF and BSF officers were absorbed in the Punjab Police under the Absorption of Paramilitary Officers in Punjab Police Rules, 2006. The Punjab Police had withdrawn security to Khubi Ram in September 2015 after he was reportedly seen at Capt Amarinder Singh’s functions.
