Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday decided to close down the ‘inefficient’ power units of Bathinda’s Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant and Ropar’s Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant from January 1 without any job losses for the employees.
The Cabinet’s decision came on the basis of a report submitted by the sub-committee — comprising Cabinet Ministers Manpreet Badal, Rana Gurjit Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi to look into the matter.
As per the decision, taken in line with the guidelines of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to retire inefficient and economically unviable power plants in operation for more than 25 years, all units of 460 MW Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP), Bathinda, and Unit-I and II (2x210 MW) of 1260 MW Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant (GGSSTP), Ropar, will be shut down from January 1.
All the units of GNDTP, Bathinda, had been in operation for nearly four decades, and Unit-I and II of GGSSTP, Ropar, has already completed 33 years.
All regular employees of these units would be adjusted within the Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl).
Further, there would be no retrenchment of contractual workers, who would be adjusted within PSPCl, Punjab State Transmission Corporation limited (PSTCl) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the same capacity, as near as possible, he said.
MORE TRANSPARENCY IN SERVICE DElIVERY
To ensure delivery of public services to the citizens in a more transparent and accountable manner, the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to the ‘Punjab Transparency and Accountability in Delivery of Public Services (including Electronic Service Delivery), Ordinance 2017’ — to replace the SAD-BJP government’s much touted Right to Service (RTS) Act.
The Punjab Right to Service (RTS) Act, 2011, which did not provide for mandatory provision for online or digital system to receive citizen’s requests for various services and delivery thereof in a time bound manner, will cease to exist.
The new Ordinance had been drafted after marathon discussions with various stakeholders to understand and ascertain issues involved in the implementation and compliance of RTS Act, 2011. Based on the comments and feedback, the initial draft of the proposed ordinance was revised after incorporating recommendations from various quarters including Punjab Governance Reforms and Ethics Commission’s chairman.
Among the key features of the Ordinance are back-end computerization of all public services within three to five years, online receipt of services requests to become mandatory, as well as electronic delivery of services to citizens, in a time bound manner to enhance transparency and accountability.
Other areas of focus relate to inclusion of a healthy system of incentives and disincentives for public authority and its staff, intimation or tracking of application status by the applicants through mobiles or internet regarding their request, and simplifying redressal or appeal mechanism with faster delivery of justice.
DIRECTORATE TO COMBAT POllUTION IN PUNJAB
To effectively check the menace of pollution, including that resulting from stubble burning, the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.
The move will also help strengthen the system of environmental clearances given to industries, thus bringing greater accountability into the process.
The proposed Directorate will address issues related to biotechnology or biodiversity, and implementation of research or recommendations of Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), besides ensuring clean, green and pollution-free environment.
Spokesperson said that the Directorate would be set up in the Department of Science, Technology and Environment and would focus on technical issues to curb pollution risks efficaciously.
The Directorate would work in two separate divisions — Environment and Climate Change, which would look after the strategy and policy concerning issues, and Pollution Control Division, to deal with the laws concerning environment issues and strict implementation of pollution laws.
It would keep tabs on industrial air pollution, stubble burning, vehicular emissions and construction projects releasing particular matter in the air.
The Department of Science, Technology and Environment will be responsible for chalking out the strategy, policy planning, implementation and coordination with various agencies, including Government of India, State Government Departments, Deputy Commissioners, industry, investors, farmers, citizens and media.