PUNJAB CABINET OKAYS SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB-NAINA DEVI JI ROPEWAY PROJECT TO BOOST TOURISM

Chandigarh, September 20, 2018: The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has given approval for setting up a Ropeway between Sri Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi ji in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode to further promote tourism in the state.
The ropeway would facilitate lakhs of devotees visiting these two historic and religious sites in a smooth and hassle-free manner, according to an official spokesperson, who pointed out that Sri Anandpur Sahib in Punjab and Naina Devi ji in Himachal Pradesh were famous pilgrim destinations visited by devotees from across the globe.
The two shrines were located quite far from each other, with hilly terrain compounding the problems of the devotees, the cabinet noted. The Punjab Government, with the consent of Himachal Pradesh, had thus decided to set up the Ropeway project to ease the travel of visitors, said the spokesperson.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Governments of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to set up the Ropeway between Sri Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi ji on July 26, 2012. The Punjab Tourism Department had acquired 108 Kanal 13 Marla land for setting up a lower terminal and right of way within the Punjab territory for this purpose. However, the MoU was cancelled by the Himachal Pradesh Government on June 3, 2014.
In February, 2018, a letter from Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh was received to revive the project, following which Captain Amarinder Singh conveyed his consent to Himachal Pradesh. Subsequently, the Punjab Tourism Department received the approved MoU from the Government of Himachal Pradesh on September 5, 2018.
It is proposed to carry out this project in PPP mode by setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle. The total paid up equity of SPV will be Rs.1 crore, with Rs. 50 lakhs each as share of the two states. As per the MoU, both states will have equal share in the revenue, with concession period of 40 years. In the initial 7 years, no concession fee would be paid by the concessionaire and a time period of 3 years would be given to set up this project, said the spokesperson.

PUNJAB CABINET OKAYS TRANSFER OF FINAL LAND FOR BATHINDA AIIMS PROJECT

Chandigarh, September 20: The Punjab Cabinet, headed by Captain Amarinder Singh, on Thursday decided to transfer certain land pieces belonging to the state government to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, for the AIIMS project at Bathinda.
Disclosing this, an official spokesperson said the cabinet decided to transfer 4 Acres, 1 Kanal, 13 Marla of land, which stands in the name of Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana and Department of Sports, Punjab, to the central ministry.
The cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval 175.1 acre of land belonging to Punjab Agriculture University at village Jodhpur Romana, Bathinda transferred earlier to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, free of cost, for the AIIMS project.
With this decision, the requirement of entire land for the establishment of AIIMS at Bathinda now stands completely fulfilled, said the spokesperson.
The Bathinda AIIMS would be a 750-bed premier medical institute with 10 specialty departments and 11 super-specialty departments.
The Chief Minister reiterated his government's firm commitment to ensure early operationalization of AIIMS Bathinda, the progress of which was being monitored on regular basis, added the spokesperson.

PUNJAB CABINET REVIEWS PADDY PROCUREMENT ARRANGEMENTS, CM DIRECTS SMOOTH PROCUREMENT

Chandigarh, September 20: The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday reviewed the arrangements and preparedness for the Paddy procurement season beginning from October 1, with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh issuing directives for smooth and hassle-free procurement of the grain.
An official spokesperson said elaborate arrangements were being made to procure the expected 200 LMT Paddy.
The Chief Minister has asked the Food and Civil Supplies Department, the nodal agency for the procurement operations, to ensure all necessary arrangements for smooth, prompt and hassle-free procurement and storage of paddy. He also reiterated his Government’s firm commitment to lift every single grain of the farmers’ produce from the market and strictly adhere to the prescribed norms of timely payment.
The cabinet was informed that the Government of India had fixed Minimum Support Price Rs. 1770 per quintal for grade 'A' paddy and Rs. 1750 per quintal for common variety Paddy for the Kharif marketing season 2018-19. Five State procurement agencies, viz Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, PSWC, PAFC, along with FCI, will procure paddy on Minimum Support Price as per specification laid down by the Government of India.
During the previous KMS 2017-18, a total of 179.34 LMT paddy was procured, of which 176.61 LMT paddy was procured by Government agencies, while traders/millers procured only 2.73 LMT. During ensuing KMS 2018-19, State Agencies will procure 190.00 LMT paddy and FCI will procure 10 LMT paddy.
The Cabinet was informed that for the procurement of 190 LMT paddy, Cash Credit Limit amounting to Rs. 40300 crore was required by State Procuring Agencies. The same will be arranged before the commencement of the season.
Referring to the Paddy Purchase Policy for KMS 2018-19, the meeting was informed that the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department had already issued ‘The Punjab Custom Milling of Paddy Policy (Kharif 2018-19)’ for paddy processing, after approval of the Council of Ministers.
The spokesperson further said that necessary arrangements of required covers (Tarpaulin) for storage of paddy would be done in a timely manner. The Punjab Mandi Board has notified 1834 Purchase Centers and allotment of Purchase Centers amongst the procuring agencies would be done before the commencement of KMS 2018-19. FCI makes its own arrangements of gunny bales, cash credit, stock articles and storage space.

