Chandigarh: Punjab Cabinet led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday approved the excise policy for the year 2024-25, which for the first time in the history of the state, targeted an annual revenue of over Rs 10,350 crore.
Elaborating on the policy after the Cabinet meeting, the finance minister Harpal Cheema said that the collection from excise during previous Congress regime was merely Rs 6,151 crore and the new policy envisaged the allotment of liquor vends through draw, adding that instead of 172 groups, this time 232 groups had been constituted.
TWO POCSO COURTS
In order to ensure speedy trials of Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and rape cases, the Cabinet gave its consent to set up two fast track special courts in two districts - Sangrur and Tarn Taran to dispose of the pendency of cases pertaining to the POCSO Act and rape. The Cabinet approved creation of 20 posts including two posts of additional district and sessions judge along with 18 supporting staff for these courts.
3,842 PERMANENT POSTS
The Cabinet also gave its consent to convert 3,842 temporary posts of judicial wing posted in the subordinate courts across the state into permanent posts.
MEDICAL OFFICERS’ POSTS
The Cabinet also gave consent to revive 189 posts of medical officers (general) and create 1,390 such additional posts to overcome the shortage of MOs in the state. The 1,940 vacant posts of MOs would be filled through the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, after taking them out of the purview of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).
The Cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval to setting up of 829 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AAC) out of which 308 are located in urban areas and 521 in rural areas.
HEALTH COVER ENHANCED FOR TRADERS
The Cabinet also gave approval for enhancing the benefits of health insurance cover to the traders having turnover upto Rs 2 crore instead of existing Rs 1 crore. This would benefit more than 1 lakh traders of the state as they would be able to get free treatment upto Rs 5 lakh under this scheme.
