Extending the Ayushman Bharat – Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana (AB-SSBY) for one year, the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday decided to bring State Government employees or pensioners and employees of non-government organized sectors, including private sector or boards and corporations, into the fold of the health insurance cover.
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department has been asked to prepare a detailed proposal for inclusion of new categories into the ambit of the scheme, which provides insurance cover of Rs five lakh per family per year for 42.27 lakh poor and other families. The scheme will now be extended from August 20, 2020, to August 19, 2021, as per the Cabinet decision.
The decision was approved by the State Cabinet, held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh via videoconferencing.
“Of the 42.27 lakh families currently under the scheme’s cover, 14.86 lakh poor families have been identified as per the ‘Socio-Economic Caste Census’ (SECC) of 2011. Of the remaining 16.30 lakh families are Smart Ration Card holder families, and 11.10 lakh J-form holder farmers, sugarcane growers having weighment slips, construction workers, accredited journalists’ families and small traders’ families,” said the spokesperson.
Notably, the Cabinet has given approval for extension of Ayushman Bharat – Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana for the next policy plan period, that is August 20, 2020, to August 19, 2021, at the tendered premium rate of Rs 1,100 per family per year, by IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company Limited, selected through tendering process.
The total estimated cost of premium, that is Rs 464.98 crore at the rate of Rs 1,100 per family per year, to be shared amongst the Center, State Treasury, and the participating departments (Punjab Mandi Board, Building and Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, Excise and Taxation Department, PUNMEDIA), is Rs 98.07 crore, Rs 244.71 crore, and Rs 122.18 crore respectively.
Rs 1388 CR GRANT-IN-AID APPROVED FOR PRIs
In line with the guidelines of Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC), Punjab Cabinet approved the release of Rs 1,388 crore as grant-in-aid to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Approval has also been given for the distribution of grants amongst the three tiers of PRIs — 10 percent for Zila Parishads, 20 percent for Panchayat Samitis, and 70 percent for Gram Panchayats.
Accordingly, out of the total grant-in-aid of Rs 1388 crore, Rs 971.6 crore would be distributed amongst Gram Panchayats, Rs 277.6 crore to Panchayat Samitis, and Rs 138.8 crore to Zila Parishads.
The Cabinet also gave approval to intra-tier devolution, to be carried out on the basis of population and area in the ratio of 90:10 as per Fifteenth Finance Commission recommendations. The PRIs will be allotted 90 percent of the funds on the basis of their population as per Census 2011, and 10 percent of the funds on the basis of Rural Area under their jurisdiction.
Besides, the devolution of funds to all three tiers of PRIs will be carried out through Zila Parishads, that is the total amount will be transferred to the respective Zila Parishad and distribution to Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats will be done by Zila Parishads.
APPROVES 4-YEAR STRATEGIC ACTION PLANS FOR SIX MORE DEPTS
Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Four-Year Strategic Action Plan (4SAP), 2019-23, and Annual Action Plan 2019-20 of six more departments, taking the total number of state departments with such plans in place to 24.
The departments for which the plans have been given the nod are Social Justice Empowerment and Minorities, Governance Reforms and Public Grievances, Power, Higher Education and Languages, Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management, Information Technology and Key Performance Parameters (KPPs).
Spokesperson said that performance parameters, prescribed in four-year action plan for every key personnel responsible for execution of department's policies, programmes and schemes shall be monitored through the online Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Monitoring System, and the performance on KPPs shall be reflected in Annual Performance Appraisal Reports of the key personnel as per targets assigned to them.
ALLOWS AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OF LICENSE FACILITY FOR INDUSTRIES; MAINTAINING ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL REGISTER
To become eligible to avail additional borrowing of two percent of GSDP in 2020-21, and to further boost ease of doing business, Punjab Government has decided to allow facility of Automatic Renewal of Licence, and maintenance of register in electronic or digital format to the industries.
The Cabinet approved necessary amendments to the Factories Act, 1948, and Punjab Factory Rules, 1952. As per the new Rule, a licence shall be renewed for one year digitally through automation mode if there is no change in particulars of licence from previous granted or renewed licence and other conditions required by Government.
“The move is in line with the Union Finance Ministry’s directives for eligibility to procure Additional Borrowing of two percent of GSDP in 2020-21, subject to implementation of specific State Level Reforms by January 31, 2021. Automatic renewal of certificates or licences required by business entities is one of the reforms,” said a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s office adding that new Rules are to be inserted in Punjab Factory Rules, 1952, to give such facilities to the industries in the State.
APPROVES Rs 501.07 CR EXPENDITURE INCURRED BY STATE IN COVID FIGHT
Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for Rs 501.07 crore expenditure incurred so far by the State Government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. “Out of Rs 501.07 crore, Rs 76.07 crore was spent by the Health Sector Response and Procurement Committee for purchase of various equipment and relief, while Rs 425 crore was spent by various departments out of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and budgetary resources set aside for the management and control of the pandemic,” said a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office.
