Captain bans foreign junkets for ministers

The Captain Amarinder Singh-led government on Saturday announced a ban on foreign travel of all ministers and MLAs on state government’s expense for two years.

However, those travels mandated or provided under bilateral agreement or arrangement have been excluded from the ban.

The chief minister also announced to do away with the VIP culture in the state. Following the decision, red and other coloured beacon lights on all vehicles, except ambulance and fire brigade vehicles, the Chief Justice and the Judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court, would be abolished after a formal notification to this effect is issued. An official spokesperson said a new policy on use of such beacons on vehicles will soon be formulated and notified. Use of red beacons has been restricted by directives of the court as well.

Salary, allowances, reimbursements received by all MLAs would be updated every month on the official website and would be made available to the public. All MLAs and MPs would declare their immoveable properties on January 1 every year, and for the year 2017-18, the same would be done by July 1 this year.

In a bid to bring down liquor consumption in Punjab, the Cabinet announced to shut down as many as 484 liquor vends. The Cabinet also banned operation of all liquor vends within 500 metres from national and state highways. More than 100 important decisions aimed at fulfilling one-third of the electoral promises in the first phase were adopted in the meeting.