In charge,Nishank sends Khanduri favourite packing

Starting his term on a populist note,Uttarakhands new Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank has directed....

Starting his term on a populist note,Uttarakhands new Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank has directed his officials to address the states water and power problems within 48 hours. Sending out a strong political signal,Nishank also ordered the repatriation of controversial bureaucrat Prabhat Kumar Sarangi to his parent Uttar Pradesh cadre.

A favourite of former CM B C Khanduri,Sarangi,who was chief of Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) and Secretary (Power),was a favourite target of Khanduris dissidents who claimed that the bureaucrat called the shots in Uttarakhand.

Though Sarangi was expected to go,political observers say that by repatriating him immediately after taking over and then publicising it,Nishank has tried to send a message to the partymen and bureaucrats that he is in full control.

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Soon after taking over as CM on Saturday afternoon,Nishank called a Cabinet meeting which was attended by Madan Kaushik,Bishen Singh Chauphal and Matbar Singh Kandari. I have directed the officials to provide relief to people on the power and water fronts within 48 hours, Nishank said after the meeting.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to expedite work on public projects started by the Khanduri government. He is expected to effect a reshuffle in the states bureaucratic set up and expand his Cabinet in the next ten days.

Meanwhile,Khanduri signed off from the scene by thanking the people of the state for their support during his tenure as Chief Minister. Khanduri advertised the work done and the projects initiated by his government in local newspapers.