Chandigarh, 04th February 2025 -
The Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) Meeting under the chairmanship of Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT Chandigarh, was held at Hotel Mountview today. In his welcome remarks, Sh. Rajeev Verma, IAS, Chief Secretary, UT Chandigarh stated that the Administrator's Advisory Council is a platform for discussing policy issues and initiatives to enhance administrative efficiency to accelerate the progress of the city. He asked the members of the AAC to share their views, give suggestions for various issues related to healthcare, education, sports, tourism, and transport to pave the way for the development of city.
The Administrator, Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria emphasised the need for a collaborative approach to address various issues and challenges related to the city. He further stated that our goal is to develop and implement policies that not only enhance governance but also improve the quality of life of our citizens. The members of the AAC gave various suggestions regarding strengthening governance framework for better transparency and accountability, improving sanitation, upgrading and optimally utilizing existing healthcare facilities and strengthening the education system. Various inputs were given regarding Start Up policy, skilling and industry related issues to boost investment, employment and entrepreneurship. The members also gave valuable suggestions for making Chandigarh ‘slum free’, ‘beggar free’ & the need to have a comprehensive policy for the differently abled as also the elderly population residing in the city. Some suggestions to enhance public safety, advanced traffic management systems and robust cybercrime prevention measures were also given. Further, the issues of need based changes in the dwelling units of CHB, increase in FAR, revision of building Bye Laws, conversion of smaller industrial plots etc. to accommodate the ever-emerging needs of the residents of the city were also raised. It was also discussed that the city’s development should be aligned with the changing dynamics and requirements of the citizens.
Further, a number of useful suggestions were also given regarding developing Chandigarh as a model - ‘education hub’, ‘sports hub’ and ‘medical tourism hub’. Various initiatives regarding expanding the city’s green cover through increased tree plantation and development of more green spaces were also discussed.
Addressing the Council, the Administrator UT Chandigarh Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria stated that we need to make collective efforts to transform Chandigarh into a modern city, setting a benchmark for urban development, sustainability and citizen centric governance. The Administrator emphasised the need for working together for a comprehensive roadmap for Chandigarh’s growth with focus on community participation in leading city’s transformation by adopting innovative policy solutions. The Administrator further stated that Chandigarh has always been a symbol of progressive development and it should be our endeavour to integrate global best practices, embrace technology, ensure citizen participation so that we can transform Chandigarh into a city that sets an example for entire nation in all spheres. All the members of the AAC reiterated their commitment to work collectively towards making Chandigarh a progressive, inclusive and future ready city.
The meeting was attended by dignitaries including Smt. Harpreet Kaur Babla, Mayor Chandigarh, Sh. Vivek Pratap Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary to Governor, Sh. Surendra Singh Yadav, IPS, DGP Chandigarh, Sh. Mandip Brar, IAS, Home Secretary, Sh. Diprava Lakra, IAS, Secretary Finance, Ms. Prerna Puri, IAS, Secretary Education, Sh. Amit Kumar, Municipal Commissioner, IAS, Sh. Ajay Chagti, IAS, Secretary Health, Sh. Abhijit Vijay Chaudhari, IAS, Special Secretary to Administrator, Sh. Hari Kallikkat, IAS, Secretary I.T., Ms. Anuradha S. Chagti, CSS, Secretary Social Welfare, Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, and other senior officials of Chandigarh Administration.