CM ASKS SCHOOL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO RECRUIT 10810 TEACHERS WITHIN 3 THREE MONTHS

CHANDIGARH AUGUST 23, 2009

Punjab Government will recruit 10810 new teachers in secondary schools in the State within three months. Chief Minister, Mr.Parkash Singh Badal last night ordered the immediate start of the recruitment process to fill these posts. In addition all posts lying vacant because of delay in promotion would also be filled within three months.
The Chief Minister also ordered that the posts of Headmaster/Principal in every school in the State be filled expeditiously. That process would also be completed within three months.

In a major revamp of primary, middle and secondary school education, all schools would be provided requisite infrastructure including building, labs, libraries, lab equipment etc.

These decisions were taken at a review meeting of the education (schools) Department by the Chief Minister. The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Mr.Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. DS Guru, Secretary School Education Mr.KBS Sidhu and Director General of Secondary Education Mr. Krishan Kumar and other departmental officers.

Giving details of the decision, Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Mr.Harcharan Bains said that 590 Middle schools and 69 Primary schools would be constructed in various districts during the current year. In addition 1833 additional classrooms were also be constructed during the current year itself. Further, 21 Model Schools and a similar number of Girls hostel would be constructed in 21 Educationally Backward Blocks in seven districts during the current fiscal. A separate meeting had already been held to finalize the various specifications and terms and conditions etc. The Chief Minister also emphasized the need on regular monitoring and inspection of the schools so that the quality of education gets improved in the Government schools.

Mr.Badal also monitored the execution of Civil Works under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan Programme as well as Mid Day Meal Programme.Mr. Badal also reviewed the drop out rates prevalent in various districts both at the Primary and the Secondary Level and also directed the Department to adequate measures to ensure that the situation was improved by the end of the current financial year. He further directed the Department of PWD (B&R) to provide the list of all unsafe buildings in the Department of school education so that the government could take further necessary action. He further directed that the matter be taken up with all the Deputy Commissioners in the State to follow up the same with the respective XENs in the Department of PWD. Chief Minister also decided to fix up the next meeting of the Punjab Education Development Board on August 26 to review the implementation of the Adarsh Schools project in the State of Punjab.

CABINET OKAYS SOCIETY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION & INDUSTRIAL TRAINING IN PUNJAB

CHANDIGARH AUGUST 22, 2009

The Punjab Council of Ministers today gave its approval in principle for establishing a society for the development of Technical Education & Industrial Training in the state. The step is aimed at quality improvement, modernization and capacity expansion in the technical education system.

A decision to this effect was taken here at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal this evening.

Giving details, Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Mr. Harcharan Bains said that the basic objective of the society was to fulfill the aspirations and expectations of the industry in today’s globally competitive new industrial and economic environment driven by the advanced and emerging technology. The Board of Governors (BoG) of this society would comprise the Chief Minister as Chief Patron, eminent industrialist/educationist as Patron, Technical Education Minister as Chairman, Principal Secretary/Secretary Technical Education & Industrial Training as Vice Chairman.

The Director Technical Education & Industrial Training and Principal of the concerned Multi Disciplined Academy/ Institutions would be the Secretary General and Member Secretary respectively. Besides, the executive members would consist of MLA of the concerned Vidhan Sabha, Chairman Punjab State Board of Technical Education & Industrial Training, Principal Secretary Industry & Commerce or his nominee, Principal Secretary or Secretary Higher Education or his nominee, Principal Secretary or Secretary Employment Generation or his nominee (these nominees would not below the rank of Joint Secretaries), General Manager Railway Coach Factory Kapurthala, Sarpanch (concerned land provider village), Registrar Punjab Technical University, a technical expert and eminent industrialist of the area to be nominated by Chairman BoG and a Faculty member. Likewise, the executive-cum-finance committee would consist of Principal Secretary/Secretary Technical Education & Industrial Training as Chairman besides, Director Technical Education & Industrial Training, a chartered accountant to be nominated by the Chairman of the committee as its member. Additional Director Technical Education & Industrial Training and Principal of the concerned Multi Disciplined Academy would be its Finance Secretary and Member Secretary respectively.

