Khanduri likely to expand cabinet in a week; provide good admin

Dehra Dun, Mar 9 (UNI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri has said he would prove his majority and extend his cabinet within a week.

In his first ever press conference after his swearing-in, Mr Khanduri said he would expand his cabinet after the election of the Assembly Speaker on March 12 as well as proving his majority on the Floor of the House.

He said the party manifesto was like Bible and Koran for him.

Working according to the manifesto will be a priority, he added.

He said the administrative machinery had been derailed and bringing it on track will be his first priority. Maj Gen Khanduri said national security, state security and ultimately the people's security would be one of the main concern of his government.

''Uttarakhand being a border state with Nepal and Tibet, the issue of security demands more attention, '' he said and added a high level committee would be constituted, of which he will be the chairman.

Maintaining that the services of experts and retired defence and security agencies personnel will be taken, Mr Khanduri said, ''The issue being sensitive, it would not be politicised at all''. Even opposition parties would be taken into confidence and issues will be dealt professionaly, he added.

He also stresssed on administrative reforms and lamented that corruption has permeated the system like cancer said it had led to pessimism. ''This problem would also be dealt stringently, beginning from the top level, including me,'' he said.

Gen Khanduri said if top level machinery starts functioning well, the lower level automatically starts functioning effectively.

He said the state also needed financial discipline. ''The state is in bad financial shape with its compulsion to pay Rs 1000 crore per annum as interest, leaving aside the principle ammount,'' he said and added ''It needed immediate attention.'' Mr Khanduri said judicious utilisation of fund and effective use of natural resources which are available abundantly in Uttarakhand would help in improving the fianancial status of the state.

''I would review the financial status and if possible would release white paper on it so that the general public knows about the exact fiscal situation,'' he added.

Speaking on inflation, Gen Khanduri said though it was controlled by the Centre, even then his government will do its best to curb it.

He said he would ensure better Public Distribution System so that people get commodities. He said small scale industries will be promoted to address the problem of unemployment and migaration from the hill areas.

''It would be my endeavor to make myself available to the public as much as I can and also ask my ministers to do so as I want that the government go to people's door not vice versa, he added.

UNI