At the very onset, the Punjab Cabinet today observed two minutes silence praying to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, victims of Dina Nagar terror attack and of the Manikaran Bus Tragedy. Adopting unanimous resolution to mourn the sad demise of Dr. Kalam, the Cabinet expressed profound grief and sorrow over his sad demise. The resolution described Dr. Kalam as the ‘people’s president’ and a towering and multifaceted personality being a true statesman, an eminent academician, a noted nuclear scientist and above all a fine human being. Dr. Kalam would be ever remembered by one and all for his remarkable services rendered for the well being of underprivileged and poor on one hand and inspiring the youth for inculcating a scientific temper amongst them on the other.
Strongly condemning Pakistan for clandestinely perpetrating a terror attack in India by targeting Dina Nagar, the Cabinet eulogised the commendable role of Gurdaspur SP Baljit Singh and three Home Guards in counter insurgency operation. The Cabinet also deeply mourned the killing of three civilians, who lost their lives in this operation and highly appreciated the exemplary valour and presence of mind shown by the Punjab Roadways driver Nanak Chand, thus saving several precious lives. Apart from this the Cabinet also lauded the alertness on the part of two Railway employees to avert any major tragedy. Likewise, the Cabinet in another resolution expressed deep anguish and sorrow over the tragic bus accident near Manikaran Sahib in Himachal Pradesh on July 23 in which 12 persons were killed, 23 injured and 34 feared to be drowned, whose bodies have not yet been recovered.As a mark of respect to the exemplary courage shown by Gurdaspur SP (D) late Baljit Singh during counter insurgency operation in Dina Nagar on July 27, the Punjab Cabinet today gave approval for appointing his son as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal at his office, this morning.Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Cabinet also gave nod to give ex-gratia grant worth Rs 25 lakh to the legal heirs of martyred SP and Rs 10 lakh each to the family of three martyred jawans of the Punjab Home Guards, who sacrificed their lives during the terrorist attack at Dina Nagar, while performing their duty. In the same manner, Rs 3 lakh would be given to the officials of the Punjab Police and Punjab Home Guards injured in the terror attack besides giving them the best medical treatment, free of cost.The Cabinet also decided that state government would suitably honour all those officials who discharged their duties valiantly during the operation. The Cabinet alos approved to give job to the next of kin of the Punjab Home Guard Jawans, who laid down their lives besides absorbing the injured Home Guards in the Punjab Police. The injured Policemen would be promoted and Rs 1 crore would be given to Dina Nagar Police station. All the families of the deceased Police officials would get salary till the date of their retirement. Similarly on civilian and Railway official, who spotted the live bomb on the Railway track, would be awarded cash prize of Rs 2 lakh. The Cabinet also gave approval to relax the existing relief norms under its policy thereby giving Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of dead civilians and Rs 3 lakh to the injured civilians besides the state government bearing the entire expenditure on the treatment of the injured civilians in both the government and private hospitals. Punjab Roadways driver Nanak Chand would be given a cash award of Rs 3 lakh besides to be honored with state award on Independence Day function. His name would also be recommended to Government of India (GoI) for honoring him with national bravery award. The Cabinet also decided to regularize the services of both the driver and conductor of the bus.
With a view revive the existing Punjab’s industry, the Cabinet also gave approval to bring another liberal ‘One Time Settlement (OTS) Policy 2015’ for settlement of dues of Punjab State Industries Development Corporation (PSIDC), Punjab Financial Corporation (PFC), Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) and its subsidiary corporations and companies. Those who opted for previous 2009 policy and became defaulters would also be eligible under the new OTS. Under the said policy, in equity investment cases, OTS settlement shall be at “Amount invested plus simple interest @10% plus expenses less already paid”. In the loan cases, OTS amount shall be calculated based on outstanding (principal plus interest) amount to be frozen as on date of default plus 10% simple interest (on frozen amount) upto date of option plus expenses less already paid and in loss assets cases, OTS settlement shall be at outstanding Principal amount plus expenses only. Under this policy besides hundreds of those Small Scale Industrial units Financed by PFC, settling their accounts and getting revived another around 70 large and medium scale industrial projects of PSIDC, besides around 15 industrial projects of PAIC were likely to be revived and PFC, PSIDC and PAIC were expected to affect recovery to the tune of Rs 50 crore, Rs 200 crore and Rs 25 crore respectively. While affording this unique and last opportunity to the entrepreneurs of the state to settle their dues it has also been decided that those financial collaborators/ borrowers who do not opt for OTS under the policy, there assets would be transferred to an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) or a Financial Institution (FI) as deemed appropriate by the government. Apart from this all the particulars/ details of such units not opting for OTS under the policy shall be intimates to RBI for notifying them as defaulters and would not be eligible for further funding by any bank or financial institutions. In order to safeguard the interests of the general public against frauds by the financial establishments, the Cabinet also gave its concurrence to promulgate the Punjab Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments), Ordinance, 2015.
