Punjab Cabinet on Thursday undertook several crucial decisions on Thursday aimed at bolstering various sectors across the State, including establishment of a new MSME wing, amending teachers’ transfer policy to alleviate harassment concerns, doubling monthly honorarium for widows of war heroes to Rs 20,000, among others.
Embarking on a groundbreaking initiative to invigorate the Medium and Small Scale Industries (MSMEs) sector, the Cabinet gave not to set up a dedicated wing — MSME Punjab — within the Department of Industries and Commerce. With this, all small enterprises will get aid from this wing. “Punjab has the highest number of MSMEs, and they stand to benefit from this decision,” said the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting.
The core mission of MSME wing is to bolster the competitiveness of MSMEs by facilitating a conducive environment for growth and innovation. With a focus on fostering financial sustainability, the wing will ensure a seamless flow of credit from financial institutions and banks to MSMEs, empowering them to fuel their expansion endeavours. Moreover, it will extend crucial support to MSMEs in embracing cutting-edge technologies and modernizing their operational frameworks to stay abreast of global market trends.
A pivotal aspect of MSME wing’s mandate is the establishment of common facilities centers, particularly in the domains of modern testing facilities and quality certification. These centers will play a pivotal role in ensuring that products manufactured by MSMEs meet international standards, thus enhancing their marketability on a global scale.
To cater comprehensively to the diverse needs of MSMEs, the wing will comprise dedicated sub-divisions such as Access to Finance or Credit, Access to Technology, Access to Market, and Access to Skills. These subdivisions will serve as pillars of support, addressing critical requirements and fostering an environment conducive to MSME growth and prosperity.
In its quest for efficacy and excellence, MSME Punjab will forge strategic collaborations with professional agencies, harnessing their specialized expertise to enrich the support services offered to stakeholders. It is estimated that approximately eight lakh existing MSMEs in Punjab, as well as newly established ventures, will reap the benefits of this visionary initiative by the government.
Teacher Transfer Policy Amended
In a significant move aimed at ensuring the teachers’ welfare in Punjab, the Cabinet has approved amendments to the transfer policy to prevent harassment faced by teachers in the state Education Department. Under the revised policy, amendments have been made to Para 9 of the Teachers Transfer Policy-2019 to cater to the needs of teachers falling in the exempted category.
The amended policy stipulates that teachers who are cancer patients (self, spouse, or children), undergoing dialysis (self, spouse, or children), recipients of liver or kidney transplants, with disabilities of 40 per cent and above, suffering from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia (self or children), divorcees with differently-abled or intellectually disabled children, war widows, widows of Shaheeds, or those facing an immediate need to relocate due to the death of their spouse, provided they have children below 18 years of age, will be eligible to submit transfer requests on a monthly basis through the designated portal.
These amendments aim to streamline the transfer process for teachers facing exceptional circumstances, ensuring timely consideration of their requests and providing them with necessary support during challenging times. Orders in such cases will be issued with the approval of the Education Minister, emphasizing the government's commitment to prioritizing the well-being of its educators.
Monthly Honorarium of War Heroes’ Widows Doubled
To honour the sacrifices of war heroes and their families, the Cabinet approved a substantial increase in the monthly honorarium for widows of war heroes — from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 — providing greater financial support to these brave women who have lost their spouses in service to the nation. Presently, there are 83 beneficiaries availing themselves of this scheme. The Cabinet has consented to amend ‘The East Punjab War Awards Act 1948’ by introducing an amendment bill in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha — seeking to double the War Jagir (financial assistance). Under this Act, the Government extends War Jagir to the parents whose only child or two to three children served in the Indian Army during significant conflicts such as the Second World War and National Emergencies of 1962 and 1971.
Rs 1-cr Ex-Gratia for PHG Died in Gurdwara Clashes
In a poignant acknowledgment of the exemplary service and ultimate sacrifice made by martyr Punjab Home Guard (PHG) Jaspal Singh, the Cabinet approved a special ex-gratia grant of Rs one crore to his bereaved family. Jaspal Singh, from Maniala village in Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala district, tragically lost his life while upholding law and order in Sultanpur Lodhi on November 23, 2023, during violent clash between Nihang factions and police at Gurudwara Akal Bunga.
Other Decisions…
· AAP Ministers, MLAs and leaders, who are doctors by profession, will hold camps at the borders of the state, where farmers are protesting
· To fill 612 posts of college lecturers, relaxation in age limit for applying for the job has been allowed. Now candidates up to the age of 45 years can apply for the jobs.
