Chandigarh, May 2 (IANS): In a major decision to provide gainful employment opportunities to the youth, the Punjab Cabinet on Monday approved recruitment to 26,454 posts in government departments.
A decision to this effect was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here.
A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said the posts belong to Group A, B and C. Major departments include Home Affairs, School Education, Health, Power and Technical Education.
The cabinet also directed the administrative departments to ensure transparent, fair and time-bound recruitment. It has been decided that interviews would not be conducted for recruitment to Group C posts.
This decision would go a long way in achieving the goal to provide employment. Besides, it would also optimise the working of government departments as they will start working with full human resource on hand.
In another decision, the cabinet gave approval regarding amendment in Clause 3(1) of The Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Act of 1977 to give MLAs of the Vidhan Sabha one pension irrespective of the number of terms served at the new rate of Rs 60,000 per month plus dearness allowance as applicable to the pensioners of the state government.
This decision will save around Rs 19.53 crore annually, an official statement said.
In a bid to give much needed relief to commercial vehicle operators, the cabinet gave the go ahead to the Transport Department's Amnesty Scheme from May 6 to August 5 for collecting the motor vehicle tax from the commercial vehicle fine.
However, the department would neither collect interest nor late fee while issuing the fitness certificate.
To overcome the shortage of domestic coal supply especially during the paddy season, the cabinet was apprised about the Union Ministry of Power letter dated December 7, 2021, advising to use imported coal for blending purpose to the extent of four per cent for this fiscal and to take necessary steps immediately to arrange imported coal by May i.e. before the onset of the rainy season to build up the required coal stocks.
In view of the increased demand and consumption of electricity, the Union Ministry of Power has instructed that the thermal power plants owned by state generation companies and independent power producers (IPPs) must import the coal for blending purposes to meet the requirement at 10 per cent of the total requirement and ensure continuous power supply in the states.