Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday left the ruling Congress party red-faced on the issue of non-payment of “shagun” since April 2017 to December 2017.
Led by SAD’s ‘firebrand’ leader Bikram Majithia, the SAD-BJP MLAs sought reasons for the “undue delay” in paying the shagun amount of Rs21,000 to the poor girls at the time of their wedding under the rechristened ‘Aashirwad’ scheme. Majithia’s query, regarding how much amount has been paid to how many beneficiaries during this period, put the state Social Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in a tizzy, who was unable to come up with a clear answer. However, Dharamsot maintained that the Government has paid a total of Rs37 crore, pending during the previous Government’s regime, and the remaining amount would be paid at the earliest.
He added that the scheme was started in 1997 with the shagun amount of Rs5,100 by the SAD-BJP government. “But it was Capt Amarinder Singh government in 2002, that increased the shagun amount to Rs6,100 and then to Rs15,000. On the other hand, the Akalis did not care to increase even a penny despite ruling the state for 10 years,” Dharamsot lashed out at Akalis.
Dissatisfied with the reply, Majithia pointed that Rs 83 crore was due to be paid to the poor girls of SC, BC communities at the time of their wedding from April 2017 to December 2017. “The Government has not given shagun to even a single beneficiary...The Minister is misleading the House by making false statements,” said Majithia while asking the Speaker Rana KP Singh to ask the Minister to apologise.
AAP DEMANDS REVIEW OF EXISTING ITIs
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday demanded review of existing ITIs before setting up the new ones in Punjab.
AAP MLA and the Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira requested the state government to make sure that the existing ITIs across the state are working fine and have required infrastructure, including the staff, and are not the white elephants, before setting up the new ones. Khaira’s assertion came in response to the State Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s statement that the government is considering to set up ITIs in all blocks of the State. Channi, assuring Khaira that he had taken note of his suggestion, said that the Government is already carrying out the process of reviewing the ITIs.
Earlier, Sandhu had demanded from Channi to consider setting up the ITI in Majri block of Kharar assembly segment, which Channi accepted. “Centre’s approval is required for the same,” said Channi.
PSSSB RECONSTITUTION UNDER PROCESS
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, responding to a question raised by the Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira relating to job fairs organised by the State Government, informed the Vidhan Sabha that the reconstitution of Punjab Subordinate Selection Service Board was under process.
Taking a dig at Khaira over his “lack of knowledge on the subject”, Capt Amarinder said that the government had been able to generate more than 1.61 lakh jobs in the state since taking over, with more than 25,000 in the Government job category.
He said that around 29,000 youth were given appointment letters in the recently concluded second phase of the state government’s mega job fairs, of these, 7,000 were in the government sector.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to provide employment under the ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’ scheme, Capt Amarinder said that there were around 757 posts of clerks lying vacant, which the government would soon fill up.
Earlier, in response to a question from Nawanshahr MLA Angad Saini regarding the government’s proposal to fill 57 vacant posts of clerks and 55 posts of class IV in Nawanshahr District Administration, Capt Amarinder assured the House that the Government would try to fill these posts during fiscal 2018-19. Giving details about the posts lying vacant in Nawanshahr, Capt Amarinder said that a requisition for 45 vacant posts of clerks was sent to Punjab SSSB on March 30, 2016, while another requisition for 20 more post of clerks was sent to the Board by the Revenue Department on June 7, 2016.
“No recommendations to fill the posts had been received from the Board...In accordance with the report of Nawanshahr Deputy Commissioner, it is now proposed to fill the vacant posts of Class-IV by way of transfer from other departments,” he added.
PAYAL SUB-YARD TO BE UPGRADED TO NEW MARKET COMMITTEE IF MEETS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Replying to a query raised by Payal MLA Lakhvir Singh Lakha, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder said that his government was ready to upgrade the existing Sub-Yard Payal to New Market Committee if it fulfils all requisite norms for upgradation.