DESPITE listing appointment of IIT graduate Naval Aggarwal as an officer on special duty (OSD) to Minister of Governance Reforms, on the agenda of Cabinet, the Punjab Council of Ministers did not take it up for discussion when they met on Friday. Aggarwal was earlier tipped to be OSD to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. But later, it is learnt, Mann directed Chief Secretary VK Janjua to appoint him as OSD to GRM. The file, it is learnt, was cleared by the CM himself. The department of governance reforms later put up the appointment on the agenda of Cabinet. However, sources said, the item was not taken up in the Cabinet meeting. It is learnt that Janjua has now called a meeting of empowerment committee of government reforms on Monday to discuss the issue. Sources said the meeting may discuss Aggarwal’s appointment in the e-governance society of the state. However, the rules say that the society can make a new appointment only after advertising the post. Also, anyone who is appointed in the society cannot be given an official vehicle and bungalow. The file pertaining to Aggarwal’s appointment as OSD to GRM was cleared by Finance and the Personnel departments. He has been participating in several meetings of the government following which the Opposition had raised the issue. A week ago, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa had written to Governor Banwarilal Purohit raising concern over “outsiders” attending official meetings chaired by the chief secretary. He had urged Purohit to take action for violation of the oath of secrecy by the state government. Bajwa said the participation of undisclosed persons in meetings chaired by the chief secretary were worrisome for national security. Bajwa had submitted two photographs showing Aggarwal in official meetings chaired by Janjua. “Officers allowing unidentified outsiders in attendance at state-level meetings, particularly in the absence of any clarification by chief secretary or the CM, warrants an impartial probe by the NIA,” Bajwa had said, urging that Purohit, “as constitutional head of the state, would intervene in this sensitive matter”.
