CM Channi announces Research Centres and Chairs in Universities

Chandigarh, Dec.02, NewsonRadar Bureau: Chief Minister Charanjit S Channi announced that Bhagwan Parshuram Chair would be established at Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University. Likewise, the state government has also decided to set up Guru Ravidas Chair, Bhagwan Balmiki Chair and Sant Kabir Sahib Chair in Punjabi University, Patiala.
Apart from these, Bhai Jeevan Singh (Bhai Jaita Ji) Chair and Makhan Shah Lubana Chair is also coming up at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Ambedkar Museum at IKGPTU, Kapurthala is being established with a cost Rs 100 crore. The pending loan worth Rs 150 crore of Punjabi University, Patiala has been taken over by the state government besides the annual Grant-in-Aid for the University increased from Rs 114 crore to Rs 240 crore per year to make the University self-sustainable to impart higher education to students efficaciously. Research Centre on the legendary epics of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita would be established shortly.
Bringing an end to the sand mafia, Channi said that sand and gravel pit-head rates have been reduced from Rs 9/cubic feet to Rs 5.5/cubic feet. No permission and royalty would now be required by farmers for digging up their own land up to 3 feet.
On Agriculture and Farmers Welfare front, he said the state government has decided to pay additional 10 per cent compensation over and above to farm labourers in pink bollworm affected cotton crop in Malwa region. The government is already in process to provide compensation at the rate of Rs 17,000/acre to farmers due to pest attack on cotton crop. Sugarcane farmers would be paid
Rs 35/quintal through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for Year 2021-22. Punjab Contract Farming Act of 2013 has been repealed in the Special Session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
Similarly, anti-farmer provisions of APMC Act of 1961 introduced in 2017 have been too repealed to the advantage of farmers. It is for the first time that Cash Credit Limit (CCL) has been released by Union Government before the commencement of the paddy procurement season.
On the Health and Wellbeing front, the Chief Minister said 15 lakh additional families would be covered under Ayushman Bharat- Mukh Mantri Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana. A scheme ‘Mukh Mantri Motiyan Mukt Punjab’ has been launched on November 26 by organizing 330 Camps thus benefitting 14,881 patients. As many as 6061 cataract cases were identified and 1540 patients operated for free in four days.
Reiterating his government’s commitment for the welfare of employees, Channi said Dearness Allowance (DA) has been increased by 11 per cent for employees and pensioners. 6th Pay Commission is being implemented for pensioners retired on or after January 1, 2016. 6th Pay Commission ensured minimum 15 per cent increase in salary of employees recruited after January 1, 2016.
Similarly, the government has banned re-employment after retirement to create more job opportunities for the youth. The state government has also decided to provide family pension to employees covered under NPS, in case of death in harness.
Conceding the long pending demand of contractual employees, Channi said that the process to regularise the services of over 36000 such employees is already underway. Besides, recruitment of Group D/Class IV employees would be done on regular mode in future.
Assuring fulsome support and cooperation to trade and industry, he said his government has taken a slew of industry friendly initiatives including; abolition of Institutional Tax involving a relief of more than Rs 250 crore, simplification of CLU procedure for industrial units, reduction of fixed charges of medium scale industries by 50 per cent, OTS and Interest Relief for defaulters of PSIDC, PFC and PAIC and deemed approval in cases of expansion for MSMEs.
In a bid to reduce burden of taxation on people, Channi said petrol prices have been reduced by Rs 10/litre and diesel by Rs 5/litre thus passing the relief to the tune of Rs 3200 crore to the citizens of the state. Apart from this, VAT Assessment of more than 40,000 cases has been waived-off and VAT demand created in 8000 cases to be settled at 30 per cent of the tax due.