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Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service
Faridkot, July 15
The Department of General Administration, Punjab, has banned MLAs, government officials and local leaders from laying foundation stones and inauguration plaques.
In a letter to head of all departments, commissioners of all divisions, deputy commissioners and sub-divisional magistrates, the Department of General Administration conveyed on Friday evening that only President, Vice President, Chief Justice of Supreme Court and High Court, Chief Minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha and Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Union and state cabinet ministers are eligible to lay foundation stones and inauguration plaques in the state.
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According to the letter, the name of an office-bearer or any other person will not be inscribed on these plaques and foundation stones.
The invitation for any inaugural or foundation stone laying ceremony will be released by the relevant department only and no invitation other than these cards will be allowed for such functions.
The list of all those invited to such functions will be approved by the administrative secretary of the department concerned and it will be ensured that all those participating in these functions are treated with respect, reads the letter.
There would be a strict compliance of Punjab Protocol Manual while issuing invitation cards for such programmes. All such functions should only be people-welfare-oriented.
The expenses on such programmes should be minimum, reads the letter of Under Secretary, Department of General Administration.
Mentioning the names of political leaders on such stones had stirred a controversy about three months back after the video of a minister threatening a government school principal in Nabha went viral on social media. The minister was apparently upset over his name not being at the top on the inauguration plaque.
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