Assuring early settlement of all genuine grievances of teachers and other employees, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said that the State Government would soon bring a special legislation to regularise the contractual employees
coupled with a series of other initiatives.
Capt Amarinder, while concluding the debate on the Governor’s Address during the ongoing session of the Vidhan Sabha, assured the employees that their genuine grievances, whose redressal had been delayed due to the state’s grave fiscal situation, would be settled at the earliest.
“I am fully cognizant of their problems and the government is working seriously to mitigate the same,” he said.
Pointing out that the legislation enacted by the previous government had to be withdrawn as the High Court had threatened to strike it down, as it had done in the case of Haryana, the Chief Minister announced the decision to enact a special legislation for regularization of the contractual employees.
Capt Amarinder Singh announced that release of six percent of dearness allowance due to the employees had been notified, and his government had made reservation of two percent seats in all government vocational or professional colleges for wards of government employees (Group C and D).
He said that the Government had decided that allotment of land be undertaken by Development Authorities, Improvement Trusts and MCs for Employees Cooperative Group Housing Societies at reserve price. “The necessary scheme will be notified by the government for allotment of one acre of land for 40 employees,” he announced.
“Reservation of three percent of residential plots was being done for allotment to government employees by Development Authorities, MCs, Improvement Trusts or any other government agency,” he added.
In another major relief to the employees, the Chief Minister said that the government was working to amend the Rules to provide for expeditious promotions through reduction in requisite qualifying service.
He said that there would be no reduction if requisite qualifying service is two years or less, one year reduction in case requisite qualifying service is more than two years but less than five years, two year reduction if requisite qualifying service is seven years or more; and three-year reduction if requisite qualifying service is 10 years or more,” he said adding that the concerned departments would amend their respective service rules in this regard.
At the same time, Capt Amarinder flayed the previous SAD-BJP government for failing to address the employees’ woes or taking any steps for their welfare.
Throughout his speech lasting for over an hour, the Akalis perpetually remained on Capt Amarinder’s hit-list. The Chief Minister lashed out on them for state’s pitiable fiscal position, weak law and order situation, “non” governance, in all spheres.
“During their term, there was no governance. There was no rules, no regulations, no Constitution...all that was prevailing is danda-raj...The orders were given by one, and every one would follow it whether right or wrong,” he said, in a veiled attack on the Badals.
Maintaining that the halqa in-charges were working at the behest of the Akali leadership who were calling the shots, Capt Amarinder said that we are giving Rs five crore “untied funds” to all sub-divisions and not only the Congress MLAs, which would be available with Deputy Commissioners, for the development works, “and any MLA can ask the DC to carry out any work in their areas”.
“Good governance means trusting your officials and giving them the freedom to work, besides rewarding the performers and removing the underperformers. Even the Congress party functions like that, which is in total contrast to the Akali way of functioning,” he said.
Recalling the pathetic state of the economy, and the huge debt, left behind by the previous regime, the Chief Minister said his government had been ensuring development despite the fiscal crisis and had been able to generate revenue.
Taking a dig at the SAD-BJP regime, Capt Amarinder said that the law and order is ensured only if you allow the police to work, which is what his government had done.
Capt Amarinder announced that the Government is working on a policy regarding water recharging, while mentioning that two-third of Punjab has turned into a dark zone. “It could be one-third if we do not initiate steps just now...We owe it to our future generations to take steps to prevent our land from becoming a desert,” he said.
Citing that more than five lakh youth have been provided jobs by the government, Capt Amarinder said that on this rate, the government is providing 720 jobs every day, besides generating 415 lakh man-days under MGNREGA during the last two years (2017-19), and we are eyeing to improve it further.
CAPT CALLS UPON ALL PARTIES TO JOIN HANDS FOR MAHA GURPURAB
Capt Amarinder called upon all the political parties to keep aside their political differences and come together for celebrating the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev — the Sikhs’ first master.
“We have our political differences with each other, but for Guru Nanak, we all should come together,” said Capt Amarinder while urging the opposition members, especially SAD to be the part of Government’s efforts to ensure a befitting celebration of the 550th parkash utsav.
Capt Amarinder asked the SAD’s deputy leader in the Vidhan Sabha, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, to speak with his leader on the issue.
Hailing the opening of Kartarpur Corridor to coincide this auspicious occasion as a victory for the efforts of the Congress, which were initiated by Dr Manmohan Singh and also pursued personally by him, the Chief Minister once again called for a visa and passport free ‘khule darshan’ through the corridor.
“If passport and visa are made mandatory, lakhs of people would be deprived of the opportunity, which is not logical,” he said, adding that he had already requested the Government of India to accept his suggestion, and or identity purposes, Adhaar cards can be used.
CAPT SUGGESTS MEMORIAL FOR PUNJABI MARTYRS IN ANDAMAN
Capt Amarinder suggested that the state may have a memorial built in the memory of many Punjabis who have sacrificed their lives for the country while serving sentence in the Cellular Jail at Andaman and Nicobar.
Adding, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh informed the House that the Vidhan Sabha had already constituted a House Committee which would soon visit Andaman and Nicobar islands and suggest to the Central Government to duly recognise supreme sacrifices made by the Punjabis.
“WHO IS SUKHBIR”, ASKS CAPT
Taking a gibe at the low number of the SAD MLAs and “absence” of any leader, Capt Amarinder said, “I am aware of AAP’s leader but who is your leader...where is Sukhbir? Who is he?”
As the several Congress MLAs said that Sukhbir is Sad president, Capt Amarinder said that he was aware if that but who is their leader in the House. “Sukhbir Badal is the SAD leader in the House,” said the Speaker Rana KP Singh.
“I asked because I have not seen him...He seems to be always missing from the House,” he said.
SACRILEGE ISSUE WOULD GO HIGH
Mincing no words in assailing the SAD-BJP for the sacrilege incidents, Capt Amarinder pointed out that they had failed to accept even their own Commission’s report into the firing incident.
“The Government would take the findings of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report to their logical conclusion, and not spare anyone found guilty of the horrendous crime,” he said.
WOULD PAY FARMERS MORE IF FINANCES IMPROVE
On the Farm debt waiver scheme of his government, the Chief Minister promised to pay out more to the farming community once the state’s revenues show further improvement. “This money is not ours but that of the people of Punjab, and will go into their welfare,” he said, adding that his Government would also waive off the loans of the landless labourers.
CHAIR IN SHAHEED UDHAM SINGH’S NAME AT PUNJABI UNIVERSITY
Conceding a request from Congress MLA from Rajpura Hardyal Singh Kamboj, the Chief Minister agreed to establish a chair in the name of legendary martyr Udham Singh in Punjabi University Patiala.