To discuss issues related to development grants, sealing of buildings Deepkamal Kaur Jalandhar, December 10 A day after the workers’ meet, Congress MLAs today decided to hold a meeting with the Chief Minister and the Local Bodies Minister in Chandigarh regarding various issues, including the need for development grants, sealing of buildings and implementation of the one-time settlement scheme. As the city MLAs saw a growing disenchantment among councillors over getting no grants for development works, they urged PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar yesterday to push up their case with the Chief Minister and the Local Bodies Minister over which a meeting has been planned for tomorrow. While Congress MLAs Sushil Rinku and Pargat Singh are already in Chandigarh, Bawa Henry and Rajinder Beri too are leaving tomorrow morning to put up the matter. Pargat, who has been batting for the change of Mayor, today again said: “All that we need is a strong and confidence head who knows how to generate funds. There are 100 ways to do that provided that you have strong internal machinery. Jakhar has agreed to accompany us to the minister and discuss ways to wriggle out of the financial mess.” Rinku said the main issue before all MLAs was the sealing of shops and demolition notices to them after the court orders. “We will ask the Chief Minister and the minister to find some way out, may be through some policy decision in the Cabinet. Owners of nearly 400 buildings are facing problem,” he said. Beri said the MC’s share from the GST and octroi on electricity was pending. “A one-time settlement policy for the building too needs to be cleared as the shop owners are ready to pay the compounding fee,” he said. ‘Getting good feelers after meeting PPCC chief’ A day after sharing problems with PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar, Congress workers said today that they had started getting good feelers already. Ward No. 24 councillor Rajinder Kumar Juneja, alias Mintu, who had spoken over the issue of getting no safai karamchari, said: “When I went to the Municipal Corporation office today, the Commissioner told me that I would soon get some safai workers for my ward. I had also taken up the matter of meeting of the councillors with the Local Bodies Minister. I was told today that such meetings were being planned for the councillors of every city in rotation. Such messages today imply that our feedback has had an impact somewhere.” Deputy Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Harsimranjit Banti, said he and some councillors met the PPCC chief at the Circuit House after tomorrow’s meetings. The party chief has been apprised of the poor functioning of the MC. He was told that no sub-committees were being set up by the Mayor for monitoring of civic works,” he said. Will give feedback to CM after meetings: Jakhar PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar said today that he would give a complete feedback to the Chief Minister on responses generated in the workers’ meet yesterday after holding four-five more such meetings. Since there was a lot of unrest over the Atta-Dal scheme, I had a word with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu over telephone, apprising him of ground facts,” he said. Reverification needs another 1.5 months: Ashu Bharat Bhushan Ashu, when contacted, agreed that “The old Blue Cards are being used for identification only. Our Smart Cards would be given out once the reverification process gets through in another one-and-a-half month. We are facing problems with the staff regarding the deletion of names and the addition of new ones. But we hope things will get settled soon.”

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