· Water Resources Department’s Design Wing to offer design and consultancy services to private entities, mirroring the model of Government-Owned Aided colleges and staff of Engineering Colleges/Institutions; 40 per cent of revenue generated from these services will be directed to the State Treasury
BOX: Punjab Budget Session from Mar 1 to 15
Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Thursday greenlit the convening of the budget session of Vidhan Sabha from March 1 to 15, with the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema set to present the budget proposals for the next fiscal on March 5.
A spokesperson from the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Cabinet has empowered the Governor to convene the sixth session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha in accordance with Article 174 of the Constitution of India.
The schedule for the budget session outlines that proceedings will kick off on March 1 with the Governor’s address, followed by obituary references. Subsequently, on March 5, the House will witness the presentation of budget estimates for the upcoming financial year (2024-25). The session will adjourn sine-die on March 15.
Cheema, in a media briefing after the Cabinet meeting, disclosed that the Punjab Vidhan Sabha’s budget session is slated to commence with an address by the Governor, marking the official initiation of deliberations on crucial financial matters.
He added that apart from presentation of budget proposals, several legislative work would also be carried out during the session.
International Online Job Fraud Ring busted; 4 Fraudsters Arrested from Assam
PNS/Chandigarh
In a significant breakthrough against cybercrime, Punjab Police’s Cyber Crime Division has dismantled an international online job fraud racket, culminating in the arrest of four cyber fraudsters from various districts of Assam.
Sharing information, the state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday announced the successful operation highlighting the state's commitment to ensure safety and security.
The cybercriminals operated by enticing unsuspecting individuals with lucrative ‘Work from Home’ opportunities via a Telegram mobile app group. “To gain trust, fraudsters would initially give small tasks to the victim, in return, paying a small amount of money in lieu of accomplishing the task. Later, the victim was asked to deposit money on different pretexts in lure of a bigger return,” said the DGP, adding that with these arrests, the Punjab Police has dug up another trail, leading to deep-rooted cyber fraud nexus spread across the country.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Jahirul Islam, Rafiual Islam, Mehabub Alam, and Azizur Rehman. Police seized a cache of incriminating evidence, including two swipe machines, two biometric scanners, one eye scanner, one fingerprint scanner, 38 pan cards, 32 debit or credit cards, 16 sim cards, 10 voter cards, nine Aadhar cards, 10 bank account passbooks or chequebooks, five official Government stamps, five mobile phones, one laptop, two pen drives and one SBI ID card from their possession.
Assistant Director General of Police (ADGP), Cyber Crime, V Neeraja disclosed that the investigation stemmed from a complaint lodged by a defrauded woman— who was duped of Rs 25 lakhs by the fraudsters, leading to the apprehension of the fraudsters in Assam.
The cybercriminals operated a Customer Services Point (CSP) in Nagaon district, where they produced counterfeit identity documents using Adobe Photoshop. “He informed that they were running a CSP for providing online services; and to make quick bucks, they misused the documents of general public for making duplicate PAN cards, Voter Cards, Aadhaar Cards using Adobe Photoshop software, which they further used for opening bank accounts and obtain SIM Cards on the directions of another accused Mehabub Alam,” added the ADGP.
The ADGP said that thereafter, Mehabub Alam was arrested from Guwahati district, who revealed that he came into contact with Azizur Rehman, who asked him to provide bank accounts on a commission basis. Police teams have also arrested accused Azizur Rehman from Morigaon district of Assam.
Further revelations from Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Cyber Crime, Nilambari Jagadale disclosed that the fraudsters targeted 160 victims across 23 states, with ongoing investigations expected to unveil additional victims. Preliminary findings indicate that masterminds operating from abroad received proceeds in cryptocurrency. The investigation, spearheaded by DSP Cybercrime Prabhjot Kaur, is ongoing, with more arrests anticipated.
A case has been registered under sections 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the State Cyber Crime unit in SAS Nagar, marking a decisive step in Punjab's fight against cyber fraud.
Beware of Fraudulent Activities on Social Media Platforms
• Avoid Telegram groups luring into easy money like ‘Work from Home’
• Never make online payment to anyone in lure of bigger return
• Avoid clicking on links or downloading files from unknown sources
• Never share Debit/Credit Card or Bank details on any application
• Never click on links offering discounts and prizes
• Use unique password for each account and change it frequently
