Amid the growing global importance of social media in battling the COVID-19 crisis, Punjab Government has decided to expand its social media outreach by setting up 15 expert social media teams on outsourced model.
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved an annual budget of Rs seven crore for these teams, which will be constituted by engaging professionals and experts in the field.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh termed the move as vital for expanding the state’s reach and strengthening the Public Relations Department’s efforts in disseminating information regarding various aspects related to the novel coronavirus pandemic in an effective and result-oriented manner.
The Cabinet felt that since certain departments of the State Government have a high level of interaction with the public, it was essential that all important information relating to the pandemic, and the preventive measures being put in place to combat it, should be regularly highlighted on social media.
The social media teams would help in bridging the gap between these departments and the public at large.
In order to cater to the requirements of such departments, the Cabinet also gave nod to engage the services of 63 social media professionals or experts, including one Media Manager, two Assistant Media Managers, 15 Digital Media Executives, 15 Video Editors, 15 Graphic Designers, and 15 Content Writers on outsourced basis for a period of one year.
It was felt that to keep pace with the fast-paced changes in the field, recruitment of professionals for long periods of service was not feasible.
Besides creating awareness among the people about the precautions, norms etc relating to the pandemic, the teams would also help in countering the spread of misinformation by providing credible and updated information to them on a regular basis.
WATER RESOURCES DEPT TO BE RESTRUCTURED, TO FILL 70 POSTS IN PWRDA
To bring greater efficiencies into its functioning, Punjab Cabinet has approved the restructuring of Water Resources Department, while giving nod to fill up 70 posts in Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority (PWRDA) on contract or deputation basis.
The Department’s restructuring will involve cutting down of sanctioned strength of 24,263 employees to 15,606 — saving Rs 71 crore every year. Incidentally, only 17,499 of the sanctioned posts are filled up at present.
The spokesperson said that proposed creation of Central Planning and Design Organisation (CPDO) for in-house design purposes and providing external consultancy to other departments and organizations and the State Dam Safety Organisation (SDSO), which is mandatory as per CWC guidelines for rehabilitation of dams are the salient features of the restructuring plan.
The Cabinet felt the need for the introduction of technology-oriented skills in the Department in the present dynamic environment. Further, change in water resources management, including its regulation, has also necessitated restructuring and reorientation of the Department.
To efficiently utilize official machinery, the Department of Mines and Geology has already been merged with the Water Resources Department as both these departments have largely the same geographical jurisdiction — that is rivers and dams.
“The restructuring would also help in achieving optimal utilisation of staff through placement as per ground level needs, besides making offices paperless, services online and digitalization of old records and creating Management Information System (MIS) for efficient working and planning,” observed the Cabinet.
Rs 223 CR TO BE RECOVERED FROM PVT SUGAR MILLS
With the Cabinet’s approval, Punjab Government would recover Rs 223.75 crore from the private sugar mills against 2015-16 crushing season payment to the cane growers. During the crushing year 2014-15, sugar mills were facing cash flow problems, leading to a delayed start and low sugar rates in the market, leading to delay in payment to cane growers. The State Government had to step in with payment to the growers on behalf of the sugar mills.
The decision to recover that amount comes in the wake of recommendations of the high powered committee, constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary on November 13, 2017, in compliance of the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court with Additional Chief Secretary (Development), Financial Commissioner (Excise and Taxation), Financial Commissioner (Cooperation) and Principal Secretary Finance as its members.
The committee, after hearing the representatives of private sugar mills, observed that Rs 50 per quintal was given as temporary support, in a bid to alleviate the farmers’ distress. Since the basic principle behind the support was low price of sugar in the market, once the average price had increased past Rs 3,000 per quintal, there was reason enough to recover the earlier amount from the mills, it said in its report submitted on April 11, 2018.
APPROVES AMENDMENTS TO VARIOUS RULES
Punjab Cabinet has approved amendments in various service rules. As a result of these amendments, the candidates recruited through direct recruitment from Bar Council in state’s Superior Judicial Services would be given benefits of additional increments while fixing their basic salary on the basis of their practical experience as advocates at the Bar Council.
In another such amendment, the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medallists in National Games, Senior National Championships or recognized International Tournaments would be eligible for recruitment for Class I and II posts.