Punjab Cabinet decisions 17 September 2021

PUNJAB CM ANNOUNCES FREE HEALTH INSURANCE COVER FOR 15 LAKH FAMILIES LEFT OUT OF AYUSHMAN/SARBAT SEHAT SCHEME

SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE OF TERRORISM/RIOT AFFECTED FAMILIES & KASHMIRI MIGRANTS TO BE ALSO HIKED

Chandigarh, September 17
Fulfilling his government’s universal healthcare poll promise, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday announced free insurance cover for the 15 lakh families who were earlier not included in the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat-Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana (AB-SSBY).

The Chief Minister announced his decision at the virtual cabinet meeting, where the Health Department had proposed bringing these families into the government schemes cover on co-sharing basis, which would have required the beneficiaries to pay for part of the expense. However, Captain Amarinder suggested making the insurance cover for these families also completely free in line with his government’s promise of universal healthcare for the people of Punjab.

Barring the families of Government Employees/Pensioners, who were already covered under Punjab Medical Attendance Rules, all the remaining nearly 55 lakh families in the state will now come under the ambit of this scheme, an official spokesperson said after the meeting.

The State Government will now be bearing a total cost of Rs 593 crore per annum to cover 55 lakh families to provide insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per for secondary and tertiary care treatments in empanelled public and private hospitals.

The Health & Family Welfare department has been asked to formulate the operational process for the enrolment of these left out families under the scheme.

Notably, nearly 39.38 lakh families, including 14.64 lakh families identified as per the ‘Socio-Economic Caste Census’ (SECC) of 2011, 16.15 lakh Smart Ration Card holder families and 5.07 lakh farmer families, 3.12 lakh construction worker families, 4481 accredited journalist families and 33,096 small trader families, are already availing this facility under the scheme since August 20, 2019, and they have got cashless medical treatment worth over Rs 913 crore cover in the last two years.

AID FOR TERRORISM/RIOT AFFECTED & KASHMIRI MIGRANTS HIKED

Fulfilling a pending demand of terrorism/riot affected families and Kashmiri migrants, the Cabinet also gave approval to enhancing their subsistence allowance. While Subsistence Allowance of terrorists/riot affected families has been hiked from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 6000 per month, financial assistance being given to Kashmiri migrants as ration money has been increased from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 2500 per month per family. This move would benefit 5100 terrorists/riot affected families and 200 Kashmiri migrants with an annual outlay of Rs. 6.16 crore.

The financial assistance of terrorists/riot affected families was earlier increased in 2012 and for Kashmiri migrants, it was hiked in 2005.

 

PUNJAB GOVT TO CUT DOWN TIME FOR FILING OBJECTIONS UNDER SVAMITVA SCHEME FOR EFFECTIVE MISSION LAL LAKIR IMPLEMENTATION

Chandigarh, September 17: To facilitate quick and effective implementation of Mission Lal Lakir, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday decided to cut down by half the time for filing objections prepared under the SVAMITVA scheme – from the existing 90 to 45 days.

The Cabinet, at a virtual meeting, accordingly approved the Punjab Abadi deh (Record of Rights) Bill, 2021, enabling amendment to Section 11(1) of the existing legislation, which had provided that person aggrieved by the demarcation of any boundary in the survey record, or an entry regarding the proprietary rights in the standing record of rights in a survey unit, may file objection within 90 days of display of record at a conspicuous place in the village.

The Punjab Abadi deh (Record of Rights) Act, 2021 was enacted to implement ‘Mission Lal Lakir’ across the State. As no Record of Rights is available for properties within the Lal Lakir, such properties could not, therefore, be monetized as per real value of the property and no mortgages etc. can be created on such properties. The State Government had announced Mission Lal Lakir to prepare the right of record of properties of villages within Lal Lakir, with cooperation of GoI, under SVAMITVA Scheme.

To implement ‘Mission Lal Lakir’, the Abadi Deh (Record of Rights) Act, 2021 provides legal framework to finalize the record of ownership on the basis of survey conducted and recorded in the activity above with proper provision and set-up for resolution of objections and disputes to create and update a Record of Rights, which once finalized will have same legal status as the record of rights for the agricultural land.

REIMBURSEMENT OF STATE GST SHARE ON LANGAR ITEMS ALLOWED
In another decision, the cabinet okayed amendment to Rule 10 (e) of Revenue and Rehabilitation department indexed at serial number 37 in the State Government’s Allocation of Business Rules, 2007. With this amendment, decks have been cleared to provide grant-in-aid for reimbursement of the State share of GST on purchase of langar items of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar, Sri Durgiana Mandir Amritsar and Sri Valmiki Sthal Ram Tirath Amritsar.

ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS APPROVED
Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers stamped its approval on the Annual Administrative Reports of the Vigilance Bureau for the year 2020, Horticulture department for the year 2019-20, Tourism, Cultural Affairs & Archives department for the years 2018-19 and 2019-20 ,and Social Security and Women & Child Development department for the year 2020-21.

