To bring the State’s private hospitals under the umbrella of COVID-19 battle, Punjab Cabinet on Friday approved the Punjab Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Ordinance 2020.
The ordinance was necessary for the private hospitals to join the battle against COVID-19, said the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who was authorized by the Cabinet to approve the final draft of the Bill after its legal vetting.
Capt Amarinder said that it was important to activate all resources, in the larger interest of the State, in light of the current battle, which threatens to be a long-drawn one.
The Ordinance will provide for registration and regulation of clinical establishments in a professional manner to ensure compliance of clinical standards and protocols and transparency in the functioning of these establishments for fair and proper delivery of health services to the common man.
There would be no undue interference in day-to-day functioning of these establishments, as per the proposed legislation, which will, to begin with, be applicable to all clinical establishments of 50 beds and above as in the case of Haryana. It is proposed that the Punjab Health Council may be headed by an expert or professional of national repute instead of a bureaucrat, with at least two other professionals as members.
CABINET SUB-COMMITTEE ON FISCAL MANAGEMENT TO BE EXPANDED TO DECIDE ON EXPENDITURE CUTS
Cabinet has authorized the Chief Minister to nominate four additional members on the Cabinet Sub-committee on Fiscal Management for broad-based discussion and decision on expenditure cuts needed to tackle the COVID-19 crisis.
Reviewing the state’s fiscal situation amid the COVID crisis, the Cabinet also asked various departments to send their proposals for expenditure cuts by Monday and it was decided that the Cabinet Sub-committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the same.
The Chief Minister, who heads the Cabinet Sub-committee, underlined the need to generate resources for the COVID-19 battle, and also suggested expansion of the sub-committee to make the discussions more broad-based.
Finance Minister Manpreet Badal informed the meeting that Rs 30,000 crore of revenue earned through the upcoming procurement operations would be infused into the state’s economy which would help in strengthening the COVID-19 battle of the State.
PUNJAB PREPONES SCHOOL SUMMER VACATIONS — FROM APR 11 TILL MAY 10
Punjab Cabinet has decided to pre-pone the summer vacations of both government and private schools in the State to cope up the study losses due to lockdown imposed to avert coronavirus. Announcing this, the State Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said that now, the month’s summer vacations will start from April 11 till May 10.
“Parents are worried about loss of study of their wards during curfew and decision of preponing the vacations would give relief to them. All private schools should also have to start the vacations from April 11 but they are free to extend the period as per their requirement,” he said.
CLASSES V, VIII’s REMAINING PAPERS CANCELLED, PSEB TO DECLARE RESULT BASED ON EXAMS GIVEN
The Cabinet also decided to promote Class V and VIII students of Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) based on the examinations given by them before the imposition of curfew in the state.
“PSEB has conducted three examinations of Class V before imposition of curfew and now the Cabinet has decided to cancel the remaining two papers,” said the Education Minister.
The Minister said that in the case of Class VIII, the practical examinations were pending but now the Board would declare the results without conducting any further examinations for both the classes.
CAPT TO REQUEST MONTEK AHLUWALIA TO HEAD HIGH-POWERED TASK FORCE TO STEER PUNJAB IN POST-CORONA SCENARIO
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh will request the Planning Commission of India’s former deputy chairman Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia to head a high-powered task force to advise in steering Punjab in the post-corona scenario.
The assertion came after the Cabinet approved establishment of a high-powered committee to suggest a road map for State’s economic revival in post-COVID era once the crisis softens and normal working is restored. The Cabinet, on the Chief Minister’s proposal, also decided to set up a multi-disciplinary task force to formulate an exit strategy for gradual relaxation of curfew or lockdown. The task force, with about 15 members representing trade, business, industry, agriculture, civil society and healthcare professionals, will submit its report within 10 days. The Chief Minister has been authorized to decide on the composition of the task force.