Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday decided to construct silos having the capacity of 6.5 lakh metric tonne each for Punjab Warehousing Corporation, Markfed and Punjab Agro Corporation.
The Cabinet, which was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal after Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was reportedly unwell, also decided to create 125 posts for international sports medalists in the State Police.
Besides, the decision on reducing stamp on power of attorneys from 2 per cent to 0.5 per cent, setting up a panel under Chief Secretary to review and lower the collector rate in some districts of the State, among others, were also taken.
The proposal to create the most modern warehousing facility by establishing steel silos for 15 lakh MT by the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation has been approved providing the state with the “modern alternative warehousing practice for storage of wheat”.
It may be mentioned that except for 2.75 lakh MT capacity, existing storage capacity in Punjab is in the form of conventional covered warehouses and open plinths which has inherent shortcomings related to shelf life and quality of grains and requirement of land.
“Steel silos provide a viable and scientific alternative option for bulk storage of grains due to various benefits such as assured shelf life for more than three years, easier grains management, one-third land requirement compared to traditional warehouses and much lesser risk of pilferage,” said the Government spokesperson.
“Punjab State Warehousing Corporation would create steel silos storage capacity as per policy guidelines of the Food Corporation of India and the Central Government,” he said.
To provide better facilities to the state’s sportsperson under its comprehensive Sports Policy, the Cabinet has decided to make provision of 125 posts in the Police department for the players who have won medals at Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup and other national or international competitions.
Amongst these posts, ten would be of Deputy Superintendents of Police, 50 sub-inspectors and 65 constables which has been kept out of the preview of Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and Punjab State Subordinate Services Selection Board (SSSB).
“The posts will be filled on the recommendation of the screening committee to be constituted by the state government. The players, thus selected, would serve in the Police department till they represent in All India Police Games. As soon they finish their sports career, they would be sent for police training,” said the spokesperson.
He said that after completion of training, they would be attached with the department of sports for 10 years or till they attain the age of 40 years, whichever is earlier. “The government’s unique initiative would not only provide employment to these outstanding players, but also give an opportunity to them for imparting training to the budding players besides winning more medals for the state or the nation,” he said.
To ensure level playing field to the local sugar mills and timely payment to the cane growers, the Cabinet approved to introduce entry tax on the sugar being brought into Punjab from outside the state at the rate of 11percent through Punjab Development of Trade, Commerce and Industries Ordinance, 2015.
The Cabinet has also approved the proposal of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board for starting the work of allotting composite tenders including operation and maintenance for 10 years for various cities.
“In the first stage, these works are being started in Bathinda city and south-eastern zone of Amritsar city. This was a new concept where one successful bidder would create and maintain the city infrastructure like roads, sewerage, street lights, water supply and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) instead of different agencies doing these works. This would increase efficiency and overcome the problem of coordination and blame game when different agencies are allotted each component,” he said.
To encourage the participation of foreign key players in the medical healthcare and research, the Cabinet gave approval to amend the land Allotment Policy-2014 for allotment of plots for hospitals, multi-speciality hospitals, medical colleges-cum-hospital and medical research institutes in the upcoming Medicity at new Chandigarh (Mullanpur).
The amended policy allows participation of 100 percent owned subsidiaries, joint ventures floated by foreign health institutions, besides allowing the subsidiary of any parent company to apply for allotment on behalf of the parent company.
Cabinet has accorded its approval to continue with Eastern Mineral and Trading Agency (EMTA) Coal limited as the mining contractor of Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl) for mining operations at Pachwara (Central) Coal Mine as a transitory arrangement for a period of nine months or till mine developer-cum-operator to be appointed by PSPCl through competitive bidding starts mining operations, whichever is earlier.
The state government has also given remission of stamp duty and related cess thereon on the transfer of immovable property to the family members including transfer to spouse in the urban areas on the pattern of such facility already allowed on transfer of property in rural areas.
The Cabinet has also reduced the rate of stamp duty from existing two to 0.5 percent on the registration of power of attorney given with an objective of the sale of property or transfer of possession.
The 0.5 percent of stamp duty will be adjustable towards the payable stamp duty at the time of execution of sale deed with respect to that property. On all other power of attorneys, a stamp duty of Rs 2000 will be levied.