CHANDIGARH AUGUST 21:The Cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today approved the land pooling scheme for the purpose of land for the purpose of acquisition of land for public purposes.
Disclosing this here today Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Mr. Harcharan Bains said that the said scheme would enable the land owners to get developed land in addition to the compensation to be given at market price.
The Cabinet also gave approval for summoning of 5th session of 13th Punjab Vidhan Sabha from 4 to 10 September, 2008. The session would begin with Obituary References on September 4.
The Cabinet also reviewed the flood relief measures being undertaken in full swing by the state government and appreciated the role of Army in this hour of crisis to bail out the flood affected persons. The Cabinet assured that full compensation would be paid to the flood victims for the damage caused to the crops, property and loss of human life. The Cabinet also urged the Chief Minister to take up the matter with the Union Home and Agriculture Ministers immediately to seek maximum financial assistance from the Centre as a relief to be provided to the beleaguered families, besides impressing upon the Centre to relax its stringent norms to make Punjab eligible for adequate compensation in terms of extensive damage caused to the crops, shops and other infrastructure as a ‘special case,.
The Cabinet also gave approval for the construction of the world class Cricket Stadium/Sports Complex at Bathinda through Competitive Private Participation over 25 acres of land.
The Cabinet also gave a green signal for the revival and filling up of 100 posts of Medical Officers (General) and 147 posts of specialists through direct recruitment to be conducted by Punjab Public Service Commission. Likewise, the Cabinet also approved to fill 21 vacant posts of Chemical Examiner, Public Analyst and Assistant Chemical Examiner by direct recruitment in the food drugs and excise laboratories in the state. Apart from this, the Cabinet also approved to re-employ the willing medical/dental/Ayurvedic teachers who retired since 2003 onwards to overcome the present precariously grim situation in the state health sciences institutions in which about 107 posts were lying vacant over past the several years.
The Cabinet also approved to transfer 9 out of 13 properties of Punjab Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to be taken over on disinvestment to the department of Tourism on lease through Punjab Infrastructure Development Board in a transparent manner. The proceeds accrued on account of lease of these properties would go to the Punjab Heritage & Tourism Promotion Board for the promotion and development of tourism.
In order to improve the VAT revenue of the Punjab Government, the Cabinet approved to engage the services of a consultant – Price Water House Coopers to assist the state Government on Revenue Augmentation Initiatives.
The Cabinet also approved to cover sale promotion employees within the definition of ‘workman’ under section 2(s) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.