CABINET MEETING: Govt scraps service extension policy for employees

Move in line with budget announcement of reverting to earlier retirement age of 58 from 60

The Punjab government on Monday scrapped the policy of granting optional extension in service to its employees after retirement.

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The decision was taken in a meeting of the state cabinet in line with the budget announcement of reverting to the earlier retirement age of 58 from 60 “in order to generate employment for the youth.”

The cabinet, led by chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, approved an amendment to the Punjab Civil Services Rules to make the necessary policy change, in accordance with the announcement made by finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal during his budget speech on February 28.

An official spokesperson said employees who have attained the age of 59 or 61, and are availing the second year of optional extension in service, or whose second year optional extension is scheduled to start from April 1, 2020, will stand retired from the service with effect from March 31, 2020.

Similarly, employees on first year of optional extension in service, who have attained the age of 58 or 60 years, and are availing the first year of optional extension in service, or whose first year optional extension is scheduled to start, shall stand retired from the service from September 30, 2020.

The state government had earlier allowed extension in service to all categories of employees, up to the age of 60 or 62 years, on submission of an option. The extension had adversely impacted the promotion chances of the feeder categories of employees, triggering resentment among the employees.

“It was felt that the existing unemployment scenario demanded increasing the employment avenues for the youth, both within and outside the government. The optional extension policy for existing employees was contrary to that,” the spokesperson said.

He said the CM also asked the ministers to take steps to identify the corrupt employees and “deadwood” in various departments, and weed them out.

ACT AMENDED FOR

ADDL BORROWING

The cabinet also decided to amend the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003, to allow the state to make an additional borrowing of ₹928 crore in 2019-20 over and above its net borrowing ceiling of 3% of gross state domestic product (GSDP).

PROCUREMENT FINANCIAL

GAP: PANEL FORMED

The cabinet constituted a cabinet sub-committee to address the financial gap resulting from the systemic issues in the foodgrain procurement process.

The three-member sub-committee comprises finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, rural development and panchayats minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

MEASURES TO COMBAT

CORONAVIRUS

Amid the growing scare of deadly coronavirus, the cabinet also announced emergency measures, including setting up of ‘flu corners’ in all government and private hospitals to prepare for any exigency arising from the epidemic.

The flu corners will screen all suspected cases of respiratory tract infections at the earliest and ensure that movement of such patients is restricted in order to prevent the spread of the disease. It also directed that no private laboratory would take test samples of COVID-19. All hospitals in the state have been directed to record a suspected patient’s history of travel to any country or area from where spread of disease is being reported. A suspected patient has to be kept in hospital isolation and the health department has to be informed immediately by the doctor concerned.