Punjab Vidhan Sabha Budget session from June 19

 by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH JUNE 7 

The Punjab Cabinet today approved the summoning of the second Session (Budget) of 14^th Vidhan Sabha from June 19 to 29, 2012.  

This decision was taken in a meeting of Council of Ministers held under the Chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here at CMO this morning.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the session would commence on June 19 in the afternoon with Obituary references. Budget estimates for the year 2012-13 would be presented on June 20 and the general discussions on budget estimates would be held on June 22, 25 and 26.

The Cabinet also approved guidelines for partnership with Private Training Providers (PTPs) for vocational training and skill development aimed to; expand and strengthen skill development facilities in areas/trades in which existing government institutes do not have requisite trainers and infrastructure, to compliment and supplement existing resources in areas/trades already being run in various industrial training institutes and polytechnics of the state, to ensure optimum unitization of infrastructure and staff of existing ITIs and Polytechnics and to enhance capacity of existing institutes of vocational training and technical education.  

In another significant decision, the Cabinet also approved the breeding policy to improve the quality of cows and buffalos through artificial insemination in a planned manner.  This would certainly arrest the swift decline of buffalos and cows of Nili Ravi and Sahiwal breed respectively. 

The Cabinet also approved to notify the Punjab State Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animal Rules, 2012 under the Central Act of Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animal Rules, 2009 to check the spread of Infectious diseases amongst animals thereby averting the huge loss incurred by the owners of the animals.  This initiative would facilitate the implementation of the Phase-I of the National Dairy plan in the state aimed at revitalizing the village level Milk Societies engaged in collection of the milk apart from improving the breed of milch cattle along with developing new sources of fodder for the animals.

In a bid to attract the best and qualified specialist doctors in the government hospitals, the Cabinet approved Higher Education allowance equivalent to 5 annual increments i.e. 15% of the basic pay to the PCMS.  Doctors who obtained Post Graduate Degree would be entitled for Higher Education Allowance equivalent to 4 increments i.e. 12% of their basic pay for pursuing PG Diploma.

The Cabinet also gave nod for taking out 137 posts in the Town and Country Planning wing of the Housing & Urban Development Department, of which 66 in Group ‘A’ & ‘B’ and 71 of Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ out of purview of Punjab Public Service Commission and State Services Selection Board and approved filling of these posts on the basis of written exam only by the department through an external agency. 

The Cabinet also approved the Punjab Prosecution & Litigation (Group-B) Service Rules, 2012 regulating the recruitment and the conditions or service of the persons appointed to the Punjab Prosecution & Litigation (Group ‘B’) service by including Assistant District Attorney in Group ‘B’. 

The Cabinet also decided to amend the Punjab Excise & Taxation department (State Service Class-III A) Rules 1956 to abolish 12.50% quota of ministerial staff for the promotion of Excise & Taxation Officers.  Now 50% posts meant for promotion to ETOs would be from inspectors of the department.     

The Cabinet also approved the creation of requisite staff in the newly created Sahnewal sub-tehsil in Ludhiana district.

In another important decision, the Chief Minister also asked the Chief Secretary to ensure that all the blocks, sub-tehsils which have been sanctioned recently are provided with requisite staff for smooth functioning. 

In order to cut expenditure, the Chief Minister also directed the Chief Secretary to formulate an official vehicle policy within a month whereby the government vehicle could be replaced with the monthly transport allowance.