 

PUNJAB CUSTOM MILLING POLICY FOR KHARIF 2021-22 OKAYED, PADDY PROCUREMENT ARRANGEMENTS APPROVED BY CABINET

Chandigarh, September 17: The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday approved the Punjab Custom Milling Policy for Kharif 2021-22, for conversion of paddy procured by State Procurement Agencies (Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup and PSWC) into Custom Milled Rice and its delivery into the Central Pool.

According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2021-22 would start from 1st October, 2021, and the operations would be completed by December 15, 2021. During KMS 2021-22, the paddy so procured would be stored in eligible rice mills situated in the State.

The policy provides for timely linking of the Rice Mills to the procurement centres, as per the purchase centre allotment list issued by the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs department. The paddy would be stored at the eligible rice mills as per their entitlement, and the agreement executed between the State agencies and the rice millers. The rice millers shall deliver the rice from paddy stored up to 31st March, 2022 as per policy and agreement.

The Department continues to adopt the online procedures introduced during the previous year for processes like registration and allotment of Rice Mills, Physical Verification of Rice Mills, Submission of CMR and Levy Security, application for issue of Release Order and its fee submission, through the AnaajKharid Portal of this Department (https://anaajkharid.in/), and these are being implemented in a stringent manner. Randomised physical verification of the paddy stock would be conducted at the district and division level to check any kind of malpractices.

These steps have been taken by the Department in an endeavour to get the milling of paddy completed in time in a transparent manner and to plug any sort of pilferages/leakages in the stock.

Notably, the Department issues Custom Milling Policy every year before the commencement of the KMS to get the paddy milled, which is procured by the State Agencies as per the specifications laid down by the Government of India.

The Cabinet also approved the arrangements for the procurement of 191 LMT paddy keeping in view the actual production of paddy in the State during the last year. Accordingly, arrangements are being made for availing Cash Credit Limit (CCL) of Rs. 42012.13 crore as required to procure 95% shares allocated to the State Procuring Agencies.

While reviewing the preparedness for the Paddy procurement season 2021-22, the Cabinet was informed that adequate arrangements of labour & transportation of paddy from mandis to rice mills/storage point have would be made. For storage of the paddy, crates are to be arranged by the rice millers on their own, for which they would be paid user charges by the state agencies. Further, LDPE Polythene Tarpaulins are being arranged for safe keeping of paddy during storage. As per the guidelines of GoI, integration of the Land Records Portal of Revenue Department has been done with the Punjab Mandi Board Portal, as well as the Anaaj Kharid Portal of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs department.

The Government of India has fixed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for common variety of paddy as Rs. 1,940/- per quintal and for grade ‘A’ variety paddy as Rs. 1,960/- per quintal for KMS 2021-22. The State procurement agencies Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, PSWC, alongwith FCI would procure paddy on this MSP as per specifications laid down by Government of India.

The Punjab Mandi board has notified 1806 Purchase Centers, which would be allotted amongst various procurement agencies on September 25, 2021. Further, rice mills and other suitable public places would also be notified as temporary purchase centers for procurement of paddy during KMS 2021-22 so as to ensure staggered procurement of paddy as a preventive measure to curb the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic and avoid glut in the mandis.

All efforts shall be made to ensure smooth, hassle free and seamless procurement of paddy during the season by the department, it was decided at the cabinet meeting. FCI would procure paddy as per its allocated share, for which it is making its own arrangements of gunny bales, cash credit, stock articles and storage space.

 

PUNJAB CABINET APPROVES ESTABLISHMENT OF LAMRIN TECH SKILLS UNIVERSITY IN SBS NAGAR DISTRICT

REPROMULGATES PALAKSHA UNIVERSITY ORDINANCE, APPROVES TAKING OVER OF NATIONAL COLLEGE FOR WOMEN, MACHHIWARA

CHANDIGARH, SEPTEMBER 17:

To strengthen industry-oriented teaching, skill training and research in the state, the Punjab Cabinet on Friday approved the establishment of Private Self-Financed ‘Lamrin Tech Skills University’ at Railmajra in Balachaur (SBS Nagar).

This decision, which will pave the way for the development of the region as a major skill and technological hub, was taken during a virtual Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The university will become functional from this academic session.

The Cabinet gave the nod to the draft of ‘‘Lamrin Tech Skills University Ordinance 2021’, and authorized the Chief Minister to approve the final draft prepared by the Legal Remembrancer, without placing it again before the Council of Ministers.

The upcoming self-financed ‘Lamrin Tech Skills University’, being established as a research and skill development university over an area of 81 acre, will be developed at a village Railmajra in SBS district, with an investment of Rs. 1630 crore over five years. It will have an annual intake of 1000-1100 students when the campus is fully established.

The University would be instrumental in imparting world-class higher education to students to empower them to compete globally and be gainfully equipped. It would also provide instructions, teaching, education, research and training at all levels in disciplines of higher education, including specifically designed skill intensive programmes in engineering, management, medical technology skills, vocational education and other skill based programmes in collaboration with industry and foreign universities. The programmes will be designed as per the needs of the industry and the society in general, as deemed necessary by the University and permissible under the state or central law and with the approval of the concerned Regulatory Authority.

