Punjab Cabinet Relaxes Upper Age Limit For Contractual Employees For Direct State Govt Recruitment

Approves Amendment To Services Rules Of Patiala & Amritsar Medical, Dental & Nursing Colleges

5 Dariya News

Chandigarh 17-Dec-2020

In a significant decision, the Punjab Cabinet on Thursday relaxed the upper age limit for contractual employees of various categories working under the Punjab Government to apply for the posts to be filled up through direct recruitment. The cabinet has decided to relax the provisions of Rule 5 and 5-A of the Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) Rules, 1994 under Rule 19 of the above rules.The initiative is aimed primarily to overcome the hardships being faced by most of the contractual employees working under different departments of the Punjab Government as they could not apply against direct recruitment posts due to excess age. Their demand for relaxation could not be accepted earlier due to the financial implications.In another move aimed at promoting efficiency and transparency in the functioning of state Medical, Dental and Nursing Colleges in Amritsar and Patiala, the Punjab Cabinet on Thursday approved amendment to the existing service rules of the faculty in these institutions.The Cabinet gave the go-ahead to amend the Punjab Medical Education (Group-A) Service (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020 in the Punjab Medical Education (Group-A) Service Rules, 2016, Punjab Dental Education (Group-A) Service (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020 in Punjab Dental Education (Group-A) Service Rules, 2016, Punjab Nursing Education (Group-A) Service (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020 in Punjab Nursing Education (Group-A) Service Rules, 2016 and Punjab Nursing Education (Group-B) Service (First Amendment) Rules, 2020 in Punjab Nursing Education (Group-B) Service Rules, 2016.The amended Medical Education (Group A) Service, Rules 2016 would pave the way for initiating the process of seamless recruitment against vacant posts in the Government Medical Colleges. He added that under the Explanation of Section 25 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 (Central Act XXVI of 1881), in addition to Sundays, Punjab Government also issued the list of 15 scheduled holidays.

Punjab To Start Charging Process Fee For Registration Of New Motor Vehicle Models

Variants, CNG/LPG Kits & Electrical Vehicle Registration Also To Be Charged

On the lines of neighbouring states, the Punjab Cabinet on Thursday gave the nod for charging process fee for registration of a new model of a motor vehicle or its variants, or CNG or LPG kit approval or electric vehicles in the state.The decision was taken at a virtual meeting of the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.The Cabinet gave approval to amend the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 by inserting rule 130-A below rule 130 for charging a processing fee of Rs. 5000/- from manufacturers of motor vehicles or their authorized dealers, to give approval for registration of a new model of motor vehicle or its variants or LPG or CNG kit or electric vehicle in Punjab on the pattern of Haryana.The Cabinet decided that the Transport Department (Non-Commercial Wing) would give approval for registration of a new model of motor vehicle, or its variants, in the State to the manufacturers of motor vehicles or their authorized dealers on the basis of the type of approval certificate issued by the authorized testing agencies which are registered under rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.It may be noted that currently no processing fee is being charged from the manufacturers of motor vehicles or their authorized dealers by the Punjab government in respect of the said approval of registration in the State, even though the same is being charged by the neighbouring states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Punjab Cabinet Gives In-Principle Approval For IOCL’S CBG Plant In Patiala

The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday gave in-principle approval for setting up of a Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) Plant by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) at the now closed Cooperative Sugar Mills at Rakhra in Patiala.The plant, to be developed in collaboration with Sugarfed, will help reduce stubble burning through use of paddy straw for bio gas generation, and will also nurture soil fertility through organic manure production.The Cabinet also authorized the Cooperation Minister to settle all terms & conditions, including that of Land Lease Agreement in respect of 25 acres or more area of the closed sugar mill, to be provided to IOCL for setting up the CBG Plant. The Minister has been authorized to decide on the lease terms and conditions with the approval of the Chief Minister.According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, the upcoming CBG plant, which will create direct and indirect employment opportunities, will have capacity of 30 Ton CBG (Compressed Bio Gas) production, with daily feedstock capacity of approximately 300 tons of paddy straw, per day. It would also generate organic manure to the tune of approx. 75,000 tons per annum. Moreover, CBG being an environment-friendly fuel with the potential to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 98%, the plant would help in minimising dependency on fossil fuels, and thus become a major contributor to promoting circular economy.The CBG Plant would also be instrumental in reducing stubble burning in fields, thereby containing air pollution in Punjab, besides considerably help in improving the general living conditions. It will also thus help in augmenting the savings of farmers, as well as in restoring soil fertility and carbon content.Apart from these, it would also provide additional income or revenue to State Government through GST on sale of CBG produced from the proposed plant.At the Cabinet Sub-committee meeting, headed by Cooperation Minister, IOCL had informed the state that the project would involve production of Bio Gas from rice straw and other biomass at an estimated cost of Rs. 180 Crores in the first instance. IOCL would procure rice straw (Parali) from farmers through Cooperative Societies. The rates for purchase/supply of rice straw would be settled after mutual negotiations.As the Cabinet Sub Committee had already recommended the setting up of new projects in PPP Mode on BOT basis for conversion of wheat/paddy straw to renewable energy or any other project at the closed cooperative sugar mills in the interest of the State, Sugarfed was asked to go ahead with the setting up of a Bio Gas project at Patiala in collaboration with IOCL.

