Follow Us
Capt Amarinder Singh, CM
Portfolios: Home; Agriculture; General Administration; Industry and Investment Promotion; and Excise and Taxation
Challenges: Capt Amarinder needs to depoliticise the police force, an issue that contributed to the ouster of the Akali-BJP government. In the agriculture sector, he has to tackle rural indebtedness, which has touched Rs 80,000 crore, and curb increasing incidence of farmer suicides. Ensuring smooth procurement of wheat will be his immediate challenge. Revving up the excise revenue and coming up with a transparent excise policy are among the other challenges.
Brahm Mohindra
portfolios: Health and Family Welfare; Parliamentary Affairs
Challenges: A five-time MLA, he has remained Health Minister earlier. The public sector health system in Punjab is in a shambles. Though the previous government set up infrastructure in the form of hospitals, there was staff shortage in government-run hospitals and health centres. Making healthcare affordable will be among his biggest challenges. In the Parliamentary Affairs Department, he faces a daunting task trying to pull an aggressive Opposition along. Mohindra says he will have a roadmap ready soon and get cracking on improving public healthcare.
Navjot Singh Sidhu
Portfolios: Local Govt, Tourism & Cultural Affairs
Challenges: The former BJP MP, who had switched over to the Congress just before the elections, has to first put the Urban Mission, meant to rejuvenate basic amenities in cities, back on track. Getting more funds for the local bodies in order to make these self-sufficient; dealing with the stray cattle menace and setting up more gaushalas are his immediate challenges.
Manpreet Singh Badal
Portfolios: Finance, Planning and Employment Generation
Challenges: The five-time MLA and former Finance Minister knows he has the most challenging job in the Cabinet. Harsh decisions will have to be taken to curb expenditure and the revenue needs to be revved up to save the state’s fragile economy, he says.
The Congress government has inherited a debt of Rs 1.78 lakh crore and there are unpaid bills to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore. About 1.5 lakh new employees are to be recruited. It has to be ensured that the salaries are paid on time and committed liabilities met.
Sadhu Singh Dharamsot
Portfolios: Forests; Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes
Challenges: The four-time MLA and second-time minister will have to take major steps to increase the state's thinning forest cover. Seasonal afforestation drives won't suffice. In the SC and BC Welfare Department, getting due legal share for SCs in the cultivation of panchayat land, which has been a flashpoint for past several years, will be his biggest task. “I will do as directed by the Chief Minister and work to the best of my ability,” he says.
Tript Rajinder Bajwa
Portfolios: Rural Development and Panchayats; Water Supply and Sanitation
Challenges: The seniormost Congress leader from Majha and former minister has to clean up the mess left by the previous government while executing the Rural Mission. Many of the 12,500 villages across the state, where roads have been dug up and yet to be relaid, will need his immediate attention. Getting more aid from international agencies for better water supply and sanitation will also be on top of his agenda. “It’s a huge responsibility and I am confident of delivering the results,” he says.
Rana Gurjit Singh
Portfolios: Irrigation & Power
Challenges: The lone minister from Doaba says his priority will be to strengthen the age-old irrigation channels and canals and get funds for the same from Central reserves. As Power Minister, he has to come out with a new tariff policy, take decisions regarding cross subsidy to agriculture and ensure that the state-run power generators are put to optimum use.
Charanjit Singh Channi
Portfolios: Technical Education and Industrial Training
Challenges: With employment generation being a key agenda for the Congress government, upgrading technical education institutes and industrial training institutes, by bringing in courses in accordance with the demands of the industry is an immediate task ahead of the former Leader of the Opposition. He will need to coordinate with the industry and seek the latter’s help in framing courses for the youth, especially those seeking employment opportunities in the MSME sector.
Aruna Chaudhary
Portfolios: Higher Education and Schools
Challenges: Ensuring transparency in postings and transfers of staff in the two departments; setting up higher education institutes in the government sector; taking a call on the sustainability of Adarsh/ meritorious schools; improving standards of teaching and bringing new teaching aids in schools will be her biggest challenges. “I propose to revamp the government education sector,” she says.
Razia Sultana
Portfolios: PWD (B&R), Social Security and Development of Women and Children
Challenges: The three-time MLA will have to come out of the shadow of her husband, senior cop Mohammad Mustafa. She has to ensure that work on road infrastructure is completed on time. Despite the cash crunch, social security pension will have to be paid (after effecting the hike promised in the manifesto). Malnutrition in women and children is another area of concern.
— Ruchika M Khanna