CHANDIGARH: Punjab Finance and Planning Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema issued unequivocal directives on Wednesday to all Deputy Commissioners, mandating the completion of development works under the first phase of the Rangla Punjab Vikas Scheme by May 15, 2026.
Emphasising CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led government’s robust financial commitment, the Finance Minister confirmed an allocation of sufficient funds for the scheme, noting that funds for the second phase have also been released. He urged all district administrations to ensure that these resources are utilised efficiently and strictly within the designated timeframes, as there is absolutely no dearth of funds.
To guarantee the highest standards of execution, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema directed the Deputy Commissioners to mandate regular field visits by concerned departmental officers. He said, “This measure aims to closely monitor both the quality and the pace of the ongoing development initiatives on the ground.”
For major infrastructure works that may unavoidably extend beyond the May 15 target, the Finance Minister ordered the immediate submission of revised, strict timelines to ensure their completion at the earliest possible date.
Reinforcing the need for transparency and digital accountability, Chief Secretary KAP Sinha instructed the Deputy Commissioners to appoint dedicated nodal officers at the district level. He said, “These officers will bear the responsibility of uploading real-time status reports of all development works directly onto the Rangla Punjab Portal. Any concerned personnel who have yet to receive portal training must attend a specialised training session conducted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) tomorrow.”
These instructions were delivered during a high-level review meeting chaired by the Finance Minister, and attended by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Special Chief Secretary, Sports and Youth Services Sarvjit Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Planning Jaspreet Talwar, Additional Chief Secretary, Technical Education & Industrial Training, Vikas Pratap, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Kumar Rahul, Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayats, Ajit Balaji Joshi, Secretary, Local Government, Manjit Singh Brar, Secretary, Education, Sonali Giri, Secretary, Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board, Kumar Amit, Special Secretary, PWD, Hargunjit Kaur, and MD, Punjab Health System Corporation, Amit Talwar. Deputy Commissioners from across all districts participated in the proceedings via video conferencing.
