Cabinet meeting: Punjab to give free school uniforms to general category boys

The decision was taken by the Punjab cabinet led by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi with an aim to increase enrolment, reduce dropout rate and attract students to government schools.

The Punjab government will give uniforms to nearly 2.66 lakh boys belonging to the general category and studying in Classes 1 to 8 at state-run schools.

Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and his deputy Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa during a function to mark the death anniversary of former Punjab minister and Congress stalwart Sardar Santokh Singh Randhawa at Dharoli village in Gurdaspur on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

The decision was taken by the Punjab cabinet led by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi with an aim to increase enrolment, reduce dropout rate and attract students to government schools, an official statement said here.

The government will spend about ₹15.98 crore in current financial year on providing uniforms to students, it added.

Presently, the school education department is providing free uniforms costing up to ₹600 per student to all girls and boys belonging to the SC and BPL categories.

Chairs to be set up in GNDU, Pbi varsity

The cabinet also accorded approval for setting up Sant Kabir, Jeevan Singh/Jaita and Makhan Shah Lubana chairs in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; and Guru Ravidas and Bhagwan Valmiki chairs in Punjabi University, Patiala. Another chair will be set up soon in the name of Bhagwan Parashuram, the statement said.

Restructuring of election department

Approval was given for recruitment of 898 permanent posts in the office of chief electoral officer (CEO), Punjab, at Chandigarh and 23 posts in the district election offices.

117 posts of electoral registration officers are part of the restructuring plan. The plan also includes 767 existing employees working on outsourced and part-time basis converted in regular posts. The Cabinet also gave approval for requisite staff for newly created Malerkotla district.

Recruitment at BFUHS

The cabinet gave nod to the recruitment of 1,101 sanctioned vacancies of paramedical staff and group-C posts in Government Medical Colleges in Patiala and Amritsar and Government Dental Colleges in Patiala and Amritsar by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot. These posts will be filled on a merit basis through a written test. It was also decided to take these posts out of the purview of Subordinate Service Selection Board.

Increase in financial aid for cane growers

For economic viability of private sugar mills and timely payment of state agreed price (SAP) on sugarcane to the farmers in the current crushing season, the cabinet gave approval to provide the financial assistance at rate of ₹35 per quintal to the sugarcane farmers out of SAP on behalf of private sugar mills. This amount would be deposited directly into the bank accounts of the farmers.

On November 1, the Channi government had decided that out of increase of ₹50 per quintal of sugarcane price, the private sugar mills shall pay 30% (Rs. 15) and 70% of the increased SAP (Rs. 35) will be transferred directly into the bank accounts by the state government.

The Council of Ministers also gave nod to amend the guidelines to obtain ex-post facto approval and approval for new work from the cabinet regarding revision of guidelines for utilisation of funds under Punjab Nirman Programme (PNP).