The dinner diplomacy of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu seems to have worked. Even the BJP, which had been attacking the Congress-led state government over fiscal challenges faced by the state both inside and outside the Assembly, supported the a series of amendment bills paving the way for increased salaries for the Chief Minister, Cabinet, legislators, Speaker and Deputy Speaker by 24%. However, the salary hikes come with significant trade-offs, as essential allowances for electricity, water and telephone have been nixxed by the amendments.
Punjab Finance Minister shows quick thinking
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, presenting his fourth budget on March 26, demonstrated quick thinking and presence of mind after the tablet from which he was reading the budget speech saw a minor glitch within minutes of commencing the 107-minute speech. Without hesitation, Cheema picked up the hard copy of the document and kept reading the budgetary proposals; handling the situation so smoothly that many didn’t even notice the change. Cheema presented a Rs 2.36 lakh crore Budget, focusing mainly on curbing prevailing drug menace in Punjab.
CM Mann celebrates daughter’s first birthday
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann recently celebrated his daughter Niyamat Kaur Mann’s first birthday in a grand, heartwarming event. The celebration turned even more vibrant with renowned Punjabi singers Gurdas Maan and Ranjit Bawa joining the festivities. In a delightful display of joy, the chief minister was seen dancing with his wife Dr Gupreet Kaur. Social media was flooded with videos and photos from the event showcasing the lively atmosphere. Dr Gurpreet Kaur shared an emotional message on social media along with a picture of her daughter. She expressed her joy of motherhood, calling it “not just a relationship, but a feeling.”
Harpreet Bajwa
Our correspondent in Chandigarh
hsbajwa73@gmail.com