CABINET APPROVES RESTRUCTURING OF INFORMATION & PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT WITH A THRUST ON RIGHT-SIZING TO ENHANCE ITS EFFICIENCY

Chandigarh, January 11: To bring far more efficiency in the functioning of Information & Public Relations department in the changed scenario, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday gave approval to its restructuring plan.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the department prepared a comprehensive proposal to right-size its manpower to cater to the changing requirements and to introduce a degree of flexibility in engaging manpower with fast changing skill sets by bringing in a component of outsourced manpower. Certain traditional posts are proposed to be abolished in favour of new posts which would help the department in improving its overall efficiency and response. The desired pyramidical structure in hierarchy has also been adequately taken care of.

It may be recalled that Information & Public Relations department is actively engaged in the dissemination of policies and achievements of the state government. Earlier, the department used traditional methods such as exhibitions, song & drama, cinema, etc. to percolate the message at the grassroots level. With the passage of time, print journals and electronic mediums like TV and radio became more significant. Of late, the social media has emerged as a potent medium of communication. However, the sanctioned strength of the department continues to have provisions to engage persons for the traditional modes of communications rather than the emerging ones.

ACCORDS APPROVAL TO AMEND PUNJAB CIVIL SECRETARIAT (STATE SERVICES CLASS-III) RULES, 1976 FOR EXEMPTION FROM QUALIFYING DEPARTMENTAL TEST

The Cabinet also gave nod to amend Punjab Civil Secretariat (State Services Class-III) Rules, 1976 and the order issued by General Administration on December 23, 1995 to give the employees working in the cadre of stenotypist at least one chance of promotion as Junior Scale Stenographer by granting exemption from the qualifying departmental test, who have crossed 50 years of age.