CAPT AMARINDER LED PUNJAB CABINET RATIFIES SHAHPUR KANDI DAM PROJECT AGREEMENT

Chandigarh, September 20: The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday ratified the agreement signed on September 8 between the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, as well as Commissioner Indus GoI, for immediate resumption of work on the Shahpur Kandi Dam Project.
The ratification came at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, said an official spokesperson.
The project, aimed to be completed in three years, would generate 206 MW of additional Hydro Power, leading to irrigation and power benefits worth Rs.852.73 crore annually.
With the completion of the project, the Ranjit Sagar Dam would operate its optimum capacity. It would also help in regulating releases at Shahpurkandi Dam, thus helping improve irrigation facilities to the command area under Uppar Bari Doab Canal (UBDC). J&K would get its share of water from Shahpurkandi dam project through gravity.
Notably, an agreement was signed on January 20, 1979 between the Chief Ministers of Punjab and J&K regarding Thein Dam project. The new project consists of Thein Dam, which has been renamed as Ranjit Sagar Dam, and was commissioned in 2000.
Work on the main dam and head regulators had commenced in March 2013. The construction was going on in full swing when suddenly, on August 30, 2016, the J&K authorities intervened and stopped the work in J&K territory, citing the enactment of Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004, even though the Punjab Government had categorically stated that PTAA 2004 was not applicable to riparian states like J&K and Himachal Pradesh.
With the intervention of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Prime Minister’s Office, an agreement was signed between irrigation secretaries of both the states on March 3, 2017, subject to approval by the respective Government. It was unanimously agreed that the work on the Shahpur Kandi Dam project would resume as soon as the respective state governments formally approved the decision.

PUNJAB GOVT APPROVES RULES FOR FRBM ACT IMPLEMENTATION TO ACHIEVE FISCAL TARGETS

Chandigarh, September 20: The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday took a slew of vital decisions for the development of the state, including approval of the rules for implementation of Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003.
The move will help the state achieve specific fiscal targets within a stipulated time period to avail the benefit of the Centre’s Debt Consolidation & Relief Facility for states, an official spokesperson disclosed after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
The Act was framed by the Government of India on the basis of the model draft bill circulated by the Reserve Bank of India, suitably amended from time to time. As per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, each state is mandatorily required to enact a Fiscal Responsibility Legislation to realize the desired targets.
The framing of these rules was also necessary as the state Government had entered an agreement with the Asian Development Bank, under which it would get a loan of USD 200 million (Rs. 1200 crore approximately). On fulfilment of the necessary conditions, the first tranche of USD 50 million (Rs. 316.92) and the 2nd tranche of USD 50 million (Rs. 337.06 crore) had already been received by the state, said the spokesperson.
As per the conditions of the agreement for release of 3rd tranche of USD 100 million, it was necessary for the state Government to make Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Rules.
Meanwhile, in another decision, the cabinet gave nod to frame the Punjab Waqf Rules, 2018 under the Waqf Act, 1995 (Central Act 43 of 1995). As per sub-section (1) of the section 109 of the aforesaid act, the State Government has been authorized to make rules by notification in the official gazette to carry out the intended purposes of the Act.
Notably, the Waqf Act, 1995 has been enacted by the Parliament for providing better administration of Auqaf and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The Cabinet has also approved the annual administrative reports for works executed by Soil and Water Conservation Department for the year 2014-15 and Cooperation Department for the year 2015-16.