Punjab Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to 14 CPSs posts

Chandigarh, Jun 11 (UNI) In a significant decision, the Punjab Cabinet today gave ex-post facto approval for the creation of 14 posts of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries in the state.

The approval was given at its meeting presided by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The cabinet also approved to grant Rs one crore as compensation to 377 victims whose shops were completely destroyed in a fire incident at Mohali recently. Each victim would be paid interim relief of Rs 25,000.

The cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval for the dissolution of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB) and the termination of the services of its chairman/members.

It may be recalled that PSSSB was dissolved and the services of its chairman/members were terminated on April 4, 2007 vide two separate notifications.

The cabinet also approved the Report of the Third Punjab Finance Commission for Panchayats and Municipalities for the year 2006-07 to 2010-11 regarding the devolution of funds to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

It was also decided to amend the sub-section (1) of Section 10 of the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 through adoption of a bill in the forth coming session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha to enable the Arhtias (Commission Agents) to get license issued for life time against three years and a consolidated fee of Rs 2000 instead of Rs 300 may be charged as licence fee for issuing this licence.

The cabinet approved the up gradation of Sub-Tehsil Lehra in Sangrur district as Sub-Division/Tehsil alongwith creation of posts at a recurring cost of Rs 60 lakhs. Apart from this, the cabinet approved to sanction staff for newly created SAS Nagar (Mohali), Tarn-Taran and Barnala districts.

The cabinet gave ex-post facto approval with regard to the revision of rates of relief to be granted to the persons affected by natural calamities because the rates and norms of relief fixed by the government of India under the Calamities Relief Fund (C.R.F.) Scheme were insufficient.

Keeping in view high costs of agricultural inputs like seeds, pesticides, insecticides, weedicide, fertilizers and diesel etc. the State Government thought it appropriate to revise the rates of relief in order to mitigate the sufferings of the aggrieved farmers.

The cabinet also approved amendment in the Sports Gradation Policy-1997 in order to streamline the process of gradation and to ensure that only genuine sportspersons got gradation, The cabinet also approved the introduction of a Bill on Punjab Private Technical Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee), Regulation 2007 in the forthcoming session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha for making the Act.

It was also decided in the cabinet to replace the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Amendment Ordinance, 2007 with a bill which will be introduced in the forthcoming Punjab Vidhan Sabha Session.

UNI