Chairing the maiden cabinet meeting held outside Chandigarh, chief minister Bhagwant Mann announced a slew of measures including earmarking 10% compensation for crop loss due to any sort of natural calamity for the farm labourers, which he said was a gift to them on Labour Day falling on May 1.
Speaking at circuit house in Ludhiana on Friday, Mann added that now not only the farmers but the labourers will also be compensated for the loss of their work due to natural calamities.
“The state government will also soon start a registration drive to register the working class so that they can get benefits from the various central and state-sponsored schemes. Most of these schemes lapse as there is no proper registration of the labourers but now this will be ensured to benefit the working class,” he said.
Addressing the media soon after the cabinet meeting wherein he announced a flagship namely ‘Sarkaar Aapke Dwaar’, Mann said it has also been decided that the meetings will now be held across various districts in Punjab and not only in Chandigarh. “We aim to hold these meetings closer to the people of the state. These will be held in Moga, Bathinda etc and even in some villages of the state in future,” he said.
The chief minister further said that he had already directed the officers especially the deputy commissioners and senior superintendent of police to enhance their field visits.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister further said that he had already directed the officers especially the deputy commissioners and senior superintendent of police to enhance their field visits.
{{/usCountry}}Cabinet nod to fill 87 vacancies of direct recruitment
The Cabinet also gave the nod for filling 87 vacancies of direct recruitment in the various cadres of the local audit wing, which will pave the way for recruitment against the vacant posts of 60 junior auditors, one section officer, one junior scale stenographer, three steno- typists and 22 clerks. This will streamline the pre-audit/post-audit of Panchayati Raj Institutes (PRIs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), pupil funds, and Universities. This will further enable the state government to get Finance Commission grants from the Government of India Ministry in a smooth and hassle-free manner, he said.
Go ahead to restructure Punjab State Sports Service Rules, 2023
The Cabinet also gave a green signal to restructure, the Punjab State Sports (Group-A’, Group ‘B’ & Group ‘C) Service Rules, 2023. All fresh recruitments will be made in various cadres of the sports department (Group A, Group ‘B’ & Group “C°) as per the newly notified rules. Similarly, the officers/employees working in different cadres in the sports department will get opportunities for promotion during their service.
The Cabinet also accorded consent to create a new block Ramdas by taking out 75 gram panchayats from Ajnala block in the Amritsar district. The creation of block Ramdas will give a boost to the developmental activities in these 75 villages. Likewise, the cabinet also approved the creation of the post of Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) for efficaciously managing the affairs of the newly created block.
Approval to revision of PAU teachers’ pay scales
The Cabinet also approved the revision of pay scales of teachers in Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) with effect from January 1, 2016. The disbursement of salary and pension to these employees will take place from April 2023. This will benefit all the teachers in PAU by fulfilling their long pending demand. The CM said the revision of pay scales for teachers in PTU and GADVASU will follow suit.
The Cabinet also gave approval for the formulation of “The Punjab Advocate General (Group ‘A’) Service Rules, 2023”. With the formulation of these service rules, the services of Group-A employees serving in the office of Advocate General, Punjab will be regulated. The Cabinet also gave nod to the annual administrative report of the Department of Defence Services Welfare, Punjab for the year 2021-22.
The Cabinet also gave its consent for sending the case of six prisoners for seeking the premature release of life convicts confined in the jails of the state. After the nod of the Cabinet under Article 163 of the Constitution of India, these special remission/ premature release cases will be submitted to the Punjab Governor under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution for consideration/ approval.
Date for 2.25% stamp duty exemption extended
In a major relief to the people of the state, the Punjab Cabinet on Friday further extended the date of exemption of 2.25% stamp duty and fees on land registration till May 15.
“Those opting for registration of land will continue to be exempted from 1% additional stamp duty, 1 % PIDB fees, and 0.25 % special fees. Pertinently, the scheme was initially notified by the state government for such an exemption by March 31. However, observing the response of people it was extended up to April 30 which is now extended to May 15, he said.
The Cabinet also approved the creation of seven posts in the Drug Testing Laboratory (Ayurveda) Patiala in the larger public interest. The Cabinet also gave the green signal for roping in experts/ consultants for the improvement of the environment, checking the depleting groundwater table, bringing farmers out of the rut of the wheat/paddy cycle, and improving the financial situation of the farmers. These experts will be hired by the Agriculture and Farmers welfare department, Punjab to benefit the food growers of the state in a big way.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet on Friday mourned the death of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal by observing two minutes silence.