Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Retains NRI Affairs as Punjab Government Scraps Administrative Reforms Department: Punjab Government Scraps Non-Existent Department

In a surprising turn of events, the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has made a major change in the cabinet, eliminating the Administrative Reforms Department altogether. The decision was made official through a gazetted notification, raising eyebrows over why such a department, assigned to Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, was even in existence—especially when the government has now admitted that it never actually existed.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and an important figure in the Punjab cabinet, had been holding charge of two portfolios: the Administrative Reforms Department and the NRI Affairs Department. However, after nearly 20 months, the government realized that the Administrative Reforms Department was, in fact, a non-existent entity. This bureaucratic misstep has now been corrected, leaving Dhaliwal with only the NRI Affairs portfolio.

The decision to revoke the Administrative Reforms Department has fueled speculation about internal mismanagement within the Punjab government. Observers are questioning how a minister could be officially assigned to a department that was never actually operational. The notification issued by the government confirms that the portfolio has been withdrawn from Dhaliwal, making it clear that he will now focus solely on NRI affairs. However, the government has not provided a detailed explanation for why this administrative restructuring was necessary at this point in time.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal was originally in charge of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department when the AAP government took power in Punjab. However, in a cabinet reshuffle in May 2023, he was removed from that position and was instead given charge of the Administrative Reforms Department along with NRI Affairs. This latest move effectively reduces his responsibilities, limiting his role to handling matters related to the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) community.

While the Punjab government has not elaborated on why the Administrative Reforms Department was assigned in the first place, opposition leaders are already using this as an opportunity to criticize the Mann administration. Some political opponents have called it a reflection of the government’s lack of administrative oversight, while others see it as an indication of deeper confusion within the AAP-led cabinet.

With the latest reshuffle, Dhaliwal’s political standing in the cabinet appears to have diminished. However, his role in managing NRI affairs remains crucial, particularly given the importance of the Punjabi diaspora in global politics and economic contributions to the state. Whether this change is simply a bureaucratic correction or part of a larger political strategy remains to be seen.

As Punjab navigates this cabinet adjustment, the opposition and political analysts will continue to scrutinize the decision. The government’s move to acknowledge and eliminate a non-existent department raises serious questions about governance, transparency, and the efficiency of decision-making at the highest levels of administration.

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