14 senior officers found 'absent' during CM's surprise check

Fourteen senior IAS officers were found "absent" during a surprise check conducted by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the state government's Mini Secretariat in Chandigarh on Monday.

"Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today made a surprise check here at the Mini Civil Secretariat at sharp 09.05 am and found 14 senior officers absent from their offices," an official spokesman said.

He said that the check was aimed at ensuring punctuality and discipline in the government offices besides fulfilling the commitment of the state government for prompt deliverance of citizen-centric services and redressal of public grievances.

The officers found absent were of the rank of Principal Secretary, Secretary, Special Secretary and Additional Secretary of various departments including Housing & Urban Development, Jails & General Administration, Finance, PWD (B&R), Higher Education, Health & Family Welfare and School Education, he said.

Those who were "absent" included SR Ladhar, A Venu Prasad, Dharamvir, Sanjay Kumar, Anurag Aggarwal, VK Janjua, JM Balamurgam, HS Kandhola, Amarpal Singh, Chander Gaind, APS Virk, Rahul Bhandari, Avtar Chand Sharma and R L Mehta, the spokesman added.

The chief minister also interacted with the officials present in their offices, to know their problems and hardships coming in way of discharging their duties.

Badal also inspected the civil dispensary at mini secretariat and found all the doctors and paramedics present. A few junior employees were absent, the spokesman said, adding the entire staff of National Informatics Centre was absent.

Badal also impressed upon the officers and officials to discharge their duties with utmost dedication, commitment, honestly and sincerity in the larger public interest besides redressing the grievances of the people in an effective manner.

Recently Badal had conducted a similar check at the Punjab Civil Secretariat – the main head quarters of the state government - and had found a number of ministers and officers absent.