Hoshiarpur, April 22 -- As part of its austerity drive to cut unnecessary expenses, the Punjab government is mulling to merge small departments, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said here on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in the district administrative complex, Cheema said that irrelevant departments would be closed and the staff would be readjusted to cut expenses.

"Merging departments of similar functions is on the government's 'to-do list', Cheema added.

He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was doing its best to resurrect the state economy which was left bleeding by the previous governments. He, however, reiterated that freebies like free electricity to consumers would continue.

"Our focus is on plugging loophole...