The Punjab government has made it mandatory to reserve 15% seats exclusively for students from Punjab in the upcoming University, and full tuition fee concession/freeship to not less than 5% of the total strength from among the candidates belonging to the weaker sections of the society, as part of the ordinance and its terms and conditions.

It may be recalled that the Higher Education department had issued a Letter of Intent after considering the proposal and adopting the required procedure as per the provisions of Punjab Private Universities Policy-2010 to the sponsoring body on July 7, 2020, followed by a comprehensive proposal for setting up of a private self-financed ‘Lamrin Tech Skills University’ received from Rayat Educational and Research Trust, Village-Railmajra in Tehsil Balachaur of S.B.S. Nagar District.

RE-PROMULGATION OF PLAKSHA UNIVERSITY, PUNJAB ORDINANCE-2021
The Cabinet also accorded its approval to re-promulgate the Plaksha University, Punjab Ordinance-2021 for the establishment of Private Self-Financed ‘Plaksha University’ in Mohali’s IT city.

The Ordinance was issued on August 20, 2021, but it could not be converted into an Act of the State Legislature in the last session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, and as per the advice of the Legal Remembrancer (LR), this ordinance would cease to the operate on the expiry of a period of six weeks from the re-assembly of the Vidhan Sabha. On the advice of LR, the Cabinet thus approved its re-promulgation.

During the Cabinet meeting, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi called for implementation of the reservation policy in the university while Health Minister Balbir Sidhu suggested giving preference in employment for certain categories to residents of Mohali. The Chief Minister asked the department to consider all these issues.

APPROVES TAKING OVER OF NATIONAL COLLEGE FOR WOMEN, MACHHIWARA

Further, to affordable and quality education to the students of the region, the Cabinet also approved taking over National College for Women, Machhiwara, in Tehsil Samrala of Ludhiana district as Government College (Women), Machhiwara, Samrala (Ludhiana). The move is in line with the decision of the State Government of having a Government college in each sub-division of the state. It will also help in increasing the Gross Enrollment Ratio of the State.

 

PUNJAB CABINET OKAYS RULES TO PROMOTE & DEVELOP MSMEs, PUTS IN PLACE MECHANISM TO MITIGATE DELAYED PAYMENTS

RESTRUCTURING OF TOURISM/CULTURE & FOOD/CIVIL SUPPLIES DEPARTMENTS ALSO APPROVED

Chandigarh, September 17: The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab have got a major impetus with the state cabinet approving rules to provide a well-formulated legal framework for their operations, with effective mechanism to mitigate the problem of delayed payments to such enterprises.

The Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Friday okayed the Punjab Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Councils Rules, 2021 under Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006, to facilitate promotion, development and competitiveness of MSMEs.

According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, these rules provide the first-ever legal framework for recognition of the concept of “enterprise” (comprising both manufacturing and services), and integrating the three tiers of these enterprises, namely Micro, Small and Medium. Apart from clearer and more progressive classification of each category of enterprises, particularly the small ones, the Act provides for a statutory consultative mechanism at the national level, with wide representation of all sections of stakeholders and with a wide range of advisory functions. One of the silent features of Act is that it provides an effective mechanism for mitigating the problems of delayed payments of micro and small enterprises.

All district level Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Councils established under the chairmanship of respective Deputy Commissioners across the State would ensure proper implementation of the aforesaid rules to ensure development of MSMEs in the State, and to resolve the issues of delayed payments effectively for betterment of Micro & Small Entrepreneurs under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006.

Notably, the respective Deputy Commissioner of these districts shall exercise the powers of the Director, Industries and Commerce, and shall be the Chairperson of the Council with Lead District Bank Manager of the concerned District as Members, besides two members from the association of micro or small Industry or enterprises in the state MSMEs as non-official members. The General Manager of District Industries Centre would be the Member Secretary.

APPROVES RESTRUCTURING OF TOURISM/CULTURE & FOOD/CIVIL SUPPLIES DEPARTMENTS
Carrying forward the state government’s thrust on augmenting efficiencies through rationalization, the Cabinet also approved restructuring of the Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Archaeology, Museums and Archives department for creation and filling up of additional 9 new posts on regular scale, besides additional 35 new posts on outsourcing basis at minimum wages prescribed by the State Government.

The Cabinet also approved the restructuring of Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs department related to its various wings i.e. Food & Supplies, Legal Metrology Wing and Consumer Protection Act Branch. It gave the nod to sanction 109 new posts against 159 posts surrendered in the Food & Supplies, 20 against 35 posts in Legal Metrology Wing, besides creation of 130 new posts in Consumer Redressal Commissions. Thus, a total of 259 posts have been created against 194 surrendered posts to ensure better efficacy and transparency in the functioning of the department, which ensures food security of the country while safeguarding the interests of farmers and consumers.

NEW RULES FOR WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT STAFF
To ensure administrative efficiency in the functioning of Water Resources Department, the Cabinet also approved the Punjab Department of Water Resources, Junior Engineer ‘Group-B’ Service Rules, 2021 and the Punjab Department of Water Resources, Junior Draftsman & Surveyor ‘Group-C’ Service Rules, 2021.