BHAGWANT MANN GOVERNMENT TO PRESENT ANNUAL BUDGET ON MARCH 10TH

Chandigarh, February 21-

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government will present its budget for the financial year 2023-24- on March 10 as the budget session of 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha will be held from March 3rd to March 24th.

This was decided at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here at his office in Punjab Civil Secretariat I.

Disclosing the details a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Cabinet authorized the Governor to convene the session, as per Article 174 of the Constitution of India.

As per the schedule, the budget session will commence on March 3 at 10 am with Governor’s address followed by obituary references at 2 pm. On March 6 the motion of thanks and discussion on Governor’s Address will take place at 10 am till the conclusion of the same. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the year 2021-22, presentation of supplementary grants for year 2022-23 and Appropriation bill on supplementary demands for grants for year 2022-23 will be held on March 7th, followed by legislative business.

Non official business will be held on March 9th and Budget estimates for the year 2023-24 will be presented before the House on March 10th followed by general discussion on the budget. General discussion on the Budget estimates for the year 2023-24 will resume at 10 AM on March 11 till its conclusion and voting. Non-official business will be conducted at 10 am on March 22, followed by legislative business on March 24th after which the house will be adjourned sine-die.

EX-POST-FACTO APPROVAL TO THE OFFICERS COMMITTEE TO FORMULATE SOP FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPS

The Cabinet also gave ex-post-facto approval to the officers committee constituted by the Finance Department to formulate the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the implementation of the old pension scheme in Punjab. The Government of Punjab, Department of Finance, vide its Notification No. 02/01/2022-2FPPC/153-159, dated 18.11.2022, has implemented the Old Pension Scheme for all employees of Government of Punjab who are covered under Defined Contributory Pension Scheme (NPS). In continuation of this notification, the ex-post-facto approval has been given to the officers committee constituted by the Finance Department’s Notification Number 02/01/2020-22FPPC/09 dated 27.01.2023 to formulate the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the implementation of the old pension scheme in Punjab and to consider the recommendations of officers Committee, the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted vide Notification No. 1/196/2022-1cab/530 dated 31.01.2023 issued by the General Administration Department (Cabinet Affairs Branch) and the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s order dated 13.02.2023.

GREEN SIGNAL TO NOTIFY AFFORDABLE COLONY POLICY, 2023

With a view to provide houses at affordable prices to the Lower Income Group in the State, the Cabinet also gave green signal to notify Affordable Colony Policy, 2023. The policy proposes to increase the saleable area from 62% to 65% and further to reduce CLU/EDC/LF/SIF/UDF charges to 50% of the applicable charges in respective zones in the State of Punjab (except in GMADA Regional Plan and Master Plans/ Proposed Land Use Plan Lalru in GMADA Region where there shall not be any reduction in charges). Further, for quick approval of the project, power for the grant of approval of CLU, License and Building Plan shall also be delegated to Chief Administrator of the concerned Development Authority (at local level) as a single agency.

APPROVES “INTEGRATED LOGISTICS & LOGISTICS PARK POLICY”

With the aim of holistic development of the Logistics Sector of State, the Cabinet also accorded approval to “Integrated Logistics & Logistics Park Policy”. Punjab has built a robust logistics infrastructure and has carried out various regulatory and structural reforms and has also designated Logistics as thrust sector. The policy offers several incentives for the development of infrastructure like MMLPs, Logistics Parks and Trucker Parks/Wayside Amenities Further, to ensure de-carbonization of the sector.

The policy incentivizes use of Commercial EVs for logistics and non-EV Refrigerated vehicles (Reefer vehicles). In order to ensure balanced regional development specialized services and warehouses in border districts have also been incentivized. The Policy further envisages a single integrated approval system for setting up units in the logistics sector, which will usher in a new era of development of logistics sector resulting in transformation of Punjab’s economy from agri-focused to manufacturing based, MSMEs becoming more competitive and enhanced employment opportunities.

GIVES NOD TO IMPLEMENT ‘PUNJAB YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM’

The Cabinet also gave nod to implement ‘Punjab Young Entrepreneur Program’, which envisions development of entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in students of government schools, to prepare them for the real world – as job creators and problem solvers for the country in general and Punjab in particular. Under this program a Business Blasters Program has been launched as per which the Department will provide seed money to a group of students to develop and implement a business idea, @2,000/- per student. As the experience of using seed money for implementing the business idea is at the core of the program, benefits or losses, if any, will not be recovered by the Department from the students. The teacher/ schools heads will exercise oversight on utilization of seed money and the profit and loss statements maintained by the students.

NOD TO CHANGE NOMENCLATURE OF THE OFFICES OF THE HEADS OF SECONDARY AND ELEMENTARY WINGS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

The Cabinet also approved a proposal to change the nomenclature of the offices of the Heads of Secondary and Elementary wings of the Department of School Education from Director Public Instructions (Secondary Education) and Director Public Instructions (Elementary Education) to Directorate of School Education (Secondary) and Directorate of School Education (Elementary).

APPROVAL TO CONVERT 101 TEMPORARY POSTS OF DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE/ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE

The Cabinet also gave nod to convert 101 temporary posts of District and Sessions Judge/Additional District and Sessions Judge, whose pay scale (Entry level) is Rs.51,550-1230-58,930-1380-63,070/- and 270 temporary posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division)-cum-Judicial Magistrate, whose pay scale (Entry level) is Rs 27,700-770-33.090 920 40,450-1080-44,770/- of State Subordinate Courts into permanent posts to further strengthen the judicial system in the State.