With Punjab revenue receipts falling by a whopping 21 percent in the first quarter of 2020-21 and no financial support forthcoming from the Central Government, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday decided to undertake monthly review of the fiscal situation for more efficient management of the limited resources.
The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting, where the Chief Minister agreed to the Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s suggestion to draw short-term financial plans on quarterly basis in view of the critical situation since the beginning of this fiscal, on account of COVID-19 outbreak and the prolonged lockdown.
Manpreet warned that faced with its own revenue shortfall, the Central Government was likely to pull back finances even further from states in the coming quarter.
“The funds expected from the Centre in the first quarter had not come, thus leaving the State Government struggling to cope,” he pointed out.
Expressing concern over the situation, the Chief Minister said that he will hold monthly review meetings to take stock of the fiscal state of Punjab, taking into account the routine expenses, such as salaries, power subsidies, social welfare pensions etc.
Earlier, highlighting the grim fiscal situation prevailing in the State, Principal Secretary (Finance) KAP Sinha said that as of June 30, the share of Central Taxes for Punjab had gone down by 32 percent.
“The Grant-in-aid from Centre for the March-June period showed an increase of 38 percent, but that was mainly on account of GST receipt of Rs 3070 crore received in April, which included Rs 2366.46 crore against pending arrears for financial year of 2019-20,” said Sinha.
While state’s own tax revenue fell by 51 percent, the first quarter decline in the state’s non-tax revenue stood at 68 percent, Sinha informed the Cabinet, adding that more prudent measures would need to be taken to survive the current crisis.
BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS: CAPT
Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the state. At the same time, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder appealed to all to be extra cautious in view of the increasing number of cases.The State Government’s expert health advisor Dr KK Talwar said that the next four weeks were critical and every individual would have to take full precautions for their own safety and the safety of others.
PUNJAB INCREASES NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS FOR EX-SERVICEMEN PCS ASPIRANTS
Candidates, under the ex-servicemen category, will now get more chances to crack the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) exam with the State Cabinet approving the amendments in the existing rules on Wednesday.The increase is on the pattern of the attempts provided by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Notably, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, only past week, had announced to increase the number of attempts for candidates belonging to ex-servicemen category in the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination. Formalizing the same, the State Cabinet has approved to amend the existing proviso Clause (i) of Rule 5 of the Punjab Recruitment of Ex-Servicemen Rules 1982, in this regard.
With this approval, the way has been paved for increasing the number of attempts for general category ex-servicemen candidates from existing four to six, and four to nine for the Backward Classes ex-servicemen category in the PCS (Executive) and Allied Examination, while the Scheduled Castes ex-servicemen candidates would continue to get unlimited chances.
“The decision has been taken in line with the UPSC pattern, and keeping in view the welfare of ex-servicemen so as to address the anomaly existing in the Rule 5 of Punjab Recruitment of Ex-Servicemen Rules 1982,” said the spokesperosn.Under the existing rules, candidates of all categories were allowed to maximum of four attempts as per Punjab State Civil Services (Appointment by Combined Competitive Examination) Rules 2009.
The Punjab Public Service Commission had earlier informed the Chief Secretary about having received several representations regarding the anomaly in number of attempts fixed for ex-servicemen and persons with disability for Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examinations.
PUNJAB TO SET UP 2 NEW INDUSTRIAL PARKS
To further boost the state’s economy and industrial infrastructure, Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved setting up of a Modern Industrial Park and Integrated Manufacturing Cluster over an area of 2000 acres on Government and Panchayati land near Mattewara (Ludhiana) and Rajpura in Patiala district, respectively, at a total cost of Rs 3,200 crore.
The Government claimed that the two projects would be instrumental in accelerating the pace of industrialization and creating enormous employment potential to ensure the state’s economic progress.To be set up at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore each in an area of 1000 acres each, the projects will cater to the needs of prospective entrepreneurs or industrialists for setting up their ventures expeditiously, in line with the urgent need to develop such industrial or economic hubs in the State.
The Panchayati land for the said projects would be purchased by the Housing and Urban Development Department, for development as mixed land use or industrial park or Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC).
Spokesperson said that the ambitious Mattewara project had been envisioned and pursued by the Industries Department, and land of Government Departments would be taken over by the Housing and Urban Development Department under OUVGL.
