Punjab raises financial assistance to World War II veterans

In recognition of the gallantry services rendered by the World War II heroes, the Punjab Cabinet gave approval to increase financial assistance to the veterans, ex-servicemen, their widows from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,500 per month.
A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the Chief Minister's Office here this evening.
A spokesperson said that at present, the state government provides financial assistance to ex-servicemen, their widows who were above 65 years of age and discharged from their services without any financial benefit/pension.
The annual income limit for availing such benefit has also been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

To mitigate the hardships and inconvenience faced by the people, the Cabinet approved upgrading sub-tehsils Dudhan Sadhan in Patiala, Bhawanigarh in Sangrur and Kalanaur in Gurdaspur district as new sub-divisions.
To bring far more efficiency in the functioning of the state administration, the Cabinet gave approval to add 750 new posts in elections, Advocate General, Social Security & Women and Child Development, Welfare and Social Security, Defence Services Welfare, Personnel and General Administration departments.

The Cabinet also accorded approval to the creation of 341 permanent posts in different categories in the State Elections Department to overcome the shortage of staff and ensure its smooth working, he said.

It gave approval for the creation of 37 posts for the newly created Goniana and Maloud blocks in Bathinda and Ludhiana districts, respectively.
Similarly, 230 posts of various cadres for establishment of Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) Mission was granted. Expenditure on the salaries of the staff recruited by the ICDS Mission shall be borne by the Centre and Punjab government in the ratio of 60:40.
Similarly, the Punjab Cabinet okayed the creation of post
of Officer-on-Special Duty (Litigation) in the Welfare and Social Security Department to deal with matters such as central schemes for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes categories, reservation policy, and exclusion and inclusion of any caste into SC or BC categories.

It gave ex-post facto approval for filling of two remaining vacancies of members along with supporting staff in the Punjab State Food Commission established under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
It gave approval to sanction 16 posts as requisite staff for the District Defence Services Welfare Offices in two new districts of Pathankot and Fazilka.
Consequent upon the recent cadre review of Punjab Civil Services (PCS), the Cabinet also decided to increase the existing cadre strength of PCS (Executive Branch) officers from 288 to 310. Previously, the cadre review of PCS (EB) was undertaken in 1993.
It gave concurrence to create one post of Senior Technical Assistant in Punjab Civil Secretariat and two posts of Personal Assistants and one Driver in Punjab Raj Bhawan.

Conceding the long-pending demand of the Sikh Rajput Community to include their caste in the list of Backward Classes, the Cabinet also gave concurrence to include Sikh Rajput of Punjab State in this list so as to raise their status in the society.
On the persistent demand of village Panchayat of Saholi in Ludhiana district, the Cabinet gave its nod to include Saholi village from Tehsil Ludhiana (Central) to sub-tehsil Mullanpur Dakhan, in view of its proximity to the Sub-Tehsil Mullanpur Dakhan.
To ensure overall welfare and fair representation of ex-servicemen in State Civil Services, the Cabinet decided to amend para 5 (i) of the Punjab Recruitment of Ex-servicemen Rules, 1982 for providing four chances to Ex-servicemen candidates to appear in Punjab Civil Services Examination.

At present, the Punjab Ex-servicemen Rules, 1982 provide three chances to ex-servicemen.
The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval and ratification of Administrative & Financial Sanctions for the sub-projects taken up in Tranche-1 under Infrastructural Development Investment Programme for Tourism (IDIPT) in Punjab.
Ten projects under it are nearing completion and some of the important historical and cultural sites of tourism importance are likely to be opened to public shortly, such as Attari parking, Gobindgarh Fort, Keshopur Wetland etc.
The Cabinet also authorised the Health and Family Welfare
Minister to take a call on the continuation of Cashless Health Insurance Scheme for government employees and pensioners as the term of current scheme ends on December 31, 2016.

It approved conferring ownership rights to members of Nazool Land Cooperative Societies. 15 to 20 lakh families are connected with these Nazool Land Cooperative Societies and they have been cultivating land for nearly 60 years.
On the recommendations of the state government, the Cabinet decided to hand over Saragarhi Gurdwara, Ferozepur for 'seva' (upkeep and maintenance) to Baba Nand Singh Charitable Trust, Jagraon (Ludhiana) for 30 years, subject to certain conditions.
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 self-financed CT University at Ludhiana under the Punjab Private Universities Policy 2010.

The Cabinet also decided to offer another opportunity to people, especially NRIs and those residing outside the state, who could not avail benefit to get their plots/buildings regularised in unauthorized colonies in the state under the provisions of the Punjab Laws (Special Provision) Act, 2016.
The objective of this entire exercise was to regularise unauthorized colonies thereby bringing them within the ambit of planning framework and to provide the basic civic amenities of metalled roads, safe drinking water, sewerage and electricity to the residents of these colonies.
The Cabinet also approved the legislation on operation and maintenance of Bhagwan Valmik Tirath Sthal (Ram Tirath), Amritsar. A 15-member Shrine Board has been constituted under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister and Minister in-charge of the department of Tourism & Cultural Affairs as its Vice-Chairman.

The Cabinet also decided to amend clause(a) of Section 6 of the Punjab School Education Board Act, 1969 through promulgation of Punjab School Education Board (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 for the appointment of its Chairman from amongst the IAS or PCS Officer, who has served the central government or state government or both for a period of not less than 10 years.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal mooted by the Local Government department to notify the Punjab Municipality (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Scheme 2016 for disposal of municipal properties under rent/lease etc. Since long.