Cabinet meet: Punjab Kisan Vikas Chamber fails to deliver, to lose 2-acre office in Mohali

CHANDIGARH : Over three years after the Punjab council of ministers established a Punjab Kisan Vikas Chamber (PKVC) at Mohali for farmer welfare in February 2016, the state cabinet on Thursday gave its nod to hand over the possession of its 2-acre office in Mohali to the department of agriculture and farmers welfare.

The decision was taken after the PKVC was found to have failed in its objective of farmer welfare. In 2016, the state was under SAD-BJP regime.

The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had allotted the land for free to the chamber and ₹25 crore had been also been granted to it. The PKVC was set up a society and it built its office at an estimated cost of ₹22 crore.

The state government, vide letters dated September 25, 2019, October 7, 2019 and October 22, 2019, had sought a report from the secretary general of the chamber on steps taken to improve the economic condition of the farmers. It was also asked to document the success achieved in this regard.

In response, the PKVC submitted a report on November 7, 2019 and the government found that the chamber did not make any worthwhile efforts to improve the economic condition of the farmers, nor had the farmers benefitted in any way.

RULES FOR ADVOCATE WELFARE FUND APPROVED

On Thursday, the cabinet also approved the administrative report of the Punjab State Food Commission for 2015-16 and 2016-17. It also approved rules for implementation of Punjab Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 2002. These rules would provide for deposit of funds in nationalised banks, preparation of annual statement of accounts and budget estimates and accounts of expenditure and investment as well as the annual audit.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE SITES GET NOD AT PATIALA

To promote the aviation sector, identified as a thrust area in the Industrial and Business Development Policy 2017, the cabinet approved the leasing of four sites, of 5,000 sq feet each, for the development of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities at Patiala Aviation Complex (PAC). The move was aimed at enabling Punjab’s development as a hub for the aviation and defence industry to tap the future potential of the sector

The cabinet also decided to amend service rules for school teaching, non-teaching cadres, as rules governing service conditions of government employees to various services of the department of school education had become outdated and virtually outlived their relevance, since these were framed in 1941, 1955, 1978, 1995 and 2004 to regulate recruitment and service conditions of teaching and non-teaching personnel.

IN 2016, GMADA HAD ALLOTTED THE LAND FOR FREE TO THE CHAMBER, BESIDES ₹25 CRORE

HAD ALSO BEEN GRANTED TO IT