Bathinda, August 28 – A picture of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal adorned the 500 kits given to bank account holders under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna, a Central Government scheme, today. The kits were given away by Union Minister for Food Processing and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
This is not the first time that the state government is trying to take credit for a scheme launched by the Central Government. Earlier also, the state government was mired in a controversy for claiming credit by using photograph of the CM in connection with Central Government initiatives like the Atta-Dal Scheme and the 108 Ambulance Service.
The minister refused to comment when asked if the state government was trying to take credit for a scheme launched by the Central Government. She had taken credit for the schemes launched by the Congress-led Central Government while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections also.
A plea challenging the use of the CM’s photograph on ambulances was submitted in the High Court. The petitioner had pointed out that the Punjab Government was flouting directions issued by then Union Minister for Health Ghulam Nabi Azad. He had directed all states to follow a uniform design for the free-referral transport system under the National Rural Health Mission and had set March 31, 2013, as the deadline to remove photographs. Taking cognisance, the court had issued a notice of motion to the Punjab Government.
Newly elected Talwandi Sabo legislator Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu was among those present on the occasion.
Source: TNS