Captain Amarinder Singh Led Punjab Cabinet Approves Bill To Implement Mission Lal Lakir
Also Okays Common Cadre Bifurcation For Health & Medical Education Depts
5 Dariya News
Chandigarh 05-Mar-2021
The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday gave go-ahead to introduce the Punjab Abadi Deh (Record of Right) Bill, 2021 in the ongoing budget session of Vidhan Sabha.The move is aimed at helping the state government compile Record of Rights of properties within the Lal Lakir in the villages for the purpose of implementing Mission Lal Lakir (with the cooperation of Government of India under its SVAMITVA Scheme) and also to deal with the issues arising out of the rights accruing out of these properties. Besides, this legislation would also facilitate villagers/owners to monetise property rights and avail various benefits provided by Government departments/institutions and banks.It may be recalled that at the time of settlement and consolidation of agricultural land in the state, the abadi in the village was placed within the Lal Lakir. No Record of Rights was prepared or created for the area within the Lal Lakir. Possession has been considered as the ruling point for the ownership of any land within the Lal Lakir. In certain cases, some registered sale deeds have taken place on the basis of Chulha Tax etc. However in most of the places, the ownership of the area within the Lal Lakir is usually passed on through an informal agreement etc. and the possession is the basis of ownership.
AMENDMENT TO VILLAGE COMMON LAND (REGULATION) ACT ALSO APPROVED
The Cabinet also accorded approval to amend Section 2 of Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Act 1961 to safeguard the vacant lands within Abadi Deh or Lal Lakir or Gorah Deh from illegal encroachment by inserting section 2(g)(1) and sub-section 4(a) after section 2(g)(4).
HEALTH & MEDICAL EDUCATION COMMON CADRE BIFURCATION GETS GO-AHEAD
In another decision, the Council Ministers approved the bifurcation of the common cadre of the departments of Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education & Research. The move is aimed at prompt resolution of disputes arising out of the establishment matters between these two departments through separation of controlling authority and rules of both the departments. Also, in line with the consensus emerged in Officers Committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary on January 13, 2021, the Cabinet also gave approval to remove the posts of common cadre (Ministerial, Nursing and Para-Medical) of Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education & Research departments from the purview of prevailing rules and allot these to the Medical Education & Research department.
ANTI RED TAPE BILL OKAYED FOR TABLING IN BUDGET SESSION
In a bid to eliminate Red Tapeism and promote effective administration of public affairs, the Cabinet also okayed the Punjab Anti Red Tape Bill to be tabled in the ongoing budget session of Vidhan Sabha for enactment. Part of the government’s reforms agenda for improving delivery of services to public and ease of doing business to industry, the Bill contains provision to reduce the cost and burden of compliances on the citizens and businesses, through simplified, trust-based procedures that would expedite processes and make governance efficient. The Bill would be instrumental in improving the Governance Systems to help citizens and businesses by removing inefficiencies and Red Tape in the system. It would also provide various measures for simplification of Government processes, Re-engineering Government System, reduction of compliance burden and removal of external intermediaries to bring a system which would promise to serve its citizens and business.
Upgradation Of 2 Engineering Colleges To State University Status Approved By Punjab Cabinet
The Punjab Cabinet on Friday approved the upgradation of Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University and Sardar Beant Singh State University to state-level universities.The relevant Bills will be tabled in the current Budget Session of the Vidhan Sabha, an official spokesperson said after a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.With the enactment of the Bills, Shaheed Bhagat Singh State Technical Campus, Ferozepur and Beant College of Engineering & Technology, Gurdaspur, would be upgraded as Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University, Ferozepur and Sardar Beant Singh State University, Gurdaspur respectively. The up-gradation of these engineering colleges as State Universities would enable both these institutes to start multidisciplinary courses with its existing infrastructure, as per the needs of surrounding areas besides improving their financial position.The Finance Department has approved grant of Rs 45 crore initially for the next 3 years (Rs 15 crore/year) for each of the two universities, which will be mentored by IIT Ropar to attract students, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi informed the Cabinet. The Chief Minister said the continuation of the grant will be reviewed after 3 years.These two institutes, set up in 1994 by the state government, have played a major role in the development of Technical Education in the border areas of State of Punjab. They are run by the societies registered under Societies Registration Act of 1860 and all their affairs are looked after by a Board of Governors constituted by the State Government.
Punjab Cabinet Okays Release Of Rs.36.70 Cr To Pafc For Rms 2019-20 Work
The Punjab Cabinet on Friday gave approval to release payment of Rs. 36.70 crore to the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC) on account of administrative charges for the work done by it during Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2019-20.The approval came during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh here this evening through video conferencing.According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, the said payment would be released, subject to the conditions of the Finance Department, by deducting/recovering the same from the accounts of Pungrain, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC) and Markfed, as per the PAFC share in procurement transfer to them from the administrative charges receivable by other procuring agencies for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2019-20.The procurement share of PAFC during KMS 2018-19 was 10%, which was transferred to Pungrain (4%), Markfed (3%) and PSWC (3%) during KMS 2019-20. Accordingly, the proportionate share of administrative charges for PAFC amounts to Rs. 36.70 Crore.
State agencies that procure foodgrains (wheat and paddy) on behalf of Government of India are paid administrative charges @ 2.5% of MSP of paddy during KMS only. These administrative charges are disbursed when paddy is shelled & rice is delivered to Food Corporation of India, GoI. These funds are utilized by the state agencies during the year for various post procurement expenses, including personnel, custody & maintenance, upkeep of stocks, other administrative expenses etc.PAFC was allowed as State procurement Agency for the procurement of wheat and paddy in the state by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department. PAFC procured almost 10% of the total paddy procured by the State Procurement Agencies.To ensure better management of the procurement operations, the State Government had decided before KMS 2019-20 to reduce the number of procurement agencies in the State. Accordingly, Punjab Agro Food Grains Corporation was withdrawn from the procurement of foodgrains in the State vide letter dated July 2, 2019. Therefore, PAFC did not receive any administrative expenses during KMS 2019-20, which adversely affected the various payments by PAFC including custody & maintenance, upkeep of stocks, service of debt, personnel and administrative expenses etc, the spokesperson added.