BHOPAL: A dispute erupted over creation of posts of assistant professor, sports officer and librarian among the ministers during the cabinet meeting on Saturday.
Nonetheless, the cabinet gave its nod for creation of 1,369 posts.
Some ministers were opposed to the idea of re-engaging the guest scholars, but higher education minister, Jitu Patwari, said in its Vachan Patra, Congress had promised that services of all the guest scholars would be regularised.
Patwari said that both CM Kamal Nath and he assured the guest scholars that none of them would be thrown out of job and it would not happen.
The ministers said the BJP and the RSS were behind the agitation launched by the guest scholars so the government should not work under pressure.
Some of the ministers said once the services of guest scholars were regularised, the guest lecturers and contractual workers of other departments would also demand the regularisation of their services.
Nevertheless, since it was mentioned in the Congress’s Vachan Patra that the services of the guest scholars would be regularised, some of the ministers were in favour of re-appointing them.
A committee comprising higher education minister, chief secretary and additional chief secretary (finance) has been formed to begin the process for reappointment of guest scholars. The committee will complete the process by January 20.
10L farmers to get loan waiver: In an informal discussion, Chief Minister Kamal Nath, told the ministers that a list of ten lakh farmers, whose loan would be waived, was being prepared. The government has already waived the loan of 21 lakh farmers and process for waiving loan of 10 lakh is going on, he said. He urged the ministers to create an environment in their constituencies for loan waiving because the BJP launched a misinformation campaign among the farmers.
Protest over fake ration cards: Some of the ministers objected to the campaign against scrapping of fake ration cards. Since the civic bodies’ elections are due this year, the cancellation of such ration cards will adversely affect the government, they said. Minister for food and civil supplies Pradumnya Singh Tomar said since 15% of ration cards are fake, they would be cancelled.
