Labour Day Gift: 10% of total crop loss compensation will now go to farm labourers, announces CM Mann

He was addressing the media after holding a Cabinet meeting at the Circuit House in Ludhiana, about 100 km from Chandigarh, as part of AAP dispensation’s flagship ‘Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’ (government at your doorstep) programme.

“This is a gift to the entire working class, who toil to produce crops, ahead of the Labour Day on May 1,” said Mann.

The chief minister said his government will soon start a drive to register the labourers so that they can get benefits from the various central and state-sponsored schemes. “We have directed our officers to visit labour chowks, construction sites and rural areas and meet labourers there and get them registered on the spot,” Mann said.

The chief minister said most Cabinet meetings will now be held outside Chandigarh as it will give officials and ministers a chance to take feedback from people, listen to their grievances and address them on the spot. He said Cabinet meetings will now be held in places like Moga, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and even in a large village.

“The government representatives will spend a day wherever it is held,” Mann said, adding that he has already directed the administrative and police officials to enhance their field visits to ensure that people don’t have to run from pillar to post for getting their routine works done.

“In the coming days, we will bring many pro-Punjab, pro-people initiatives,” he said.

Targeting previous governments, he said, “We don’t leave any files pending. Earlier, files were pending for 2-3 years. We are bringing the state back on the track of developmental so that Punjab once again becomes ‘rangla (vibrant).”

🔴 Other decision taken by Punjab cabinet:

“Sarkaar Aapke Dwaar” takes off, says CM

Mann further said that the state government has kick-started its flagship programme ‘Sarkaar Aapke Dwaar’ by holding a cabinet meeting at Ludhiana’s Circuit House, adding that the move was aimed at ensuring the well-being of the people and holistic development of the state. He said that now cabinet meetings will not be confined to the rooms of the Secretariat in Chandigarh but will be across Punjab in villages, towns and cities so that people are facilitated. Mann said that the step will boost the development of the state.

He said that he had already directed the administrative and police officers to enhance their field visits. He said that the aim was to ensure that people don’t have to run from pillar to post for getting their routine administrative works done.

Nod to fill 87 vacancies in local audit wing

The Cabinet also gave the nod for filling 87 vacancies of direct recruitment in the various cadres of the Local Audit Wing including 60 junior auditors, one section officer, one junior scale stenographer, three steno-typists and 22 clerks . This will streamline the pre-audit/post-audit of Panchayati Raj Institutes (PRIs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), pupil funds, and universities. This will further enable the state government to get Finance Commission grants from the union government in a smooth and hassle-free manner, said Mann.

Restructuring of Punjab sports rules approved

The cabinet also approved the restructuring of the Punjab State Sports (Group-A’, Group ‘B’ & Group ‘C) Service Rules, 2023. All fresh recruitments will be made in various cadres of the sports department as per the newly notified rules. Similarly, the officers/employees working in different cadres in the sports department will get opportunities for promotion during their service.

New block in Amritsar district

The cabinet also accorded consent to create Ramdas as a new block in Amritsar district. The new block has been carved from 75 gram panchayats which were earlier in Ajnala block. The creation of new block will give a boost to the developmental activities in these 75 villages, said Mann. The cabinet also approved the creation of the post of Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) for the new block.

Revised pay scales for PAU faculty

The cabinet approved the revision of pay scales for faculty of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) with effect from January 1, 2016. The disbursement of salary and pension to these employees will commence from current month (April 2023).

The Punjab Advocate General Service Rules approved

The Cabinet also gave approval for the formulation of The Punjab Advocate General (Group ‘A’) Service Rules, 2023. With the formulation of these service rules, the services of Group-A employees serving in the office of Advocate General, Punjab will be regulated.

Premature release of convicts

The cabinet also gave its consent to consider cases of six prisoners undergoing life imprisonment, for their premature release. After the nod of the Cabinet under Article 163 of the Constitution of India, these special remission/ premature release cases will be submitted to the Punjab Governor under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution for consideration/ approval.

As a part of phase II of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav being celebrated to commemorate 75 years of Independence, the cabinet also gave a green signal for sending the cases of 14 prisoners falling in category 6, for seeking the premature release. These too will be sent to the Governor for final approval.

Annual report of Defence Services dept

The cabinet also gave nod to the annual administrative report of the Department of Defence Services Welfare, Punjab for the year 2021-22.