MP Randhawa warns officials of laxity in using Central Govt funds

Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa presided over a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) and asked officials to ensure that all Central Government schemes reached the doorstep of the people, particularly those living in rural areas.

Gurdaspur Parliamentary Constituency comprises the revenue districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were Sujanpur MLA Naresh Puri, ex-MLAs Amit Vij and Joginder Pal and Pathankot Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aditya Uppal. The DC is the member-secretary of such meetings.

DISHA has been formed by the Central Government to ensure better coordination among all the elected representatives in Parliament, state legislatures and local governments for efficient and time-bound development.

He appealed to officials to personally visit the spot where Central Government-sponsored schemes were being executed. He also asked them to hold camps in villages so that people are informed about the benefits of such schemes.

The MP had recently presided over such a meeting of Gurdaspur district.

MP Randhawa’s initiative to hold DISHA meetings was appreciated by residents and officials. His predecessor Sunny Deol rarely presided over such meetings due to which the beneficiaries suffered.

The MP has powers to seek information and demand an effective follow-up on ongoing welfare schemes.

Officials from the departments were present.

It is mandatory on the part of all MLAs whether they are in the ruling party or are in the opposition to take part in the proceedings. However, Ashwani Sharma, sitting BJP MLA of Pathankot and Lal Chand Kataruchak, Cabinet minister and MLA of Bhoa, remained absent. “They absented themselves because the meeting was chaired by a Congress MP. Their absence means that the

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Central Government schemes going on in their respective areas cannot be elaborately discussed. In a democratic set-up, the fact that they are MLAs who belong to different parties should not matter and they should have been present. A large number of significant and ambitious programmes are being implemented for improvement of infrastructure, human development and the well-being of people. Hence, they should have ensured their presence,” said a senior officer.

Amritsar