CHANDIGARH, 24.01.26-A meeting of the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees of the Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) was held today at the UT Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria.

Shri H. Rajesh Prasad, Chief Secretary Chandigarh; Shri Vivek Partap Singh, Principal Secretary to Governor; Shri Mandip Singh Brar, Home Secretary; Shri Diprava Lakra, Finance Secretary; and other senior officers of Chandigarh Administration were also present.

The meeting reviewed major developmental initiatives, social welfare measures, law and order, and citizen-centric issues in the Union Territory.

The Law and Order Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), suggested that measures to combat cyber fraud and enhance public safety be taken by the Chandigarh Police. The DGP briefed the Council on ongoing public awareness campaigns. The Hon’ble Administrator emphasized the need for enhanced night patrolling and the creation of a dedicated, trained cyber team to strengthen cybersecurity, observing that cyber fraud erodes public trust and creates fear among citizens.

The Social Welfare Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Satya Pal Jain, discussed key issues including revision of pension benefits for nearly 25,000 families, allocation of land for Majdoor Bhavan, evening dispensaries, and management of stray cattle. Officials informed that efforts are underway to rehabilitate beggars, trace missing children, and upgrade the Prayas Building in Sector-38. The Administrator suggested providing psychiatric counselling to child beggars to aid their recovery, build confidence, and enable them to share their backgrounds more comfortably, which would also assist the police in investigations.

The Environment Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Gian Chand Gupta, Former Speaker, Haryana Legislative Assembly, emphasized further strengthening of waste management systems, construction and demolition (C&D) waste handling, use of treated water, expansion of green cover, control of air pollution, and discouragement of single-use plastic. Officials reported that several systems have already been improved, while others are nearing completion.

The Education Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Jatinder Pal Malhotra, raised concerns related to excessive non-teaching workload on teachers, promotions, delays in decision-making, introduction of skill-based courses, and improvement of sports infrastructure. The Administrator agreed to the necessary upgrades. Officials apprised the meeting of progress on promotions, skill-based education, audits, and development of schools under various Central Government schemes.

The Art, Culture, Tourism & Heritage Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Harmohinder Singh Lucky, called for improved inter-departmental coordination and a unified approach to tourism development. The Administrator assured better execution mechanisms.

The Transportation Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Vijay Pal, discussed the need for dedicated parking spaces and stops for three-wheelers, extension of incentives under the Electric Vehicle Policy, improvements to cycle tracks, and employment concerns arising from the induction of e-buses.

The Sports Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Sanjay Tandon, deliberated on cash awards, scholarships, indoor sports facilities, establishment of chess centres, promotion of yoga activities, dissemination of Olympic values, and optimal utilization of school playgrounds.

The Urban Infrastructure & City Planning Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Anup Gupta, stressed the importance of future-ready infrastructure, ease of doing business, development of smart parks and sports facilities, improved vending solutions, and enhanced concrete road connectivity.

The Health Standing Committee, chaired by Dr. Raj Bahadur, reviewed delays in specialized health services due to recruitment-related issues. The Hon’ble Administrator directed the departments concerned to hold consultations and resolve the matter expeditiously.

The Peripheral Area Development Standing Committee, chaired by Shri Subhash Chawla, highlighted the need for improvements at entry points to the city, better amenities at the Rally Ground in Sector-25, establishment of a temporary police station, and control of stray cattle entering Chandigarh from neighbouring states.