VIRBHADRA SINGH, WIFE GET BAIL IN PMLA CASE
NEW DELHI: A special court on Thursday granted bail to former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, his wife and three others in a ₹7 crore money laundering case. Special Judge Arvind Kumar granted the relief to Singh and his wife Pratibha, as well as to Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach.
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab cabinet on Thursday decided to waive off loans up to Rs 50,000 each taken from the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation (PSCLDFC) and Punjab Backward Classes Land Development and Finance Corporation (PBCLDFC).
The waiver will benefit 15,890 people who had taken loans up to March 31, 2017, including those who had defaulted on their payments, said an official spokesperson. A total amount of Rs 52 crore will be waived off under the scheme. While the number of eligible beneficiaries for loan waiver from PSCLDFC is 14,260 —with a total financial liability of Rs 45.41 crore — it is 1,630 for PBCLDFC and the financial liability involved is Rs 6.59 crore.
Under the scheme, the beneficiaries would be issued no-dues certificates only after they repay the balance amount, with interest, minus Rs 50,000 which the government has decided to waive. The cut-off date would be March 31, 2017, for calculation of interest/penal interest.
~52CRORE WAIVER TO BENEFIT 15,890 PEOPLE WHO TOOK LOANS UP TO MARCH 31 LAST YEAR; INCLUDES THOSE WHO DEFAULTED ON PAYMENT
CHANGES APPROVED IN LAND POOLING POLICY
The cabinet also approved a modification in the Land Pooling Policy-2013 in order to create land banks for the proposed Aero City Expansion Project of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), with a minimum of 15% compensation to be given to the land owners.
It decided that higher share of commercial area could be considered to be given to land owners if they so desired.
“In such cases, they would get lesser share of residential area to the tune of 1:3 ratio,” said the spokesperson.
The amendment was mooted after detailed deliberations with the farmers and other stakeholders in the vicinity of Aero City Mohali, where 70-80% of the land owners were willing to give up their land for the proposed project for land pooling.
A small percentage of the farmers demanded cash compensation to purchase land for cultivation in other areas, while a few farmers requested to trigger Land Acquisition Act and issue notification and award as per law, so that they are not harassed by the income tax department.
DENTISTS, TOO, TO GET FULL SALARY
The state cabinet has decided to bring medical officers (dental) also in the ambit of medical professionals who will get their full salaries, including allowances, during probation period. It approved a proposal to waive off the condition of basic pay for medical officers (dental).
Earlier, a similar waiver for MBBS probationers in government hospitals was cleared. “The move is aimed at ensuring the best dental treatment and diagnostic services in government healthcare institutions by engaging professional dental officers,” said a spokesperson of the chief minister’s office.
The cabinet decision would facilitate new medical officers (dental) to get full designated salary in the pay scale of ~15,600-39,100+5,400/- grade pay, a spokesperson of chief minister’s office disclosed.
Another decision was to reduce to the number of non-official members of the Scheduled Castes Commission from 10 to three, reversing a decision taken by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government a few months before the last assembly elections. The necessary legislation will be presented before the House in the budget session.
The cabinet also agreed to a proposal to amend section 4 (1) of the Act, stipulating that no person above the age of 70 years shall be eligible for appointment as chairperson and non-official members, and the chairperson and non-officials members, once appointed, shall get a fixed term of three years.
NARANG REPORT TO BE TABLED IN ASSEMBLY
The Narang Commission report, along with the department’s action taken report, will be tabled in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the ongoing session, with the state cabinet giving its go-ahead for the same.
The inquiry panel had looked into the alleged irregularities in auction of sand mines in the state.
The chief minister had on Wednesday announced the government’s decision to present all commission reports before the House, with the Narang Commission report to be tabled in the current budget session itself.
The commission submitted its report to the government on August 9, 2017. While the government kept it under wraps, leader of opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira had made public the report in which then minister Rana Gurjit Singh was given a clean chit.