Chandigarh: The Punjab Cabinet led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday decided to reduce the annual discretionary grant of the chief minister and that of all its ministers.
According to information, the discretionary grant of the CM has been reduced from Rs 50 crore to Rs 37 crore and ministers’ from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 1 crore, per annum. Likewise, the state assembly speaker’s grant has also been reduced from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 1 crore.
Pertinently, it is the second time this calendar year that the said grants of the ministers have been reduced, the first time being in January this when their grants were reduced from Rs 3 crore to Rs 1.5 crore.
Live, Biliary sciences institute
The Punjab Cabinet gave nod to establish Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences at SAS Nagar. The centre, to come up at a cost of Rs 59 crore, aims at acting as a catalyst to provide better diagnostic, health facilities, counseling and treatment facilities at affordable rates for liver related diseases. The Cabinet also approved the creation of 484 temporary posts in the upcoming institute.
Visiting faculty in govt schools
The Cabinet also approved appointment of visiting faculty in the government schools of the state. Persons who have retired as teaching faculty from any government/private school, college or university would be eligible for the proposed visiting resource faculty scheme.
Premature release of convicts
The Cabinet also gave its consent for sending the case of four prisoners for seeking the premature release of life convicts confined in the jails of the state and one other for rejecting such premature release. After the Cabinet’s nod, these special remission/premature release cases would be submitted to the Governor for consideration.