The Council of Ministers also gave approval for revival of 2000 posts of constables to be filled by direct recruitment in the Police department. Existing 1000 posts of constables would be filled by absorption of an equal number of SPO’s in the armed battalions. Out of 500 general posts of constables (Male), 50 for Intelligence Wing, 62 for Horse-riding and 46 constables for police band would be recruited. Besides, 500 posts of lady constables in the general cadre would be filled through direct recruitment.

The Council of Ministers also extended the last date up to 30.9.2009 for submission of applications for the allotment of pond area land acquired by irrigation department falling between international border and barbed wire, between barbed wire and the Sutlej river towards Pakistan and between Sutlej river and Hussianiwala Head works/Ferozepur to its unauthorized occupants. It may be recalled that earlier the last date for submission of applications for the allotment of the land was 30.6.2009.

The Council of Ministers also gave nod for exemption of Entertainment Tax to the Punjab Naatshala Amritsar as it was promoting art of theatre in the state.

The Council of Ministers also gave approval for filling up 398 posts of class III and IV on the contract basis in the department of Medical Education & Research.

The Council of Ministers also terminated the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Reliance Industries Limited for setting up of Agricultural Mega Projects in the state, since no action had been taken in accordance with the provisions of the MoU.

The Council of Ministers also approved to transfer 501 acre 3 kanal and 19 marlas of land at Birla Farm in the name of Society called “Indian Institute of Technology Punjab”, Ropar for the establishment of an IIT.

The Council of Ministers also granted ex-post facto approval for revival and filling up of 212 posts of Medical Officer (General) on regular basis through Punjab Public Service Commission.

PUNJAB GOVERNMENT NOT TO RE-EMPLOY RETIRED EMPLOYEES
CM ANNOUNCES TO SET UP PAY ANOMALY’S COMMITTEE

CHANDIGARH AUGUST 22, 2009

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today decided in-principle not to re-employ retired employee against any vacant post except in cases of extraordinary circumstances and non-availability of experts with rare talent in the specialized filed.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting by Mr. Badal with a delegation of the Employees Wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal here this morning in Punjab Bhawan. Mr. Badal categorically said that preference must be given to unemployed youth and practice of giving extensions or re-employment must be discouraged. In another significant decision, the Chief Minister announced the setting up of an ‘anomaly committee’ immediately to remove pay anomalies in the recommendations of the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission. The Committee would submit its initial report on the main issues within four months and the final report in six months. He also agreed to the proposal of the delegation to give due representation to the employees in this committee to safeguard the interests of the employees and extended the last date of giving option for new pay scales by another one month.

Mr. Badal also directed the Chief Secretary to work out modalities to regularize the services of nearly 3500 work charged and the daily wagers, of majority of them were in the departments of public health, PWD (B&R), PSEB and education. It was also informed in the meeting that the Himachal Pradesh government had recently regularized the services of such employees who had been working for over eight years and in case of Punjab such employees had been working for 20 to 25 years. The Chief Minister also directed the personnel department to make this entire procedure time bound so that the services of such employees could also be regularized at the earliest. He also asked the personnel department to re-deploy the employees in the Cooperative Banks, who had been rendered surplus due to the winding up of the cooperative sugar mills in the state.

The Chief Minister also decided to waive off the condition of 12 years of service for the promotion to draftsman from junior draftsman and recommended to relax the same to 10 years. The Chief Minister also assured the delegation that the vacant posts of 1537 principals and 750 headmasters in government schools would be filled soon.

Mr. Badal asked the Chairman PSEB to immediately clear the backlog of cases of employment on compassionate grounds and also examine the cases of the work charged and daily wage employees up to the year 2000 as the board had already initiated the process of regularization of the services of such employees till 1998.

