New Delhi, January 18: Shivraj Patil is likely to assume charges as Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator this week. Patil, whose name was cleared by President Pratibha Patil on Saturday, has been appointed for five years.
According to senior officials, Patil has gone to the Tirupati temple and will return to New Delhi on Monday afternoon.
“There is no formal intimation as of now, but we are expecting him to join by Tuesday or Wednesday. All formalities, including the notification, have been completed. The new Administrator may join in a couple of days,” a senior UT official told.
There is no formal intimation of Patil’s arrival at Raj Bhawan as well.
The outgoing Administrator, General S F Rodrigues (Retd), has plans to move back to Goa. “General Rodrigues has plans to go back to Goa and relax for sometime, before taking charge of his new assignment, if he desires,” another top UT official said.
The multi-crore mega projects, which ran into rough weather during Rodrigues’ tenure, are expected to get a re-look after Patil takes over.
“Shivraj Patil was the Home Minister when the mega projects ran into rough weather. In fact, the Central Vigilance Commission’s probe into the mega projects was initiated when Patil was at the helm of affairs,” a senior UT official said.
Rodrigues, meanwhile, has cancelled his public meeting scheduled for Monday morning.
These public meetings were being held by Rodrigues twice a month for about one year.
—Agencies