In a landmark decision, the Cabinet approved to disburse old age pension and other financial assistance under various social security schemes to the eligible beneficiaries of rural and urban areas through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system.
A decision to this effect was taken here at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here at Chief Minister’s Office this morning.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Punjab government said that the EBT system would ensure prompt, hassle free and fool proof disbursement of pension to the genuine beneficiaries. The Cabinet also issued directions to the Welfare Department to device a methodology so that Shagun for the marriage of daughters of SCs, BCs, Christians, economically weaker sections besides daughters of the widows and porcees must reach on or before the wedding day.
The Cabinet also gave nod to the policy for setting of Institutes Providing Diploma in Elementary Education (ETT) and approved a 6-members committee under the chairmanship of Director General School Education (DGSE) for the implementation of the said policy. This decision would now pave away for affiliation of private Un-Aided Self financed ETT Colleges as earlier there was no such provision to affiliate these colleges by the SCERT, besides ensuring fair and transparent admissions for ETT aspirants in these affiliated Institutes.
The Cabinet also approved restructuring of the Housing & Urban Development department to make it far more efficient, result-oriented and cost effective so that illegal and haphazard growth of unauthorized colonies was not permitted and planned Housing & Urban Development takes place in the state, restructuring of the Housing & Urban Development department was approved whereby 173 new posts were created and 190 non-functional abolished, enforcement, planning and regulatory wings have been created in order to ensure balanced and planned urban development across the state.
The Punjab Cabinet also approved to hand over the possession of 200 acres of land of the State Agriculture Department at Birla Farm, Rupnagar to the Army Authorities free of cost for establishing Service Selection Centre (North). It may be recalled GOC-in-C (West) had mooted a proposal to set up this Centre for the recruitment of officers in the Indian Army which would further give a fillip to the enormous employment opportunities for the youth in the state.
The Cabinet also approved supplementary grants for the year 2011-12 to be presented before the state assembly on March 28, 2012.The Cabinet also cleared the proposal for seeking Vote on Account for 2012-13 to be presented before the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on March 28, 2012.
In order to expedite Infrastructure projects and to cope up with the shortage of Junior Engineers (JE’s) in PWD (B&R), the Cabinet approved to take out 272 posts of JE’s from the purview of Punjab State Subordinate Services Selection Board. These JE’s would be recruited immediately by the Department in a transparent and fair manner so that the shortage of technical staff at cutting edge was taken care of.
The Cabinet also gave approval to fill 50 vacant posts of group C&D expeditiously on regular basis in NCC Academy (Boys), Rupnagar, NCC Academy (Girls), Malout, 2 Punjab R&V Squadron NCC Ghuda and 3 Punjab Naval Unit NCC, Bathinda directly by the State NCC Directorate after taking these posts out of the purview of Punjab State Subordinate Services Selection Board.
The Cabinet also unanimously passed a resolution to place on record its “immense appreciation of the outstanding services rendered by the outgoing Chief Secretary Mr. SC Agrawal who has sought voluntary retirement to join the new assignment as Chief Commissioner of the Punjab Right to Service Commission”. The Cabinet described him as the most efficient and able administrator. The Cabinet also applauded valuable inputs given by Mr. Agrawal from time to time in various Cabinet meetings and wished him all success for the new assignment.
The Cabinet also gave approval to the Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ Service Rules of Punjab Public Service Commission (PPCS) for regulating the recruitment of persons and the conditions of service of persons appointed to PPSC Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ services. These rules would be known as Punjab Public Service Commission Group ‘A’ Services Rules 2010 and Punjab Public Service Commission Group ‘B’ Services Rules 2010.