Sunday, March 6 2005 16:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chandigarh: Newly inducted Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today (Mar 6, 2005) spelled out his agenda for governance to provide a terror-free, corruption-free and transparent administration.

"Only the change of face will not help the masses, the "Vyavastha" (system) has to change," Hooda said, while addressing his maiden news conference, requesting the media to act as "conscious-keepers", to keep a check on the Congress Government.

He said that power could not be centralised in one person, adding that, his Government would decentralise power for the welfare of the people and restoring credibility of all institutions.

"There is a lot of enthusiasm among the people and the Congress respects the view of all sections as it is the party of the poor, farmers, labourers, traders and industrialists. The welfare of all will be ensured," Hooda said.

Asserting that he was not trying to be critical, the Chief Minister said, "If the previous Government had worked for the welfare of the people, they would not have faced such a humiliating defeat".

On expansion of his one-man Ministry, the Chief Minister said, "soon". Hooda told the secretaries that, the status paper of each department should be submitted to him within a week along with a future vision for the State.

He said that implementation reports of various projects should be submitted fortnightly.

The Chief Minister also asked them to be courteous to the people and all elected representatives.

While reminding them of his brush with death a year and a half ago as he was washed away in a tributary of the Ganges, Hooda said that when God gifted him another life, his mind and soul had decided that he had to work, "without fear to serve the people".

Haryana Chief Secretary Sunil Ahuja assured full cooperation of the officers.