Chandigarh, Jan 9 (IANS): To check delays and speed up implementation of various projects and schemes in the state, the Punjab government on Thursday decided to establish an empowered committee of ministers who will have the powers to take all necessary decisions.

The decision was taken here by the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

With the Chief Minister as chairman, the committee will have the Local Government Minister and the Finance Minister as its members and the minister in charge of the department concerned as its co-opted member.

On the suggestion of the Chief Minister, who pointed out that many issues that come up in project implementation are Scheduled Caste-related, the Cabinet also approved inclusion of the seniormost Scheduled Caste minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot as a member.

The meetings of the empowered committee would be attended by the Chief Secretary and administrative secretaries of the departments concerned, besides the Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, the Principal Secretary to CM and the Principal Secretary, Finance.

The committee will meet every week, at least for the first six months, and the administrative department would put its agenda of schemes and projects to the Chief Minister through its minister in-charge, before further placing it before the empowered committee for consideration.