Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday decided to hold its budget session from June 24 to 30, with the Aam Aadmi Party led State Government to present its first budget on June 27.
The Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, also decided to buy all moong crop — that was not purchased by the private traders — on the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 7275 per quintal. For the same, the Cabinet has approved to provide the provide viability gap funding to the nodal agency, Markfed, at the rate of Rs 1,875 per quintal amounting to nearly Rs 66.56 crore.
In another major decision, the Cabinet has also approved ‘One MLA, One Pension’ Bill, to be brought in the ensuing Budget session for enactment.
However, the Cabinet on Tuesday deferred nod to its first excise policy for want of consensus. It has instead constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to look into the objections raised following which the revised excise policy will be put before the Cabinet for approval.
The Cabinet will hold another meeting on June 8 (Wednesday) in the evening to gave its stamp of approval to several new policies.
Approving the summoning of the second (Budget Session) of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha from June 24, the Cabinet has recommended the same to the Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, who is authorized to officially summon the State Legislature as per Article 174(1) of the Constitution of India.
“The Cabinet gave nod for promulgation of the session from June 24 with obituary references and motion of thanks on Governor’s address followed by discussion on it. The Finance Minister will present the budget for the year 2022-23 on Monday, June 27, and general discussion on Budget will take place thereafter,” said a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office.
Spokesperson added that the Audit report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the year 2018-19 and 2019-20, along with Financial and Appropriation Accounts for year 2019-20 and 2020-21, will also be tabled during the session.
MARKFED TO BUY ‘UNPROCURED’ MOONG AT MSP
To save the state’s natural resources in terms of precious groundwater besides improving soil health and generating additional income for the farmers, the Cabinet also gave green signal for providing MSP on summer moong at Rs 7,275 per quintal for the year 2022-23 by Markfed, the state nodal agency for the purchase of crop. During the current season, summer moong is being sown on about 95,000 acres of land with an expected yield of five quintal per acre. This will help in sowing short duration varieties of paddy which is expected to save 10-20 percent of underground water thereby conserving the natural resources.
To further strengthen the rural infrastructure in the state, the Cabinet approved the introduction of ‘Punjab Rural Development (Amendment) Bill-2022’ by amending Section-7 of the Punjab Rural Development Act-1987 in the current session of the Vidhan Sabha. With the enactment of the new bill, the RDF shall be spent for the purposes or activities including construction or repair of approach roads to mandis or procurement centres and street lights thereon enabling farmers in transportation of their produce; construction or development of new mandis or procurement centers and development of old or katcha mandis or procurement centres; for making arrangements for supply of drinking water and for improving sanitation in the mandis or procurement centres; for providing well-equipped rest houses or night shelters or sheds for farmers and labour engaged in procurement operations.
NOD TO BILL TO IMPLEMENT ONE MLA, ONE PENSION
The Cabinet also gave a go-ahead for amending clause 3(1) of “The Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Act, 1977” to give MLAs of Punjab Vidhan Sabha one pension (irrespective of the number of terms served) at new rate of Rs 60,000 per month plus Dearness Allowance as applicable to the pensioners of the Punjab government. This will replace the existing provision as per which a MLA is being paid a pension of Rs 15,000 every month plus dearness allowance thereon (as admissible to the Punjab government pensioners) for the first term and an additional pension of Rs 10,000 plus Dearness allowance thereon (as admissible to Punjab government pensioners) for every subsequent term. Punjab government is expected to save around Rs 19.53 crore annually with this initiative, added the spokesperson.
TO WAIVE OFF STAMP DUTY LEVIED FOR STREET VENDORS
In a much-needed succor to street vendors badly hit by COVID-19 pandemic, the Cabinet also decided to waive off stamp duty being levied on executing the loan or hypothecation agreement up to Rs 50,000 (third tranche loan) for the street vendors in the state under PM SVANidhi Scheme.