Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today reiterated his government's commitment to providing a level playing field to all stakeholders in the state's transport sector.   He said that the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), has reported an operating profit of Rs 9.21 cr between April and December 2017.   

Flagging off a fleet of 25 new buses of the PRTC the chief minister said the increase in operating profit reflected the transformation in the sector that was being modernised.   

He said the addition of 25 of the planned 100 buses would take the PRTC bus strength to 1,075 and enable the state carrier to ply its fleet on a total of 3.75 lakh km per day in the state.   

The non-operational routes would be revived with the completion of the total targeted strength of 1,075 buses, he said. The chief minister also accused the erstwhile SAD-BJP government of its "deliberate mismanagement and exploitation of the transport sector for their personal gains". 

In response to a question regarding minister Rana Gurjit Singh's resignation from the Cabinet, he told reporters that the resignation was "voluntary".   

The Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the sand mining auctions had done its job and there was no need to confuse these two issues, said the chief minister. Welcoming the demand made by an organisation in Pakistan that freedom fighter Bhagat Singh be accorded that country's highest gallantry award 'Nishan-e-Haider', he said the sacrifice of the "great martyr" was unparalleled.   

Responding to a query regarding joining of sportswoman Harmanpreet Kaur as DSP in the Punjab Police, the chief minister said that he had already written to the Railways twice and hoped she would be relieved soon so that she could join the post at the earliest. PTI