CHANDIGARH: Narotam Dev Ratti and Madan Lal Bagga assumed the office as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Punjab State Traders' Board in the presence of Punjab Chief  Minister  Parkash
Singh Badal  at Punjab State Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) office on sunday.

Speaking on the occasion  Badal felicitated both  Ratti and  Bagga and asked them to perform their duties of the new assignments with dedication, sincerity and commitment. The Chief Minister pointed out that these appointments have been made in line with the commitment to constitute State Traders' Board in the State as a part of SAD-BJP's election manifesto during the last assembly polls. He said the chairman and the Vice-Chairman have been conferred upon the status of cabinet and State Minister respectively to exercise their authority in order to act as a bridge between the bureaucracy and the traders.

He hoped all the vexed issues relating to the traders would be amicably resolved at the level of the newly constituted board. Badal assured the trading community that all their genuine demands and problems would be looked into sympathetically and sorted out promptly. He hoped the traders would also reciprocate this gesture in the same spirit.

Badal said trade and commerce was the backbone of the state's economy and the constitution of this board was a step in the right direction to safeguard the interest of traders and would provide them a congenial atmosphere to enable them to flourish their trade and business activities in a meaningful manner. The Chief Minister also assured of fulsome support and cooperation to the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman to ensure smooth and efficient functioning of the board and reiterated his firm resolve that the SAD-BJP government was committed for the welfare of the traders on one hand and the promotion of the trade and commerce on the other.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Local Government & Industries Minister  Manoranjan Kalia, Tourism Minister  Hira Singh Gabaria, Member Parliament from Ludhiana  Saranjit Singh Dhillon, Chief Parliamentary Secretary  Harish Rai Dhanda and President BJP Punjab State Unit Prof. Rajinder Bhandari besides former SGPC Chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, former Minister & Senior BJP leader  Balram Ji Dass Tandon and a large number of Businessman
and traders from across the state.