To facilitate e-learning in government schools amid COVID-19 pandemic, the Cabinet has approved modalities for distribution of mobile phones to nearly 2.15 lakh students of Class XII for the academic session 2021-22 under ‘Punjab Smart Connect Scheme’.
Notably, the State Government has allotted a budget of Rs 100 crore to the School Education Department for the scheme for 2021-22. As many as 1,75,443 regular students (boys and girls) studying in Class XII of government schools have already been given mobile phones the previous year.
The procurement shall be carried out through Punjab Infotech, under the Industries and Commerce Department. The mobile phones, to be distributed under the scheme, shall have various smart features such as touch screen, camera and pre-loaded government applications such as e-Sewa App with e-content related to Class XII as approved by School Education Department.
AMENDMENTS APPROVED IN PPSC REGULATIONS
To further speed up the process to fill nearly one lakh vacancies in various departments, boards, corporations, agencies of the State Government during 2020 to 2022, the Cabinet gave post-facto approval to amend Part-II B of the Punjab Public Service Commission (Limitation of Functions) Regulation, 1955, by putting these posts into Commission's purview. It may be recalled that PPSC had brought into the notice of the State Government that different departments have sent their requisitions to it for direct recruitment of those vacancies that were earlier covered under Class III rules and which have been notified. Although, as per new grouping of fifth Pay Commission, these posts have fallen in Group-B Rules but the departments have not yet notified their Group-B rules. Further, due to the applicability of new Central pay scales on new recruitments, old grouping became irrelevant.
As per the Punjab Public Service Commission (Limitation of Functions) Regulations, 1955, only Group A and B recruitment can be done by the Commission. Due to this, such requisitions are being sent back by the Commission to the concerned departments. Therefore, the Commission has requested for giving some common guidance in this regard, so that the delay occurring in the recruitment process due to returning of requisitions may be reduced.
CIRCUIT HOUSES TO BE REDEVELOPED ON PPP MODE
To improve efficacy of available resources and optimize the utilization of assets, the Cabinet gave approval for Redevelopment, Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of Circuit Houses at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Spokesperson said that Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), being the nodal agency of the state, has been authorized for taking necessary action in this regard. The General Administration Department intends to develop and operate circuit houses at Ludhiana and Jalandhar on PPP mode to be operated as Circuit Houses-cum-Hotels. Pertinently, the General Administration Department operates 10 Circuit Houses in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Patiala, Gurdaspur, Chandigarh and Shimla. In addition, there are two Punjab Bhawans in New Delhi and Chandigarh.