Mr. Badal reiterated that the state government was committed to protect the interests of its employees at all cost as they were the backbone of the state administration. He also said that the government was ever ready to resolve all the pending employees' issues with an open mind and positive approach. The delegation also raised other issues including separate agreement for pharmacists and peon in the rural dispensaries under service provider scheme, release of pension to the employees of PRTC through treasury, approval of Cabinet for the change of designation from veterinary pharmacist to veterinary inspector, resumption of diploma in veterinary science & technology in Punjab agricultural university and promotion to the employees of corporations on the basis of seniority.

The meeting was attended by Advisor to Chief Minister Dr.Daljit Singh Cheema, Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr.DS Guru, Principal Secretary Transport Mr.DS Jaspal, Principal Secretary Finance Mr. Karan Avtar Singh, Principal Secretary Local Government Mr.DS Bains, Principal Secretary Cooperation & Home Mr.AR Talwar, Principal Secretary Rural Development & Panchayats Mr.Jagpal Singh and Chairman PSEB Mr.HS Brar.

The employees’ wing of SAD was led by its President Mr.Surinder Singh Pehlwan, Secretary General Harpal Singh Teja, General Secretary Manjit Singh Chahal and Karamjit Singh Bhagrawa.

PUNJAB LAUNCHES A NEW INITIATIVE TO REVAMP COLLEGE EDUCATION

CHANDIGARH AUGUST 22, 2009

In a major policy decision to facilitate the spread of quality higher education in the rural areas of the State, the Punjab Government today decided to open degree colleges in all the rural development blocks within the next two successive Five-year plans.

A decision to this effect was taken by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal in a meeting held here to comprehensively review the functioning of the Higher Education Department. It was also decided to declare expenditure on rural colleges as a fit charge on the Rural Development Fund.

First in the series of such meetings, which the Chief Minister would chair personally to carry out a thorough mid-term review of the working of various departments, was focussed not only on the problems being faced by the Colleges and Universities in the state, but also encouraged a brain-storming to suggest innovative solutions.

The Chief Minister directed the constitution of an empowered committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district to carry out a time-bound evaluation of the gaps in the infrastructure of the various Government Colleges. It would comprise the Principal, a representative from the Directorate and the concerned XENs.

Mr. Badal also asked the senior officers of the Department to visit at least two colleges every month for an on-the-spot assessment and resolution of the problems of such colleges. The Chief Minister directed that all the vacant posts of lecturers and Principals in the colleges would be filled up before the next academic year. Similarly, promotions in the department were also directed to be effected within two months. Instructions were also issued to clear the arrears in grant-in-aid payable to the 95% State Aided Private Colleges within the next quarter.

The Chief Minister also directed the initiation of a process to carry out regular inspection of the colleges, apart from holding a quarterly meeting of the principals of all the colleges at the state level.

Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Media Adviser to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr.DS Guru Principal Secretary Higher Education Mr. KBS Sidhu, Special Secretary Higher Education Mr. GK Singh and DPI (Colleges) Ms. Maninder Dhillon.

Chandigarh, August 22, 2009

The Punjab Government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today floated Rs. 500 crore (nominal) loan to finance part of Capital Expenditure of Plan Schemes and other development schemes under execution.

According to an official spokesman the state government today notified the sale of Punjab Government Stock (securities) of 10 year tenure for a aggregate amount of Rs. 500 Crore (nominal). The spokesman said that consent of Central government has already been obtained to the floatation of this loan.

The spokesman said that the government stock would be sold through RBI Mumbai by auction that would be conducted by them in his Mumbai office on August 25, 2009. The application form duly filled in with the bids should be submitted to the RBI, Mumbai on August 25, 2009 by 12.30 P.M. Result of auction would be displayed on August 26 and successful bidders would make payment on August 26, 2009.

The spokesman added that this 10 year tenure loan would be repaid at par on August 26, 2019. He said that interest will be paid every half yearly on February 26 and August 26 and cut off yield determined at the auction would be the coupon rate percent per annum of the stock sold at the auction.