Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved a slew of bills to be tabled in the special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha on October 19 (Monday), including one to set up the state Vigilance Commission.
Besides, the bills regarding giving right to government land to the state’s small or marginal farmers, in occupation for 12 years, at reasonable price; allowing production of quality seed potato through tissue culture based technology; giving proprietary rights of land to slum dwellers besides the tillers and other categories occupying land; among other amendments.
Approving the conversion of the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Ordinance, 2020, into a Bill for enactment in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha, the Cabinet noted that the establishment of a multi-member Commission would bring in more transparency and check corruption among public servants. The Ordinance was approved by the Cabinet the previous month.
The Commission has been visualized as an independent body to exercise more effective superintendence over the functioning of Vigilance Bureau and all departments of the State Government, in order to provide clean, fair and transparent administration.
It will comprise a chairman with two members, with a term of five years, an official spokesperson said after the Cabinet meeting, adding that the Commission will effectively exercise superintendence and control over the functioning of Vigilance Bureau and other Departments of the State Government.
The Commission shall review the progress of investigations conducted by the Vigilance Bureau and cases of prosecution sanction pending with various departments of the Government. It has been empowered to give directions to the Vigilance Bureau for discharging the responsibility entrusted to it, besides inquiring or cause an inquiry or investigation to be made in respect of allegations made under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant offences against public servants.
The Commission will consist of the State Chief Vigilance Commissioner as chairperson, to be appointed from amongst those persons who have been or are serving as Judge of a High Court or an officer in the rank and pay scale of Secretary to Government of India.
These appointments shall be made on the recommendations of a Committee chaired by the Chief Minister with Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker, and the senior-most Minister of the Council of Ministers (after the CM) as its members.
PUNJAB TISSUE CULTURE BASED SEED POTATO BILL APPROVED
In a major step towards boosting potato farmers’ income, the Punjab Government has decided to allow production of quality seed potato through tissue culture based technology, using aeroponics or net house facilities, along with the certification of seed potato and its successive generations. For this, the Cabinet has approved the Punjab Tissue Culture Based Seed Potato Bill, 2020, to meet the demand of potato farmers for quality seed potato, and enable the development of the state as export hub for seed potato in the country. The move would also help incentivize potato production, leading to greater diversification by bringing more area under potato crop cultivation, said an official spokesperson.
SMALL/MARGINAL FARMERS TO GET RIGHT TO GOVT LAND
Approving the Punjab (Welfare and Settlement of Small and Marginal Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill, 2020, the Punjab Government has decided to allot land in occupation and cultivation of small and marginal farmers for more than 12 years to such farmers against a reasonable pre-determined price.
The farmer-friendly move, aimed at ensuring protection of the interests of both the farmers and the state government, is expected to go a long way toward settling pending litigations on this count.
PROPRIETARY RIGHTS FOR TILLERS, OTHER CATEGORIES OCCUPYING LAND
In another significant decision, the Cabinet has approved ‘The Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar, or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2020’ to confer proprietary rights upon certain categories of persons in occupation of agrarian land in the state. Some 11,231 persons in these categories, currently occupying private land spread across 4,000 acres, will get the proprietary rights after payment of due compensation as per grades to be notified by the government shortly.
The measure is part of agrarian reforms to empower tillers of such land, who belong mostly to the economically and socially weaker sections of the society.
These tenants have been in occupation of small parcels of land for several years and inherit their rights by succession from generation to generation.
PROPRIETARY LAND RIGHTS FOR SLUM DWELLERS
The Cabinet also gave its approval to notify the Rules of the Punjab Slum Dwellers (Proprietary Rights) Act, 2020, for the purpose of giving proprietary rights of land to slum dwellers, thus ensuring basic amenities for them. Spokesperson said that the Local Government Department has already prepared ‘BASERA - Chief Minister’s Slum Development Programme’ in accordance with Section 17 of the Punjab Slum Dwellers (Proprietary Rights) Act 2020, which outlines the guiding framework for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to implement the Act.
This programme envisages a ‘Slum-free Punjab’, with inclusive and equitable cities in which every citizen has access to basic civic services, social amenities and decent shelter.