Punjab Reverts To PPSC Recruitment For Jes In Rural Development & Panchayats Dept

Approves Revision Of Pay Scale Of Tax Collectors Working In Panchayat Samitis

The Captain Amarinder Singh led government has decided to revert to Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), Patiala, for recruitment of 81 posts of Junior Engineer in the Engineering Wing of the Rural Development & Panchayats Department.The state government had earlier taken these posts out of PPSC purview and engaged Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology [TIET], Patiala, for the purpose of recruitment. This was as per the one-time measure approved at the Cabinet meeting on January 31, 2020, for engaging Thapar University, Patiala, or Maharaja Ranjit Singh University, Bathinda, one of the independent agencies as notified by Department of Co-ordination.TIET could not, however, hold the written test due to Covid. Subsequently, the Finance Department notified new pay scales on July 17, 2020 and the process of recruitment through TIET, Patiala, was put in abeyance.On Thursday, the state cabinet, at a virtual meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, decided that these 81 posts (79 JE Civil and 2 JE Electrical), created after the restructuring of its Engineering Wing, would now be filled as part of the common recruitment process initiated by the PPSC along with vacant posts of JEs in other departments, in line with the Cabinet decision of October 14, 2020.

Pay Scale Of Tax Collectors Working In Panchayat Samitis Revised

The Cabinet on Thursday also approved revision in pay scales of Tax Collectors working in Panchayat Samitis under the Rural Development & Panchayats Department from the existing pay scale of Rs.5910-20200+2400 (Grade Pay) to 10300-34800+3600 (Grade Pay). These revised pay scales would be implemented from the date of issuance of orders, and would result in additional expenditure of Rs. 9 Lakh per annum to the state exchequer.It may be recalled that in accordance with the Punjab Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishads Services Rules 1965 (Appendix-A at serial number 7), the posts of Tax collectors are filled on promotion from amongst Panchayat Secretaries. However, the Tax Collectors have been working on pay scale (Rs. 5910-20200+2400) grade pay and Panchayat Secretaries on pay scale of 10300-34800+3200 grade pay, leading to a grave anomaly. Subsequently, the Cabinet has taken this decision to rectify the anomaly in the existing pay scales.

Punjab Contract Labour Rules To Be Amended For Availing Addl Central Borrowing Of 2% Of GSDP

In a bid to further improve ease of doing business in the state and fulfil one of the conditions imposed by Central Government for obtaining additional borrowing of 2% of GSDP, the Captain Amarinder Singh led Cabinet on Thursday approved amendment to Rule 29 and insertion of new Rule 78A to Punjab Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Rules, 1973.The new Rule 78A will allow industrialists to maintain different prescribed registers in electronic/digital formats to reduce their compliance burden, in line with the demand of the industries to this effect.This investor-friendly initiative would further encourage digitalisation of records, and help ensure transparency and easy access to records, thereby not only complying with the requirements of Government of India but also enabling the state to attract huge investments by ensuring congenial investment climate.Instructions relating to additional borrowing of 2% of GSDP were received from Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure), GoI, on May 17, 2020 in which certain conditions were imposed for obtaining additional 2% borrowing. One of the conditions was to have automatic renewals under the Labour Laws. At present, there is no provision of auto renewal of license under the Punjab Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Rules, 1973. Hence, there was need to amend the aforementioned rules to facilitate the industries with provision of auto renewal. 

Amrit Sagar Mittal’s Appointment Okayed Ex-Facto

The Cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval to the appointment of noted industrialist Amrit Sagar Mittal as Vice Chairman of the Punjab State Planning Board in the rank and status of Cabinet Minister, besides also approving the terms and conditions in this regard. The appointment period of the Vice Chairman has been fixed from his joining date i.e. July 30, 2019 till April 11, 2022.

56th Annual Administrative Report Of Civil Aviation Department Approved 

In another decision, the Punjab Cabinet has approved the 56th Annual Administrative report of the Civil Aviation department for the year 2019-20.