It seems the Punjab Government is confused whether to bring in professionalism or to do away with it.
Two bills passed by the State Assembly, related to two different departments indicating contradictory stand of the ruling alliance. While the State Government favoured bringing in professionalism in the functioning of the State Cooperative Banks by appointing banking experts and managing directors, it passed a bill handing over sewerage board’s functioning to babus instead of professionals.
Opposing the Punjab Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2013, leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar maintained that the move to appoint “outsiders” as MD is “against the tenet of cooperation”, and demanded to withdraw and reconsideration of the Bill.
Congress MlA Ashwani Sekhri, on the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Amendment) Bill, 2013, pointed out the lack of basic sewage facilities, while his colleague Jagmohan Singh Kang asked to ensure quality of work that would only be possible if experts would manage the Board’s affairs. BJP MlA Som Parkash pressed for having professionals as Board heads. The Assembly also passed The Payment of Wages (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2013, ensuring payment of wages to workers through cheques or transferring money in their bank accounts.