The Cabinet also approved the transfer of one acre of land without any cost to the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) to construct its own building in Knowledge City, Sector-81, SAS Nagar (Mohali). This would ensure better coordination and monitoring for the timely completion of the upcoming Biotechnology Park, which in turn would provide technical know-how and guidance to the biotechnology industries and common facilities in the park. To make the State Intelligence Wing independent and to enable it to recruit its own employees, the Cabinet also gave go ahead to the Punjab Intelligence Cadre (Group C) Service Rules, 2015 for the employees of Punjab Police (Intelligence Wing). In order to overcome the pendency of testing NDPS samples in the state, the Cabinet also gave approval to establish Toxicology Division-2 in the Forensic Science Laboratory, Mohali besides sanctioning 15 posts to further strengthen it.The Cabinet also gave green signal to introduce “Bus Rapid Transit Service (BRTS)” within the limits of Municipal Corporation Amritsar for the convenience of general public and reduce the unnecessary congestion of motor vehicles and vehicles pollution. This BRTS would be operated on a different Track and route which would be closed corridor, on which only BRTS would be operated. The State Transport Commissioner, Punjab would grant the stage carriage permits for this BRTS. In first phase, BRTS would be started on India gate-Daburji bye pass, India gate- Verka Canal and Daburji bye pass to Verka Canal route. As many as 93 buses would ply on these new sanctioned routes for this purpose. The Cabinet also approved amending the Punjab State Commission for NRIs Act, 2011, which stipulates that NRIs who have acquired foreign citizenship, but were Indians belonging to Punjab could be appointed as honorary member of Punjab State Commission for NRIs as per Punjab state Commission for NRIs Act, 2011.In order to ensure better security in the jails for preventing any sort of untoward incident besides running the administration effectively, the Cabinet also gave approval to revive and fill up the 29 vacant posts of Assistant Superintendent Jails in the Department of Home (Jails).In a bid to upgrade the level of higher education besides opening new vistas of employment for the youth of state, the Cabinet also gave approval for setting up of RIMT Self Financed Private University at Mandi Gobindgarh run by Om Parkash Bansal Education and Social Welfare Trust, under the Punjab Private Universities Policy 2010.In a move aimed at rejuvenation of the canals in the state, the Cabinet also gave nod for transferring 15.23 acre of the surplus land of Dashmesh Canal falling in the industrial zone to Industries and Commerce department for selling industrial plots whereas 104.86 acre land would be transferred to GMADA for residential plots. The Cabinet also amended the policy for the allotment of plots to the IT, ITES, Biotechnology (Non-Polluting Branches) and Technology based Non-Polluting/Research & Development facilities. The Policy has been amended in view of the request of mass applicants by relaxing the edibility conditions. Giving more period of completion of buildings etc.
