Within a month after the Punjab Government constituted a high-powered committee to resolve the long pending merger issue of the State’s ETT teachers in the Education department, Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod for the same.
The Cabinet approved to merge as many as 13,034 sanctioned posts of ETT teachers in the 5,772 schools run by the Rural Development and Panchayat Department in the State Education department.
The ETT teachers have since long been demanding their merger in the cadre of Government school teachers. For the same, they have organised series of protests and have observed fast.
Likewise, the Cabinet also approved the merger of 583 posts of Rural Veterinary Officers working in 582 Civil Veterinary Hospitals managed and run by the Rural Development and Panchayat Department in the Animal Husbandry.
In another major decision, the Cabinet decided to abolish the abiana charged from the farmers at the rate of `150 per acre per crop.
In a bid to maintain and clean the existing minors and distributaries in the State, the Cabinet also approved to levy water cess at the rate of `0.50 per acre per crop instead of abiana by amending the Indian Canal and Drainage Act, 1873.
“The decision would help in mobilizing sufficient funds for the proper maintenance and cleaning of these minors and distributaries,” said the Government’s official spokesperson.
To provide required irrigation water to the farmers through a robust canal system, the State Cabinet also decided that a master plan of irrigation network be prepared.
Besides, it was decided to set up water users committees at XEN level under the respective XEN, who would collect cleaning cess and also ensure its use for cleaning minors and distributaries in jurisdiction of respective committees.
The Cabinet also decided that an amount equal to cleaning cess collected in the State would be contributed by the State Government which would be used for rejuvenating and cleaning the canal network in the State. The users of canal water would oversee the utilization of this cess. The cleaning cess would be levied on only those farmers who used canal water, said the spokesperson.
Also giving nod to amend the Gram Panchayat land lease policy, the Cabient has authorized the concerned Deputy Commissioner of the district to approve lease of Gram Panchayat land (shamlat) for 33 years for setting up projects cleared by the department of Power and Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).
“Under the amended policy, the annual rate of lease has also been reduced from 10 to five per cent. This decision would not only curtail inordinate delay in leasing out Gram Panchayat land but also help prospective investors for quick implementation of solar power and other renewable energy projects duly approved by the power department and PEDA,” said the spokesperson.
The Cabinet also gave go ahead for amending the Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Act, 1977 with retrospective effect thereby allowing pension on a graded scale to an MLA who has been elected as such but not disqualified.
To ensure recruitment and promotion of all categories in Group A and B of Technical Education and Industrial Training department, the Cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval for notifying Rules of the department.
Cabinet also authorized the Excise and Taxation Minister to review and rationalize VAT levied on aerated drinks and cigarettes. Similarly, the Transport Minister has also been authorised to review and rationalize registration fee levied on four-wheeler vehicles.