In order to enable a member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to be elected as Chairperson of the Punjab Waqf Board, the Cabinet also gave nod for amending clause (e) of section 2 of the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualifications) Act, 1952.In a move aimed at facilitating the people besides ensuring fast development of the area, the Cabinet also gave nod for creation of new block Maloud in Ludhiana district. The Cabinet also gave green signal for amending rule 6 of “The Punjab Privately Managed Recognised (Security of Service) Rule 1981” for bringing the qualification and experience of the aspiring teachers at par with their counter parts working in the Government schools, so as to fill the vacant posts in the Punjab Government Aided schools. This move would help in saving the loss of studies to the students due to inadequate staff in such schools.The Cabinet also gave a go ahead for regularisation of the services of 56 teachers of Adarsh School run by the Punjab School Education Board, after the completion of three years of their service with parity of other teachers recruited on the contract basis in Education department, by relaxing Punjab Government Instructions No. 1/40-A/ 2011 dated November 17, 2011. In order to ensure disruption free academic session in the schools, the Cabinet also gave nod to enact “Punjab School Teachers Service Extension Ordinance, 2015” which stipulates that all the teachers who would otherwise have retired from service on completing 58 years of their age on any day falling between first of April of a year and the last day of month of February the succeeding year, would, except in the case of their otherwise voluntary option, continue in service and would be deemed to be on extension in service after the date of superannuation upto the 31 day of the following month of March. However, as per the condition there would neither be any increment nor any promotion during the period of extension granted to the specific teacher. It may be recalled that the studies of the students were adversely impacted due to mid-session retirement of the teachers in the government schools.
In a bid to avoid undue delay in administrative works in the Private Aided Colleges across the state on one hand and open new vistas of employment for the youth on the other, the Cabinet also gave approval for filling up 342 vacant posts of the non-teaching staff in these colleges within three years. In another significant decision, the Cabinet also enhanced the amount given for tent/ Utensils/ Furniture and other things for SC Dharamshalas and other poor people from existing Rs 50,000 to as per the needs of the villagers under the Plan Scheme RDO (S)-3 (CD-2.32) of the Rural Development and Panchayats Department for strengthening of infrastructure and institutional works. This amount could be given only once in five years. The Cabinet also gave nod for revival of 30 posts of Junior Engineers in the department of Rural Development and Panchayats besides taking these posts out of the preview of Punjab Public Service Commission/ Subordinate Services Selection Board to enable the department to fill the said posts through conducting a test by engaging the services of Punjab University, Chandigarh.
The Cabinet also gave approval for amending Punjab State Women Commission Act, 2001 and amendment Act 2014 to increase its existing strength of its member from 5 to 10. Likewise, the Cabinet also gave nod to appoint an additional member in VAT Tribunal besides enhancing the strength of SC Commission to total 10 including Vice Chairman and Right to Service Commission also to 10. To ensure proper maintenance of several heritage memorials, Projects and commemorative plaques constructed for preserving the rich heritage of the state, the Cabinet also gave concurrence to incur this amount from cultural cess by inserting clause “and operation, maintenance of heritage memorial/ projects and memorials” in sub section B section 7 of Punjab Ancient, Historical Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Cultural Heritage Maintenance Board Act, 2013. In order to streamline the process of granting parole to prisoners in the jails of the state, the Cabinet also gave nod for amending Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1962. Apart from bringing uniformity in the cases of prisoners this move would also improve the facility of parole granted to prisoners on different occasions. The Cabinet also approved the purchase of 60 acres of land by PUDA for handing over to the state government for the IIM at Amritsar at a cost of Rs 75 crore. The Cabinet also gave approval for the Punjab Physiotherapy Council Act 2015 and setting-up of Physiotherapy council in the state. The Director, Research & Medical Education, Punjab would be the ex-officio President of the Council.
The other ex-officio members of the Physiotherapy council would include President Punjab Medical Council or his nominee, Director Health Services, Punjab, Professor and HoD of Orthopedics/Physiotherapy of the State Medical Colleges of Punjab. Besides these, Non –official members would include 6 members from Physiotherapists to be elected from the registered practitioners, 2 members to be nominated by the Punjab Government from the registered practitioners enrolled in the register of Physiotherapists. The Physiotherapy Council would be responsible for the registration/ allowing practice etc. for the students of various colleges of Punjab who have done Diploma, Bachelor, Master courses in Physiotherapy as per the provisions of the Punjab Physiotherapy Council Act 2015. All colleges in Punjab, which were providing Physiotherapy courses would be affiliated with the Punjab Physiotherapy Council which would issue Registration Certificates to the students studying in Physiotherapy courses in these colleges. Once registered, these students would be able to take jobs or could practice in and outside Punjab.